Sasha Mercedes

Artist Information

Biography

Sasha Mercedes has been a touring solo artist for the past decade, having opened for the likes of Dar Williams, and Tracy Bonham, but is a force to be reckoned with in her own right. Mercedes is a multi-instrumentalist and extaordinary song-writer. Blending the two comes naturally and the result is a catalog of songs that are both honest and inspiring. Mercedes' riveting live performances leave audiences on the edge of their seats, as she beats her guitar and belts out the words for which she feels so passionately.

In her own words...

"I was shaken from my mother's womb from the impact of a head-on collision on the back roads of northern MN one frigid winter's night. I grew up in a cabin in the woods with no running water, listening to Judy Garland records on my parents old turn table. When I wasn't being toted around the country in an old school bus my dad converted into a house on wheels, I was back stage with him as he performed with his rock band all through the 80's. Eventually he moved us into a trailer park in Bayfield, WI on Lake Superior.

I put out my first album of original material at age 17, when a traveling theater company came to my high school, gave me a part in their musical and heard me singing one of my songs and decided to fund the production of a cd. I did a short-run Mid-Western tour and then went off to college. During this time, I was playing with a psychedelic goth rock band based out of Stevens Point, WI and we all bought one way tickets to Prague, in search of fame and fortune... instead we got 9/11 and were all stuck with no flights going back into the States. When I did make it home, I moved out east and joined a bluegrass band, playing festivals and halls in and around Baltimore, MD as well as volunteering for the American Music and Arts Festival. After this, I moved back to Bayfield and released 2 more albums of original work, having gained a ton of material with the travels and experiences aforementioned- my music is a culmination of many genres and is a result of drawing on the different styles and elements I've been fortunate enough to have been exposed to. Later, I moved back overseas, this time to Skopje, Macedonia, where I taught music "school of rock" style to international students aged 11-17. I did this for two years, working with the kids to put on concerts and theatrical productions.

I moved to Minneapolis, MN in October in order to record my most recent collection of songs, "Temporary Monsters" which was released in July."

Instrumentation

Sasha Mercedes-guitar and vocals
Ken Valdez- lead guitar and vocals
Tucker Sterling-Jensen- bass guitar
Mario Dawson- drums and vocals

Discography

Pipe Dreams 2002
Tide 2004
Traveler's Requiem 2005
6-Track Sessions 2006
Chill Out Acoustic Compilation 2009
Temporary Monsters 2010

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace

Audio

• Fallin'- By Sasha Mercedes
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• Appetite- By Sasha Mercedes
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• House on the Hill- By Sasha Mercedes
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• Let Me In- By Sasha Mercedes
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• That's Okay- By Sasha Mercedes
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

Setlist

Solo, Mercedes does a wide range of covers and originals. From Janis Joplin to Colbie Caillat, spanning the decades of rock, blues, country and folk. A mixture of high energy and sincere stories are what she brings to the table. When paired with The Ken Valdez Band, things rock out a bit more! Shows can range from Mercedes' intimate solo performances to acoustic duos, combos or an all out electric show. It all depends on the venue and the club owner's preferences. Good thing we can do it all!

Basic Requirements

Calendar