South85

“....Strengths: Attitude, harmonies, Osborne’s songwriting and Wyatt’s voice and
presence. They also speak to the women in the crowd. ‘We grew up in, and will hopefully
be a part, of a male-dominated industry. To be two women fronting a band and Kathy
writing the originals is amazing to me. We want the women in the audience to feel
as important as we do on stage.’ Adds Osborne, ‘I really try to give a unique female
perspective in my songs.’....” - The Charlotte Observer, 2007

South 85 – “El Camino”

South 85 ***1/2

South 85 plays the Sweet Tea Jubilee on Saturday.

www.sweetteajubilee.com.

At the center of the South Carolina four-piece's debut album are guitarist Kathy Osborne's clever lyrics, which range from poignant to humorous. Although not doggedly feminist, “El Camino” is a collection of songs for women who aren't hiding their rough edges, much like the ladies who lead South 85. Not since Loretta Lynn has a singer embraced her Southern-ness so wholeheartedly as Tracy Wyatt, whose twangy accent frequently creates two syllables from one.

“El Camino” isn't a slick Nashville production, which makes it more authentically country than what regularly comes out of Nashville. It's unapologetically real and tough, with songs about women discovering independence. Besides a knack for memorable melodies (“Hold Me,” “Firefly”), Osborne writes the sexiest country-rock lyrics this side of Lucinda Williams (“Sex and Laundry,” “El Camino”).

Too country for Nashville? Too sexy for country? That's not a bad thing. - The Charlotte Observer, June 20th 2008

As primary songwriter for Americana outfit South 85, Kathy Noonan writes songs on par with Nashville’s hit makers.

She’s trying to become one herself by working with a song plugger (“they shop your songs independently to artists and producers”). Noonan, who lives on a farm in Clover, S.C., spoke about the songs on South 85’s 2008 debut and 2011’s “Too Much Tow.”

Q. What was the first song you wrote?

“El Camino.” I started writing (it) as soon as I started playing guitar in my early 20s. I wrote it out in full and sent it to one of my best friends. She said, “There’s a lot of cowgirl spirit in it. I hope you’ll put music to it.” I sat on it for a year or two.… Willie Evans, a blues player who was one of my early mentors, said, “That’s your challenge. Try to finish one.” Sometimes a song needs to sit and brew in your mind or your heart.

Q. Where does the sexiness in the lyrics come from?

When I was younger I was really shy. I had this spirit that was rebellious – on the inside. (My writing) kind of shocked me at first… The line in “El Camino” about “my lower state line” surprised Tracy (Wyatt, vocalist for South 85). She was like, “Wow Scooter, that’s kind of sexy there.”

Q. At your CD release show in August you mentioned “Carson City” is about a couple in the audience. What is the backstory?

(It’s) probably my favorite song on the album. Ryan Westbrook (of the Charlotte band Blackwater Redemption) was our first bass player.… (He and his wife) moved to Carson City as a fresh start. We just loved them so much as a couple and they had a little girl and twins on the way. That song was what I imagined of them and how much I wanted them to make it as a family.

Q. Are there other tracks that stand out to you?

“Sex and Laundry” for that type of chord progression. There’s a generic set of chord progressions that popular songs have, but what’s fun is to get out of that norm. You expect a song to go to… verse, chorus, verse, bridge. I love pushing those boundaries where you get into more advanced technique. I’ve studied a lot of hit songs. That’s a great exercise to become aware of what’s happening in a song from a technical point of view.

Q. Did you read many books on the subject?

I found this book “Writing Music for Hit Songs” by Jai Josefs in fifth grade. I wrote my name in it and I never looked at it again, but by God I pulled that book out when I started getting serious about songwriting. It’s full of the best advice. I refer to it still. It’s the one and only book. - The Charlotte Observer

Country rockers South 85 are setting local stages on fire
by Courtney Devores

On a hot August night, as local country-rock quintet South 85 nears the end of a blazing two-hour set, the stage at the Visulite fills with friends and fans. The scene captures what the band, which just released its second album, Too Much Town, is all about—a good time.
When South 85 burst on to the Charlotte music scene five years ago, lead singer Tracy Wyatt’s (below, right) stage presence—a homegrown hell raiser who could wring buckets of emotion (sultry, sad, or funny) out of guitarist/vocalist Kathy Noonan’s songs and lead a boot stomping, booty shaker—grabbed audiences’ attention. Listen harder and you’ll hear Noonan’s Nashville-ready songwriting, guitarist Mike Bader’s blues chops, and the tight rhythm section of Andy Burger and Eric Howard. Added to Wyatt’s sass, it’s a dynamic combination.

“Our plan was to play coffee shops,” says Bader, settling into a booth at Lupie’s Café. The comment garners laughs from Wyatt and Noonan. Noonan recruited Eric Ambel, a one-time Blackheart (as in Joan Jett and …) who owns a club in the East Village and a studio in Brooklyn, to produce Too Much Town. “I liked the songs,” he says. “There’s no trickery involved in how good they sound.” - Charlotte Magazine

South 85: "Too Much Town"

Between Kathy Noonan's songwriting and Tracy Wyatt's fire, this South Carolina combo boasts an entire catalog of strong and heartbreaking tales from the female perspective that should be in rotation on country radio. - The Charlotte Observer

...Hooked from the moment she first picked up the guitar, she loves being able to set her poetry to music.

"When you write songs, it's a humbling experience," says Kathy, whose songs are often about a woman's journey to empowerment and self-independence. "You hope that people will relate and get something out of it."

Although she wrote and wrote, building up a large body of work, Kathy never considered herself much of a singer, so her music didn't have an audience. It wasn't until her friend Tracy started winning karaoke contests that she decided to put together a band—with Tracy singing at the helm.

The band, South 85, performs Kathy's original country/pop songs, and their first album, "El Camino," which shares the name of a track that was one of the first songs Kathy wrote, was released last month. "We love entertaining people," Kathy says.

~Aleigh Acerni

- Skirt! Magazine, June 2008

Only one out of five acts based across both Carolinas, South85 was nominated as Best Country Group at the 2008 Carolina Music Awards. - carolinamusicawards.com

The Carolina Entertainment Complex is proud to announce the First Marion Country
MusicFest. Headliners for the 3 day event are: Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd
Skynyrd; country music legend Hank Williams, Jr. the original Redneck Woman –
Gretchen Wilson and country music’s latest shining star Sugarland. They’ll all be right
here in Marion, South Carolina for three days of great music, good food, tons of fun…
and, the best time you’ll ever have in South Carolina!

Wall-to-wall music for the three-day festival -- artists will be performing on two stages from
noon ‘til midnight. Live on-stage performances by: James Otto, Trent Tomlinson, Phil
Stacey, Danielle Peck, Fisher Stevenson, Ashton Shepherd, Jeffery Allen Edwards and
Southern Blue. Local and regional talent will be showcased all 3 nights… the list
includes: the Outlaw Symphony, Sick Stooges, Diamondback, Rebel 101, David Lambert
& The Carolina Rails, Trey Davis, Jeffery Allen Gunnells, James Hass "Elvis", Tammy's
Tangent, Barry Brown Band, Sideswiped with special guests Jannie Trudell, Viper
Recording Artist P.J. Pacifico, Outlaw Symphony, “The Little Girl with the Big Voice,”
Gabbie Rae, Sister Moonshine, South 85, Saddle Creek Band.

All Day and all night -- Thursday, Friday and Saturday – the best in country, southern
rock, acoustic, rock, alternative country, classic rock, country pop and more -- groups and
artists from around the country will grace the stages and entertain fans in the biggest and
best summer concert in South Carolina… there’s on-site camping and RV’s are welcome.

Tickets go on sale March 25. Information updates on artists and schedule will be
available online at www.entertaincarolina.com or call the “Ticket Hotline at: 843/423-0077
and don’t forget: www.myspace.com/carolinaentertainmentcomplex!!!

Carolina Entertainment Complex “… for the best time you can have in South Carolina!” - EntertainCarolina.com

“... I saw this band, South85, these two girls and some musicians, and I said, “Wow,
these girls have songs.” The performance was good, and they had one song, “Sex and
Laundry,” about which I asked why isn’t this song on the radio. I had the opportunity
to see them last week for the second time at the Visulite. Man, have they come around. I
mean I’ve seen a progression. I’ve seen a stage presence. I’ve seen songwriting. I’ve seen
just musicianship. Overall, I think that’s a band that could definitely make it big time if
they just keep going the way that they’re going now.” - Amps 11, 2007