Becky Alter
Los Angeles, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2014
Music
Press
Becky Alter highlights “Alter’s striking voice… ‘Lovebird’, a standout track…packs power that recalls Baez in her heyday, never losing steam. Alter hits some sweet high notes…” - San Diego Troubadour
October 24, 2012
Indie folk songwriter Becky Alter takes the comparison to Joan Baez as a compliment.
“Some of my audiences swear I’m Joan Baez’s sister or daughter,” said Alter, a Virginia-born, Austin, Texas-based artist with almost a decadelong career as a professional.
Alter will play Snoqualmie’s The Black Dog on Oct. 26 as part of her six-state tour that began this summer in Southern California.
Her debut album, “Becky Alter,” contains the song “Nana’s Lullaby,” a finalist for best folk-traditional song in the 2012 New Mexico Music Awards.
TinderBox, a music-promotions company out of Minneapolis, described her voice as ringing clarity and perfection. “The vocals are smooth,” the review stated. “They almost make you forget where you are and what you’re doing.”
Alter recorded the album in Albuquerque, N.M. “I am really happy with how it came out,” said Alter, who shares the same name with a folk-and-soul singer based in the Caribbean.
While some fans delight in comparing Alter with the 71-year-old Baez, she has a more specific, to say the least, description for her own style. “It’s Joan Baez,” she said, “charming Ani DiFranco over lunch with Johnny Cash.”
A one-time urban planner, Alter shelved her career to go full time as a singer in 2011, but has played music for a long time, she said.
She has a background on classical piano, but the rigors of life on tour have kept her from playing it much, so instead, a guitar is her companion.
She books her concerts as she tours. “Booking on the road is challenging,” she said. “Renewing your vehicle registration on the road is challenging, but I love meeting new people, talking to new people, having them tell me to come to their town. I love music and I love sharing with people.”
Despite what her fans may say, she’s fine with being a lookalike, but not a soundalike.
“I have a strong commitment to doing my own thing and having my own sound,” she said. “I don’t listen to music to go ‘that inspires me to write something just like that.’”
Her influences include classics like Beethoven and pop legends Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.
Her goals include having songs played as part of a TV or a film score.
Until that happens, she will keep composing and touring. She calls her tour the loop, because it begins and ends in California, with stops in Utah, Montana, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Portland (Ore.), the Puget Sound area — including Snoqualmie — and then back south to Oregon and the Golden State.
Grueling road trips nonetheless, you won’t hear her complain. The audiences like her and she returns the favor.
“I feel really lucky for how things have played out,” she said. “This tells me this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”
If you go
Becky Alter
Indie singer-songwriter
8 p.m. Oct. 26
The Black Dog
8062 Railroad Ave. S.E.
Snoqualmie
831-3647
www.beckyaltermusic.com
- Sno Valley Star
October 24, 2012
Indie folk songwriter Becky Alter takes the comparison to Joan Baez as a compliment.
“Some of my audiences swear I’m Joan Baez’s sister or daughter,” said Alter, a Virginia-born, Austin, Texas-based artist with almost a decadelong career as a professional.
Alter will play Snoqualmie’s The Black Dog on Oct. 26 as part of her six-state tour that began this summer in Southern California.
Her debut album, “Becky Alter,” contains the song “Nana’s Lullaby,” a finalist for best folk-traditional song in the 2012 New Mexico Music Awards.
TinderBox, a music-promotions company out of Minneapolis, described her voice as ringing clarity and perfection. “The vocals are smooth,” the review stated. “They almost make you forget where you are and what you’re doing.”
Alter recorded the album in Albuquerque, N.M. “I am really happy with how it came out,” said Alter, who shares the same name with a folk-and-soul singer based in the Caribbean.
While some fans delight in comparing Alter with the 71-year-old Baez, she has a more specific, to say the least, description for her own style. “It’s Joan Baez,” she said, “charming Ani DiFranco over lunch with Johnny Cash.”
A one-time urban planner, Alter shelved her career to go full time as a singer in 2011, but has played music for a long time, she said.
She has a background on classical piano, but the rigors of life on tour have kept her from playing it much, so instead, a guitar is her companion.
She books her concerts as she tours. “Booking on the road is challenging,” she said. “Renewing your vehicle registration on the road is challenging, but I love meeting new people, talking to new people, having them tell me to come to their town. I love music and I love sharing with people.”
Despite what her fans may say, she’s fine with being a lookalike, but not a soundalike.
“I have a strong commitment to doing my own thing and having my own sound,” she said. “I don’t listen to music to go ‘that inspires me to write something just like that.’”
Her influences include classics like Beethoven and pop legends Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin.
Her goals include having songs played as part of a TV or a film score.
Until that happens, she will keep composing and touring. She calls her tour the loop, because it begins and ends in California, with stops in Utah, Montana, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Portland (Ore.), the Puget Sound area — including Snoqualmie — and then back south to Oregon and the Golden State.
Grueling road trips nonetheless, you won’t hear her complain. The audiences like her and she returns the favor.
“I feel really lucky for how things have played out,” she said. “This tells me this is what I’m supposed to be doing.”
If you go
Becky Alter
Indie singer-songwriter
8 p.m. Oct. 26
The Black Dog
8062 Railroad Ave. S.E.
Snoqualmie
831-3647
www.beckyaltermusic.com
- Sno Valley Star
March 22, 2012 - Alter, a rising star in the acoustic singer-songwriter scene, will release her debut album later this year. The song "You" is the first single and highlights her unique voice and style.
Alter's sound has been described as "Joan Baez charms Ani DiFranco over lunch with Johnny Cash." She has also been likened to Simon & Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell. For more information and to listen to Alter, log on to beckyaltermusic.com.
- Pulse, Las Cruces Sun-News Entertainment
Discography
Becky Alter (May 2012)
"You" (2011)
Photos
Bio
*New Mexico Music Awards Finalist, Best Folk-Traditional song, “Nana’s Lullaby”, 2012.
Becky Alter highlights “Alter’s striking voice… ‘Lovebird’, a standout track…packs power that recalls Baez in her heyday, never losing steam. Alter hits some sweet high notes…” – San Diego Troubadour
“Becky Alter’s vocals are hauntingly evocative – ethereal, but with an urgency that pushes the music forward. Her songs are about something, and with their catchy melodic hooks you find them going through your head hours and days later.” – MarsJazz Booking Agency
“Becky’s voice rings clarity and perfection. The vocals are smooth and have a trancy-ness about them that almost make you forget where you are and what you are doing…The acoustic guitar resonates wonderfully and has great tone with good mids.” – TinderBox Music
“From the first note her beautiful lilting voice captivated me and the audience. …she has a powerful command of her wide range…” – Producer of Yusif’s to You!
Becky Alter is a vocalist, songwriter, and musician. She has been recognized for her vocals and style, described as having a voice that “rings clarity and perfection.”
Alter’s debut album, BECKY ALTER, was released in 2012 … A collection of indie, blues, rock, and instrumental that has been regarded as having “catchy melodic hooks” and “hauntingly evocative.” The San Diego Troubadour said the album highlights “Alter’s striking voice.”
While the album landed Alter as a finalist for the NM Music Awards (“Nana’s Lullaby” / Best Folk/Traditional Song), musically & stylistically she cross-defies genres. Consistently regarded as having her own sound and style, Alter has drawn praise from audiences across the US – “beautiful”, “lead crystal”, “ethereal, uplifting, hot stuff.” Media & the music industry also chimed in “packs power”. Some suggested a vocal quality akin to Joan Baez, “”Lovebird’… recalls Baez in her heyday.” The album is for fans of Azure Ray, Emma Hewitt, Angus & Julia Stone.
Most of 2012-2013 was spent on a tour of the western US in support of the album.
For more information, www.beckyaltermusic.com
For other high resolution images, contact Becky Alter
Band Members
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