Abby Owens

However, Abby Owens did even better, churning out a sad, melancholy tune with a confident and clear vocal delivery. Her bluesy, raspy voice was breathtaking and unforgettable, with her potential star quality high on the scale of future music success. Ota cm be hard for a singer to genuinely deliver the emotions of hurt, pain and loss effectively enough in a song and yet, with complete ease. Owens succeeded.
Yet it was Abby Owens, who all week showed why she would be considered a finalist. Owens can really write a song and she knows it. Her undeniably rich voice was golden in the clutch. No matter what the song, or what key, her voice, range and delivery was always clear, cutting through the air and captivating listeners from the very first row to the last. - Spencer Durham High Energy Acoustic Page

Abby Owens is the common ground from what was good and what is now, the overlap between funky soul, organic truth and the way the South is a country unto itself. With a wide-open throat, she reach into your gut -- make you quiver with shame, with pain, with raw desire. And then there are her songs: of joy, of heartbreak, of letting go, of moving on.
She is the genuine article. A girl from Indiantown, Florida -- just south of the swamp, but in ocean's reach -- transplanted to Waycross, Georgia -- where Gram Parsons came of age. Along the way, the 21-year old with the eyes like saucers took in a whole lotta life. Hard times, hard knocks, hard won victories. With a minimalist's strength, she writes it all down, she gets onstage and she let's it fly.
No wonder the lanky songwriter gets asked to be a part of the legendary in-the-know Parsons' tribute each year in Waycross. Why people like Kevin Kinney seek the girl out. Why artists like Patti Griffin and Emmylou Harris, Exile-era Stones, from the vaults Petty and the gentler side of Janis Joplin echo through her muscular soprano.
Owens is a witness to how music can transform. She brings that potency to anything she puts her vocal chords to -- and with her heart on her sleeve, on the wind, on the ground, she always rises stronger for the singing. She can help you rise, too. All you have to do is listen." - Holly Gleason

Friday, January 4, 2008
Dear Abby (Lee)...

{Author’s Note: Readers, Let me say this first: Abby Owens is amazing. A beauty. A tremendous voice. Presence on stage. My opinion of her is entirely biased. Go see her show for yourself and form your own opinions.}

Dear Abby,

I think I might be your biggest fan. I’ll be Kathy Bates. You be James Caan. There’s no snow embankments near my house for you to drive into, but we can sort out the fine details later. I’m your number one fan. Since I heard your original tunes, since I saw your swagger on stage, since I saw you down half a glass of Jack Daniels in a single swig, I’ve been… well… impressed. You have chosen a worthy mentor in Vic Stanley, and thankfully, his place, the Hummingbird, has now become ground zero for your voice. This voice, so angelic, with such raw purity that emerges only once every decade (See: Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, Mary Gauthier, Bonnie Bishop) is a gift to ears that embrace it.

Love,

Cody

Thus far, I have seen two Abby shows at the Hummingbird. The first featured Abby with her band, and later, I was able to see her with Sonia Leigh, Levi Lowery, and Vic Stanley, all trading songs across the stage. Each of these artists is amazing—when they are doing their shows. (Levi Lowery will dictate your heart rate.) However, as adept as each of these players are, Abby’s voice alone was enough to plow them off stage. Even as she harmonized with Stanley on Gram Parsons poetic songs, the sanctity of her voice felt adulterated by his presence.

Abby Owens is a name that American lungs will breathe. She will play outdoor festivals where people stretch to the horizon and stadium shows where faces stretch to the heavens. She will win awards, and she will changes lives. In the future, people will look at you funny if you do not know her name.

Middle Georgia: here’s your chance. I am not sure how long we will have this gift of Abby’s presence at the Hummingbird, but while we have this opportunity, embrace it and go see her show. See you there. - Cody Oxley

Around 9:00, Abbie Owens and Vic Stanley opened the entertainment. Owens on first look seems young enough to assume that she’s inexperienced. However, the arriving crowd were quick to buy into her music, which centered on fairly catchy acoustic rock or alt-country tunes, with a distinctive soulful voice. Vic Stanley accompanied her on lead guitar, and their voices melded well. Most of her songs were originals, but covers of Springsteen and Little Feat shone as well. Isbell watched early from the side, and he joined for several songs in the middle of their set. - amused to life blog

Here is last night's Jason Isbell show from smith's olde bar in Atlanta. At this point i still hardly know what i'm doing and ended up havingt to scramble at the last second for missing cables, my table being taken over while i was gone getting them, people literally walking over my mic stand multiple times and by the time i got everything completely set up i couldnt fix the mics properly. all in all it is an ok recording, but i'm dissapointed.

as for the show, great night! it was a acoustic show, sit down, story tellin' inbetween songs, good crowd, enthusiastic, well played.

The opener Abby Owens from Waycross, Ga was excellent. Jason sat in for a couple of songs just as i got everything working.

You should grab this for the abby owens portion alone if you have not heard her, and again, this was an acoustic show, so there are some different arrangements and playing here. - http://digitalpanic.org

Abby Owens really impressed me with her opening set for the Isbell concert. Owens brought two guitars, some guy named Victor and a good list of original tunes.

Owens also sounds a little like Sheryl Crow. What's not to like about that?

She has two albums out - one that was produced by Athens' David Barbe and another produced by Isbell. Both are worthy additions to your collection. - Athens Banner-Herald