Scott Chism & the Better Half

“The music on offer is a blend of traditional country, hillbilly and bluegrass. Chism, who penned eight of the 13 selections, has a warm, easy-going drawl that entices you in. Good varied music from start to finish and highly recommended.” - Alan Cackett - Maverick Magazine (UK) February 2013

“The music on offer is a blend of traditional country, hillbilly and bluegrass. Chism, who penned eight of the 13 selections, has a warm, easy-going drawl that entices you in. Good varied music from start to finish and highly recommended.” - Alan Cackett - Maverick Magazine (UK) February 2013

Mississippi duo Scott Chism and the Better Half has a relatively long history together, four years. Only now coming out with their debut album, Long Haul Steady, which was recorded in Nashville. Here they have been joined by producer Adam Landry and several prominent Nashville names like Chris Scruggs (yes, exactly - the grandson of Earl Scruggs bluegrass legend) and Jen Gunderman. Scott Chism and his better half, Lynsey Terry complement each other well - and the result has been an energetic and well played debut album. "2> 1" is an excellent country song to top the best Tammy Wynette style, while the first track "We'll Turn Into Ghosts" is a resilient bluegrass fest. Better still is the melodic and spiritual story "Good King Josiah." Maybe next time the track to follow.

Scott Chism & the Better Half (DragonHorse Records) "Long Haul Steady"

Lokalavisen, September 2012 - Lokalavisen, September 2012/ Printed Publication/Norway

When Scott Chism & the Better Half take the Hank Becker Stage at The Shed, the Shedheads in attendance will not only be getting a heaping helping of their favorite barbecue but also a healthy serving of pure modern Americana. This group features band namesake Scott Chism on acoustic guitar with vocalist Lynsey Terry playing the part of the "Better Half.” This band got its start in Tupelo but relocated to Hattiesburg. Their versatile sound has allowed them to appeal to many demographics, which can be seen in their resume’. This band has found themselves opening for acts such as Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, The Kentucky Headhunters and Cary Hudson/Blue Mountain.

Listening to tracks off of their debut "Long Steady Haul” is evidence that this duo truly has a little something for everyone. The album’s title track is an alt. country ballad tinged with rock & roll with growling vocals from Chism and a pinpoint harmony from Terry. On the other side of the spectrum, "We’ll Turn Into Ghosts” is steeped in intense bluegrass. - Lagniappe/Mobile, AL / June 2012

A storyteller who makes the simplicity of his stories come alive with his clean-cut country/folk style with a rough bluesy edge. Based in Mississippi, the blues isn’t hard to find on this album. “Hand Me Down Blues and “Keep Bearin’ Down” have a classic Americana sound with a southern twang. - Austin Daze/ Austin, TX / September 2012

A storyteller who makes the simplicity of his stories come alive with his clean-cut country/folk style with a rough bluesy edge. Based in Mississippi, the blues isn’t hard to find on this album. “Hand Me Down Blues and “Keep Bearin’ Down” have a classic Americana sound with a southern twang. - Austin Daze/ Austin, TX / September 2012

This band is driven by the musical skills of Scott Chism and Lynsey Terry who have playing and singing together since 2008. Though they've been together since then, they've only now gotten around to releasing their debut album. Long Haul Steady features smooth country/folk/pop tunes with a clean traditional sound. Some of these tracks should appeal to alt-country fans while others could easily appeal to a mass market. The album was recorded in Nashville and has a nice laidback feel and sound. And it's housed in a beautifully designed digipak sleeve complete with a nifty l'il lyric booklet. Thirteen pleasing tracks here including "We'll Turn Into Ghosts," "Corinth Now," "Hand Me Down Blues," and "Bullets & Bribes." - Babysue.com/ September 2012

This band is driven by the musical skills of Scott Chism and Lynsey Terry who have playing and singing together since 2008. Though they've been together since then, they've only now gotten around to releasing their debut album. Long Haul Steady features smooth country/folk/pop tunes with a clean traditional sound. Some of these tracks should appeal to alt-country fans while others could easily appeal to a mass market. The album was recorded in Nashville and has a nice laidback feel and sound. And it's housed in a beautifully designed digipak sleeve complete with a nifty l'il lyric booklet. Thirteen pleasing tracks here including "We'll Turn Into Ghosts," "Corinth Now," "Hand Me Down Blues," and "Bullets & Bribes." - Babysue.com/ September 2012

Four years ago in the Mississippi folk, bluegrass and traditional country band "Scott Chism & The Better Half" founded, but it was not until this year before the group's first album on the market could appear. That was the thirteen-track album "Long Haul Steady", which this formation to the 'Playground Sound' studio in Nashville, Tennessee is drawn and singer-songwriter Braden Land as a producer managed to ensnare.



Braden Land himself wrote also three songs for this album with "Corinth Now", "Hobo Blues" and "One More Mile". For the vocal performance in this group provide two persons: bandleader Scott Chism and the charismatic singer Lynsey Terry. The stories in the songs transferred are typical of the so-called 'porch' music, songs that are applicable in the porch of a house in the prairie can be sung and not infrequently the necessary sense of humor and morality provided.



For the bluegrass banjo player ensure sound Byron McQuain and violinist Thomas Molly, while the country aspect is mainly embodied by the lap steel of Chris Scruggs (eg Andrew Bird) and the accordion Jen Gunderman (The Jayhawks ao & Steve Earle). How the band sounds you can take a look at the accompanying video of the soulful title track from this album by Scott Chism is sung.



This group claims that they own their music inspired by other artists such as Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris and Gillian Welch. The spirit of these two ladies was therefore apparent as Lynsey Terry the lead vocals for its accounts, especially in the more typical country tinged songs like the ballads "2> 1" and "Hobo Blues" or the acoustic closing track "One More Mile ".



In country rocker "Jet'n Dewdrop's Farm", "Corinth Now" and the ballad "Good King Josiah" forms Lynsey Terry Scott Chism and a vocal duo and it shows a successful option by the beautiful harmony between the two voices. In addition comes the blues sound equally addressed in the tracks "Hand Me Down Blues" and "Keep Bearin 'Down'.



Due to the beautiful variety of musical styles and vocal exchange between Scott Chism and Lynsey Terry was the debut album "Long Haul Steady" by "Scott Chism & The Better Half" a most pleasant listenable first record of this information and we look with pleasure how the successor of this first record will sound, but that will probably not be for this year. - Rootstime September 2012/Belgium publication

Mississippi duo with roots in the Blue Ridge Mountains, has played together since 2008. A duo consisting of Scott Chism and Lynsey Terry. And, like on this debut album earlier delivered bluegrass, rock, country, honky tonk and pretty standard Nashville country. In a particularly nice way.

"We'll Turn Into Ghosts" opens the album with nice feiande bluegrass. With full control of the banjo and steel guitar. The durar continues with "2x1". A song that could have been delivered by Tammy Wynette or Loretta Lynn in their heyday. Or Carlene Carter, for that matter. The album's first song with Terry on the main vocals. "Jet'n'Dewdrop's Farm" puts them in honky tonk country. Three songs in and three different nuances within the country. We talk about the good variety. Shades revealed itself further on the "Corinth Now" and "Long Haul Steady". Some seigare and more rocking. And bluesy. Without wandering too far from the template record is created for. "Good King Josiah" moves into the one marked to Guy Clark and Chip Taylor. Still just fine and elegantly executed. More blues and swing, offering "Hand Me Down Blues" on. "Keep bearin 'Down" brings a touch of Bo Diddley in the backing of banana. Ever calmly takes it in the "Hobo Blues". A classic country ballad of high quality with soulful vocals from Terry. "Hammer Lane" landing in a slightly heavier and råare landscape. As the previously mentioned Clark and Taylor with a little fuzz. They will also find the "Life & Law of Nature." But this time completely naked and feeling lasted. Vocal and a modest pick-border acoustic guitar. "Bullets and bribes" front drag everything again. Racing electric bluegrass. With a honky tonk piano occasionally central lydbiletet. A song that roar down and lands nice ending. And makes a nice over time to the final "One More Mile". Der Terry delivers a fine vocal enough effort. Berre compatibility of a slightly uptempo electric guitar.

One is simply impressed by how eclectic this duo manage to sound like. In a tradition bound genre. For me, this is as far as the year's best pure country album. - Firdaposten.no Norway

By: Allen Hendrix

TAYLOR- There are a few dining places left I can visit without a "ho hum" feeling as regards to the food and the ambiance. The wife and I have been directed to many establishments which were purported to be the ultimate in this, or that, kind of food. Some pan out, others don't. And so it was with no small amount of skepticism we headed out with two good friends to Oxford on a Saturday night to visit yet another catfish restaurant. I was hardly prepared for what I found.
Old Taylor Grocery & Restaurant is located in the small community of Taylor which is home to approximately 300 people, and it's not in Oxford at all, but 15 miles out on county road 338. The Saturday evening sun was still above the horizon when we arrived and I was not prepared for the rustic, decaying appearance of the architecture of the town square. A number of cars were parked out front. There was a large sign mounted above the larger of the stores along the street which read, "Taylor Grocery & Restaurant" in large letters. Smaller letters underneath proclaimed it to be "The Catfish Place." Standing near the curb like a sentinel in fair weather or foul, is a rusting DX gasoline pump. Taylor may well have been the namesake tor the "one-horse town."
My first thought was, "I drove from Burnsville for this?" The four of us walked up the concrete steps and noted there were a few people sitting around. We spoke to them and then realized they were waiting for a table to come available inside. The hostess came out through a weathered screen door and was about to put our names on the waiting list when someone from inside shouted, "I can seat four right now!"
We were hustled inside and led to a table with checkered oil cloth, just being cleared, near the band stand - the band stand being a small triangle of raised flooring in one corner. In this place space is at a premium and I saw the staff busily attending to a crowd which grew larger by the minute.
The waitress took our order and was gone. I looked around the walls, every inch covered with graffiti and signatures of every one who had ever visited the place. The band launched into their next song. I started listening, realizing that, "Hey, they're good!"
We were sitting 10 feet away as the musical duo of the beautiful Lynsey Terry of Ripley and handsome Scott Chism of Baldwyn went through song after song, both from memory and from their songbook. They bill themselves as Scott Chism & the Better Half. They had a tip bucket in front of the stage. It was their only source of money as the establishment does not pay the band. We gladly helped them out.
Also sitting near the band stand in a single chair and all alone was an aged man in overalls and billed cap. We first took him to be a relative of the musicians. But no, he was Mr. Harvey Calvin, a regular who plays harmonica, patiently waiting for someone to ask him to play.
Our orders came promptly. Excellent steak for the wife and me, catfish for our two friends. They gave it an A-plus rating. We bid good-bye to the band and threaded our way through the crowd and wooden tables to the front door. Outside on the porch they were still signing up people for tables. Dixie cups were everywhere. Then it dawned on me. These folks, mostly young, and probably Ole Miss students, had not minded the wait. A trip to their car for a refill of libations fed their patience.
I admit to the ignorance of never hearing of this place before although it has been in operation for many years and has served the likes of author John Grisham and artist Willie Morris.
The Internet lists Taylor's Grocery & Restaurant as the best place for catfish in the Mid-South. I did not eat the catfish but the steak was as good as they come - a little pricey but worth the cost. Reviews on the Internet run from rave to anger at the long wait. I will likely make the drive again some time soon. Note: It's only open on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. - The Daily Corinthian

By Sheena Barnett: Scene

TUPELO- Scott Chism & the Better Half are a rare breed: they're local musicians who are making a living at music.
Most musicians juggle music and classes or a full-time job, but Chism and his old friend, Lynsey Terry, decided to take the plunge into performing and writing music full time.
"We were getting so many calls about coming to play," Chism said. "Our other jobs were getting in the way of playing."
So Chism stopped cooking at Boondocks Grill and Terry left her job selling medical supplies, and they focused only on their music. That was in April, and things are still going well for the duo.

Like a party, but not quite
Chism and Terry may be new to the music scene, but they're bringing some old stuff to the table.
"A lot of (our songs) are traditionals. I've done a lot of research on old spirituals, slave songs, Civil War songs," Chism said. "I don't even know how you put a label on it."
The pair sing and Chism plays guitar. On the band's first CD, there are old-time songs sitting next to cover songs by the Beatles, The White Stripes and Damien Rice. Those CDs are on sale at Scott Chism & the Better Half's live shows.
"They say (the CD) does not do us justice," Terry said.
The band's live show is diverse, mixing the pair's original songs with traditional songs. The set list always changes, and sometimes they ask friends to sit in, or have a painter create artwork as they perform.
"We try to have a surprise every time we play," Chism added.
Scott Chism & the Better Half are performing across Northeast Mississippi this year and also playing a few gigs in the region.
They're also recording a new batch of songs.
Learning old tunes, writing new ones and performing their songs across the area sure sounds like fun- is it?
Both Terry and Chism say their new profession is fun, but hard work.
"A lot of people think it's a party, but it's not. It's fun but it's not a party," Terry said.
"And we, unfortunately, are perfectionists," Chism added. - The Northeast MS Daily Journal