Tortoise and Hair

Artist Information

Biography

“As a listener I was quickly drawn into the inner life of Tortoise And Hair. Like many of the troubadours before them, this duo breaks down barriers with honesty, intelligence and wit, all wrapped in tremendous melodies and supple arrangements” Wildy Haskell


Tortoise and Hair is Adrienne and Dustin Cottrell. They’re a husband and wife team, which have been making music for more than 10 years. They perform frequently throughout the Southeast, and are quickly becoming known as a talented up and coming acoustic folk-duo.

Both Adrienne and Dustin are classically trained musicians, having studied together at Florida State University. However, they found their passion as singer-songwriters, pursuing the music of their heritage and family traditions.

Tortoise and Hair’s music, which includes a mix of covers and originals, is fun, witty, eclectic, and insightful. A close listen to their original songs will reveal a healthy sense of humor alongside a fundamentally serious attitude toward life. They incorporate a diverse palette of life experience and musical training into every performance. Some major inspirations include: Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Gillian Welch, Iron and Wine, Bob Dylan.

Instrumentation

Adrienne Cottrell: vocals and guitar

Dustin Cottrell: vocals, guitar, piano

Discography

1) Tortoise and Hair (2008) LP
2) Front Row Seat (2010) LP

Official Website

http://www.tortoiseandhair.com

Links

• Last.fm
• MySpace
• Facebook
• Twitter

Audio

• Faultline 09
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• No One Else in the World
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• Landmine
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• Traveling Song
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• Just to Hold Your Hand
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• Forever Yours
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• Stars Fell to the Ground
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• Argus
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Lyrics

• No One Else in the World
• Traveling Song
• Just Another Road
• Just to Hold Your Hand
• Stars Fellto the Ground
• Watching the World Fall Apart
• Forever Yours
• Forever Yours
• Miracles
• Stars Fell to the Ground
• Be Kind
• Smoke
• Girl in the Sparkling Dress
• Laughing
• Waiting

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Review of album "Front Row Seat [+ Show ]
  

  Tortoise And Hair - Front Row Seat 2009, Tortoise And Hair Review by Wildy Haskell Rating: 4 Star...Tortoise And Hair - Front Row Seat
  2009, Tortoise And Hair
  Review by Wildy Haskell
  Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)
  Husband and wife duo Adrienne and Dustin Cottrell, also known as Tortoise And Hair, hail from Marietta, Georgia and have been charming audiences in the Southeast United States for a decade now. The Cottrells studied together at Florida State University. Each are classically trained musicians with a shared love of some of the great singer/songwriters of Rock N Roll era (Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Gillian Welch, etc.) Tortoise And Hair uses a distinctive sense of melody, witty and insightful lyrics, and their own special chemistry to open ears, minds and hearts on their self-produced debut album Front Row Seat.
  Front Row Seat does display a certain distinct chemistry, but its duplicity is fetching. For all the chemistry on the album, it really is more like listen to two distinct artists’ solo albums on shuffle. Adrienne Cottrell leans more toward a folk or easy listening sound, relying on the deft imagery in the lyrics and her angelic voice to entrance a crowd. Dustin Cottrell is a closet rock n roller. He plays along well on the more folk-oriented material, but you can hear the enthusiasm in his guitar on the more rock and blues sounding songs. When the Cottrells sing together, however, there is no doubt they are together, as their voices intertwine and blend as if caramelized together by the music.
  Front Row Seat opens with “Traveling Song”, a paean to finding home in the midst of love no matter where you might be. The arrangement is a sweet maritime Celtic ballad and Adrienne Cottrell pays epic tribute with her voice. Dustin Cottrell takes over on “Faultline ‘09”, an edgy bit of urban folk with a touch of blues. The song is as catchy as anything you might hear. “Watching The World Fall Apart” is a mellow shell for a blend of voyeurism and schadenfreude that may be an indictment of financial collapse of 2008 and those who brought it about. “Watching The World Fall Apart” is sublimely tuneful and holds a wealth of finely meted our bitterness in its grasp.
  “Confessor” explores misplaced faith and the inherent need of even those who claim no faith to be absolved of their guilt. The song is a passive-yet-powerful story about one lost soul who keeps running to another in times of doubt, only to return when his well of certainty runs out. Adrienne Cottrell is out front on this one, a convincing and vaguely chilling story song that will stick with you. “Big Picture” is self-explanatory, a song that attempts to put life’s little problems into perspective. Dustin Cottrell takes the lead with extensive harmonies from Adrienne. “Voice Of The Wind” is perhaps the most unusual track on the disc, built from a martial beat, an ethereal arrangement and a whirling collection of guitar riffs. “No One Else In The World” recalls a simpler time and focuses on self-fulfillment. It’s not a flashy tune but flat-out great songwriting.
  “Forever Yours” is a powerful love song with perspective. Adrienne Cottrell ruminates on the changes that life brings yet returns to the one constant in her life: love. “Forever Yours” is likely to wind up on mix-tapes, dedication lines and any other method people can use to dedicate songs to one another. “Lady Midnight” is far and away the best songwriting on the disc; a wonderfully poetic representation of the doubts that strike us all in the hours between dusk and dawn. Adrienne Cottrell uses powerful imagery, vulnerability and an amazing voice to paint a picture that is many times greater than the sum of its parts. The song and performance are utterly brilliant. On “Limbo”, Tortoise And Hair explore the existential angst and self-doubt that accompany one of the many transitions from youth to adulthood. Dustin Cottrell is out front this time in a tune that sounds a bit like mid-1970’s Billy Joel. “For Once In My Life” has an easy piano/jazz feel. It’s a song about escaping all of your bonds for a little while; just being able to be, and is probably a daydream most concoct from time to time. Tortoise And Hair close with “Just Another Road”, a plain and plaintive closer that hides s quiet sense of hope that will grab you.
  As a listener I was quickly drawn into the inner life of Tortoise And Hair. Like many of the troubadours before them, this duo breaks down barriers with honesty, intelligence and wit, all wrapped in tremendous melodies and supple arrangements. Front Row Seat does feel like two distinct artists at times, but even where this dichotomy exists, the sense of chemistry between the two never fades. Adrienne Cottrell writes and interprets brilliantly, and Dustin Cottrell brings an edgy sense to the duo that seems initially out of place but quickly melds itself seamlessly into the sound. Tortoise And Hair are a duo not to be missed.
  Review by Wildy Haskell

• Album Review of "Front Row Seat" [+ Show ]
  

  For married couple, Adrienne and Dustin Cotrell music is key. The two have taken the best of their a...For married couple, Adrienne and Dustin Cotrell music is key. The two have taken the best of their abilities and churned out a record that is both soothing with tracks like “Confessor” and ones that make audiences tap their feet like “Faultline’09.” The Cotrell’s voices blend so well together that one can sense not only their musical connection but their personal connection to one another. There is an overtone of humbleness that radiates from each track that isn’t seen in a lot of today’s music. Tortoise and Hair are a well received throwback to the folk of the 70s. They put words to music to create sound poetry. Music lovers who appreciate the styles of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen will want to take in Tortoise and Hair’s A Front Row Seat.
  Track 1: “Traveling Song” is the perfect tune for, well, traveling. Adrienne’s voice accompanied by Dustin’s playing takes listeners, comforts them and makes weary travelers feel like home is not that far away.
  Track 6: “Voices of the Wind” has a harder edge than a lot of the other songs on the album. Dustin takes charge of the vocals on this one and executes nicely. The marching drums drive home the power of the song.
  Track 10: “Forever Yours” is one of those songs that touches the heart of hopeless romantics everywhere. Anyone who has ever felt the joys and pains of love will turn this song on and relate to every word from beginning to end.
  Reviewed by Kendra Beltran of Bryan Farrish Promotions

Setlist

We perform covers and originals. Covers might include:

Against the Wind—Pete Seeger
All For You—Sister Hazel
America—Paul Simon
American Girl—Tom Petty
Angel—Sarah McLaughlin
Angel of the Morning
—the Pretenders
Annabelle—Gillian Welch
Ants Marching—Dave Matthews
As Long as I Can See the Light
—Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bad Bad Leroy Brown—Jim Croce
Beast of Burden—Rolling Stones
Before You Accuse Me—Eric Clapton
Better Together—Jack Johnson
Big Yellow Taxi—Joni Mitchell
Blackbird—The Beatles
Blower’s Daughter—Damien Rice
Blowin’ in the Wind—Bob Dylan
Both Sides Now—Joni Mitchell
Boxer—Simon and Garfunkle
Bring it to Me—Sam Cooke
Brown Eyed Girl—Van Morrison
Bye Bye Blackbird—standard
Caleb Meyer—Gillian Welch
Can’t Help Falling—Elvis Presley
Carolina in My Mind—James Taylor
Case of You—Joni Mitchell
Come Away With Me—Norah Jones
Come Monday—Jimmy Buffett
Come Into My Kitchen
—Robert Johnson
Corner of Lafayette—Paul Simon
Couldn’t Believe it was True
—Willie Nelson
Country Roads—John Denver
Country Roads—James Taylor
Cover Me—Bruce Springsteen
Crazy Love—Van Morrison
Daniel—Elton John
Danny’s Song—Anne Murray
Daughters—John Mayer
Delilah—Plain White T’s
Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes
—Paul Simon
Dock of the Bay—Ottis Redding
Don’t Dream it’s Over
—Crowded House
Don’t Know Why—Norah Jones
Don’t Let Me Be Lonely—James Taylor
Don’t Look Back in Anger—Oasis
Don’t Think Twice—Bob Dylan
Fields of Gold—Sting
Fire and Rain—James Taylor
Forever & Ever Amen—Randy Travis
Free Fallin’—Tom Petty
Girl from the North Country
—Bob Dylan
Hallelujah—Leonard Cohen
Hand’s on the Wheel—Willie Nelson
Hard Rain—Bob Dylan
Harvest Moon—Neil Young
Here Comes the Sun—The Beatles
Hey Hey—Eric Clapton
Hey Jealousy—Gin Blossoms
Hooked on a Feeling—B.J. Thomas
How Sweet it is—James Taylor
I Have Nothing- Whitney Houston
I’ve Got You Babe—Sonney & Cher
If You’ve Got the Money, Honey
—Willie Nelson
In My Life—The Beatles
Into the great Wide Open
—Tom Petty
I’m Yours—Jason Mraz
I’ve Just Seen a Face—The Beatles
Kiss Me—Six Pence None the Richer
Landslide—Fleetwood Mac
Lay Lady Lay—Bob Dylan
Leaving on a Jet Plane—John Denver
Let it Be—The Beatles
Let it Be Me—standard
Listen to the Music
—Doobie Brothers
Lodi—Creedence Clearwater Reviva
Losing My Religion—REM
Lyin’ Eyes—The Eagles
Many Rivers to Cross—Jimmy Cliff
Margaritaville—Jimmy Buffett
Mary Jane’s Last Dance—Tom Petty
Meet Me in the Morning—Bob Dylan
Midnight Train to Georgia
—Gladys Night & the Pips
Momma’s Don’t Let Your Babies
—Willie Nelson
Moondance—Van Morrison
Motherland—Natalie Merchant
Nightingale—Norah Jones
No Woman No Cry—Bob Marley
Norwegian Wood—The Beatles
On the Road Again—Willie Nelson
One Headlight—Wallflowers
One More Dollar—Gillian Welch
Operator—Jim Croce
Peaceful Easy Feeling—The Eagles
Proud Mary
—Creedence Clearwater Revival
Ramblin’ Man—Allman Brothers
Red Red Wine—UB40
Ring of Fire—Jonny Cash
Runaround—Blues Traveler
Runnin’ On Empty—Jackson Brown
San Andrea’s Fault
—Natalie Merchant
San Francisco Bay Blues
—Janis Joplin
Satellite—Dave Matthews
Shame About Ray—Lemonheads
Shower the People—James Tayor
Sloop John B—Beach Boys
So Much to Say—Dave Matthews
Something in the Way She Moves
—James Taylor
Southland in the Springtime
—Indigo Girls
Stand By Me—Sam Cooke
Steal My Kisses—Ben Harper
Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For
—U2
Still the One-Shania Twain
Suzanne—Leonard Cohen
Suzie Q
—Creedence Clearwater Revival
Sweet Baby James—James Taylor
Sweet Caroline—Neil Diamond
Tennessee Waltz—Country Standard
Tequila Sunrise—Eagles
Time After Time—Cindi Lauper
Time In A Bottle—Jim Croce
Time of the Preacher—Willie Nelson
Tupleo Honey—Van Morrison
Up On The Roof—James Taylor
Waiting on the World to Change
—John Mayer
Water is Wide—Traditional
We’ll Be Fine—Leonard Cohen
When You Say Nothing At All
—Allison Krauss
Wild World—Cat Stevens
Wind—Cat Stevens
With or Without You—U2
Wonderwall—Oasis
You Can Call Me Al—Paul Simon
You Move Me—Garth Brooks
You’re Gonna Make Me Lonely
—Bob Dylan
You’re So Bad—Tom Petty
You’re so Vain—Carly Simon
Your Song—Elton John

Basic Requirements

Calendar