Your New Favorite Song Artist Spotlight - Sugar Lime Blue

Fans of classic rock, blues, and traditional country can all find commonality in Nashville's Sugar Lime Blue. Pulling from staple R&B artists like Otis Redding, Al Green and Bill Withers, classic jam style bands like Little Feat and the Grateful Dead, and current rockers like Sheryl Crow, and the Black Crowes, Sugar Lime Blue pulls off a retro type of vibe with a sound that you probably won't be able to compare immediately to any one artist. The band is made up of Ashley Beth (vocals), David Beth (guitar/vocals), John Simpson (steel/guitar), Russ Dean (bass/vocals) and Steven Brooks (drums/vocals).


THE INTERVIEW w/Ashley Beth

Your New Favorite Song: It’s time to get the party started, what can I get you to drink?

Sugar Lime Blue (Ashley): Just plain water for me, or if you happen to have a chia tea latte hanging around, I like that too!

YNFS: Describe your band’s music in a single Haiku.

SLB(A):  each one is music
music is a family
family is one

YNFS: What are five bands/performers that the band HAS to listen to on roadtrips to shows (or just artists/bands that the band collectively likes)?

SLB(A): We all enjoy a healthy mix of music. We don't have anything "set in stone, have to hear or else we can't play our own music" playlist or bands. We do enjoy a great deal of Grateful Dead, Neil Young, any band with Warren Haynes, the Band and Otis Redding.

YNFS: Every band has one of those gigs where nothing seems to go right and it seems like a disaster at the moment, but given time everyone can look back and laugh. Do you have any good stories that you can share involving the band?

SLB(A): Oh yes! We drove out to Charlotte, NC in January of last year, it was one of the first trips we took our band trailer on with all of the equipment in it, so we were excited to all ride together and actually have room. As we were going over the mountains the temperature dropped rapidly and this storm came up out of nowhere! There was crazy rain, hail, and wind. As we came down off of the mountain there was the most amazing rainbow and the crazy storm let up. When we arrived at the venue we found out that we had just driven through a tornado on a mountain, in January! There were more storms that night and all of Charlotte closed the shutters and called it a day, so we ended up playing to the sound man and bartender, who were both very pleasant people (though not the sold out crowd we had hoped for). We had another gig the next night about an hour away, and it was a blast. There was a great turnout and we got to meet some amazing people. On the way home (again over the mountain) it began to snow on us...at least it wasn't a tornado!  Then one of the tires blew on the trailer! So at 3 in the morning, in the snow, on a mountain the amazing gentlemen in this little family of musicians got out and changed a trailer tire. Then, we limped back home.

YNFS: What are the band’s goals for 2013?

SLB(A): We are working on our second album right now. Anyone who has ever made a record knows all that it requires. It isn't just songs, you have to write, arrange, record, record, record, record, and record. Then there is the physical end product. It needs artwork, photos, and the hardest thing -- band approval of everything! So that will be pretty consuming. We are also excited to continue playing out, making new friends/fans and making music. There is such a good feeling we all get from just making music together...we just want to keep doing that.

YNFS: While any gig for a band is always a good one, are there any in particular that you are looking forward to playing this year whether it be a festival, headlining or opening for well-known artist/band?

SLB(A): We have had the opportunity over the last year and the early part of this year to play on a few TV shows as well as several radio shows. Those have been so much fun for us and kind of a step in the direction of "getting the music out there." But for the last few years we have played a little festival here in Adams, TN called the "Tie Dye Festival" that has been such a blast! We go and camp out and play music, make cool tie dye shirts, and hang out with some really amazing people. So for me personally that is one gig that I always look forward to year after year.

YNFS: To go along with the last question, has the band had the opportunity to open for or play with any “established name acts” (for lack of a better term)? If so, how was it? If not, who would the band like to play with (within reason of course)?

SLB(A): Of course there are so many musicians that I would love the opportunity to open for or play with that will not ever happen no matter what (Elvis for example). But if we are talking people who are... well, still alive...I would love to make some music with Warren Haynes, Tedeschi/Trucks band, Joan Osborne, maybe a little Grace Potter. What a blast that would be!

YNFS: Finally, if you could say one more thing to potential and current fans about your music what would it be? Sell us on your awesomeness.

SLB(A) Music is very personal. Our music, to me is very personal. We want it to be personal to you as well. We have worked really hard to create a band whose members really care about each other and the music.  Sugar Lime Blue is a band in the true sense of the word. The reason why it was so important for us to create a community of people on stage, is because we want that to spill out onto people who hear our music. One thing we really want, is to give people a reason to experience life together. Music naturally gives people power, courage, dreams and hope. We want to help folks tap into that. Sugar Lime Blue is its music and the music is tied to the people. We are working really hard to create something amazing, that people don't want to just listen to, but that they want to participate in.

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Sugar Lime Blue has a website with some music and videos (among other things). Y'all can check it out here. They are of course on Twitter and Facebook. Click here if you'd like a free download. Click here to see what's available on iTunes.