Music
Press
"Ruby Red offers a fresh, lively sound made up of contagious rhythms and infectious happiness that sticks with you for hours. Lead singer/rhythm guitarist Robin Brantley is a charming songstress with strong vocals nicely supported by husband Dave's intriguing secondary vocal lines that go beyond your basic backups. Slick razor-sharp lead guitar, fat bottom thanks to a six string bass, tasty keys and percussion, clever lyrics and catchy hooks. Drawing from several musical styles for a brand that's uniquely theirs, it's always an enjoyable show from Ruby Red!"
-- Carol Batchelor, DJ, 98.7 KUPL (1/08)
- 98.7 KUPL
"A favorite on sponsor station KUPL, the band’s latest album, “Tall Enough for This Ride,” is full of spunky and mature songwriting and talented musicianship that blends influences from country, rock and pop into a catchy and satisfying whole."
— Barbara Mitchell, Portland Tribune (3/08)
- Portland Tribune
“Ruby Red is an all original band with mainstream appeal. Robin Brantley does the songwriting and arranging for the group. Considered by most a "crossover" band – (somewhere in-between rock and country), Ruby Red combines acoustic melodies with edgy guitar effects, stimulating drum fills and strong female vocals to bring Brantley's lyrics to life. The crossover genre is a logical fit considering Brantley's musical influences are Chrissie Hynde, Sheryl Crow, Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. In the studio, Ruby Red has recently completed, "Tall Enough for This Ride" which contains 12 originals including "Mary", which has seen air time on KUPL. While "Mary" might be the single noticed early, tracks 1 (Second to Nature) and 8 (Say You Need Me) are high energy arrangements backed by solid musicianship that could do even better. Brantley is more than just a pretty face on stage though. She's an ambitious, business-savvy entrepreneur who understands how to get results managing and marketing a band.
— Bill Toner, Freelance Writer, Café Magazine (10/07)
- Cafe Magazine
"Ruby Red offers a fresh, lively sound made up of contagious rhythms and infectious happiness that sticks with you for hours. Lead singer/rhythm guitarist Robin Brantley is a charming songstress with strong vocals nicely supported by husband Dave's intriguing secondary vocal lines that go beyond your basic backups. Slick razor-sharp lead guitar, fat bottom thanks to a six string bass, tasty keys and percussion, clever lyrics and catchy hooks. Drawing from several musical styles for a brand that's uniquely theirs, it's always an enjoyable show from Ruby Red!"
-- Carol Batchelor, DJ, 98.7 KUPL (1/08)
- 98.7 KUPL
Smooth, smokey, sexy! See them now before tickets are $100+
Buy this cd now (Out There, 2004). Robin's original melodies and lyrics are crisp, tight, complicated and perfect for listening or dancing. Together, Robin and Dave's vocals are smokey, sexy & oh so smooth. Add the fabulous beat and a guitar that talks to the soul and you have a winner! Don't miss Ruby Red while you can still see them for less than $100.”
-- Barbara Stein, Music Writer, On The Town (2/05) - On The Town
“The first thing I picked up on was a "Cowboy Junkies on espresso" sound. The vocals are led by a whispery, deep voiced woman who, at times, also hits on an Aimee Mann vibe. Musically speaking, the band puts out straight forward guitars, electric and acoustic, with solid chord progressions - this is good, easy to listen to stuff. You can almost here the guitar riffs ringing through the next Volkswagen commercial!" — Sean Stutzman, Pacific North West Music Review 12/16/06
- Pacific North West Music Scene
Smooth, smokey, sexy! See them now before tickets are $100+
Buy this cd now (Out There, 2004). Robin's original melodies and lyrics are crisp, tight, complicated and perfect for listening or dancing. Together, Robin and Dave's vocals are smokey, sexy & oh so smooth. Add the fabulous beat and a guitar that talks to the soul and you have a winner! Don't miss Ruby Red while you can still see them for less than $100.”
-- Barbara Stein, Music Writer, On The Town (2/05) - On The Town
"AWESOME! Yes, I was stunned! I saw Ruby Red play in Portland, OR and decided on the spot to buy their CD. The hard-driving song, "Can't Sit Still" contrasts nicely with the yearning expressed in "Get Real". Then the band rolls smoothly into a moving appeal to "Lady Luck". The difference between ordinary times in life and how life changes after falling in love is delightfully summed up in "When You Fall" and the album ends on a upbeat, positive note with "Play By Ear". I'm definitely looking forward to another Ruby Red performance and hearing even more of their music!"
-- Scott Compton, Music Writer, LA Musicwerks (12/04)
- LA Musicwerks
"AWESOME! Yes, I was stunned! I saw Ruby Red play in Portland, OR and decided on the spot to buy their CD. The hard-driving song, "Can't Sit Still" contrasts nicely with the yearning expressed in "Get Real". Then the band rolls smoothly into a moving appeal to "Lady Luck". The difference between ordinary times in life and how life changes after falling in love is delightfully summed up in "When You Fall" and the album ends on a upbeat, positive note with "Play By Ear". I'm definitely looking forward to another Ruby Red performance and hearing even more of their music!"
-- Scott Compton, Music Writer, LA Musicwerks (12/04)
- LA Musicwerks
Discography
Ruby Red EP (2002)
Out There (2004)
Tall Enough For This Ride (2007)
Radio Air Play:
Mary, Beer In The Bathtub, Smile, Imagine My Surprise & Lady Luck ~98.7 KUPL (CBS)
I Know, Better Off To Roam ~KINK fm102 (Portland)
Internet Radio/streaming: Tracks on HOOAH.com radio, 2BCE.com, America Needs Me & several others
Photos
Bio
Rockin' the pop in a country sorta way is like 4 wheelin' in your Caddy! With one hand on the wheel and the other keepin' time on the dash, Rockin' Robin's North West 6-pack Ruby Red gets a little air and they haven't bottomed out yet. This band’s brand of rockin’ pop akin to Sheryl Crow, John Mellancamp and Shania Twain bellies up to the current “crossover” bar, bringing a side of country to today’s music table for a full meal deal.
With the release of their new CD, Tall Enough for This Ride (12/07), the band has already enjoyed ongoing airplay for several songs on Portland’s top country radio. Their debut release, Out There (2004) received airplay on both pop and country popular Portland radio stations and Mary, the popular 2007 single and music video has had many pre-release spins on 98.7 KUPL. Barbara Mitchell, music writer for The Portland Tribune had this to say about the new CD: "A favorite on sponsor station KUPL, the band’s latest album, “Tall Enough for This Ride,” is full of spunky and mature songwriting and talented musicianship that blends influences from country, rock and pop into a catchy and satisfying whole." (3/08)
A latecomer to the party, true natural and front woman “Rockin’” Robin Brantley leads the band with less experience than any of the other five! This “long legged ball of fire” (Portland Tribune, 4/07) takes you from honest ballad to rock-your-socks-off heavy-hitters with a guitar-slinger’s swagger and a large helping of on-stage charisma. From Loretta Lynn to Sheryl Crow, she draws on multiple sides of the musical spectrum to form unforgettable songs loved by so many. Husband Dave “The Harmonator” Brantley is a front man quality vocalist himself, leading his own band for many years prior to finding Robin. “But we were born to sing together,” he insists, “our voices blend so perfectly!” It’s pretty special to witness true love coming across on a stage but the electric connection between these two will leave you breathless and wanting MORE!
Is it Destiny? A very interesting and certain twist of fate revolves around the formation of this band. Chad “The mad-man danger” Crabtree (he’s the quiet one) rocks the 6-string bass like he and Dave never spent a day apart- they shared the stage in Phoenix in the previously mentioned band, Rampian! Totally by coincidence and after losing touch on St. Patrick’s Day more than ten years ago, the two are stunned after re-connecting in the Northwest when Chad answers a 3/17/04 blind Ruby Red ad calling for a bassist. Other key components include tasty keyboards and three part harmony from Mark Horn plus a fat rhythm section anchored by drummer Brett Hobbs. And finally, after a massive search of over fifty lead guitarists, Ibanez trickster Jesse Cruz fills out the line-up with innovative radio-ready licks to rival some of the best in the business.
With music in several upcoming feature films (The Briar Patch and Have Mercy) and a strong sophomore CD, 2008 looks promising for Ruby Red. The band has previously opened for major label artists Eddie Money, Eric Burdon and rising country star Josh Gracin and is excited about the prospect of getting heard in the mainstream. As stated in Better Off To Roam, "On with the story, on with the show!"
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