Muddy Magnolias’ magical mix

Posted by Stephen Centanni | Apr 27, 2016 | The Rundown | 0 |

Festival enthusiasts from around the globe are counting the days until the 2016 Hangout Beach, Music & Arts Festival (May 20-22). Known for a history of featuring music’s hottest names, Hangout also a chance for the crowd to discover new favorites. This year, Nashville’s Muddy Magnolias will be traveling to Gulf Shores with a goal of entertaining seasoned fans and gathering new ones.

Songwriters Jessy Wilson and Kallie North are promising a high-energy set they hope will create lyrical and emotional connections with the audience. However, the highlight of their sound is the duo’s flawless harmonic blend, wrapped in a blanket of warm soul.

(Photo | muddymagnolias.com) Jessy Wilson (left) and Kallie North are the voices of Muddy Magnolias, about whom Rolling Stone wrote “... as if Mick Jagger and Keith Richards inhabited the Indigo Girls.”

(Photo | muddymagnolias.com) Jessy Wilson (left) and Kallie North are the voices of Muddy Magnolias, about whom Rolling Stone wrote “… as if Mick Jagger and Keith Richards inhabited the Indigo Girls.”

The Muddy Magnolias’ story begins in Nashville and could be considered proof of destiny. Three years ago, New Yorker Wilson and Texan North traveled from their respective homes to Music City with career aspirations in the songwriting industry. Each shared a passion for their craft. Their life in Nashville would allow each to “submerge” themselves in the city’s prominent songwriting culture. Eventually, the two crossed paths in a very unique way.

“We both went to BMI for advice on our songwriting careers,” Wilson said. “I was in the office and saw a photograph from Callie, who was a photographer in the Mississippi Delta. I was drawn to it.”

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The two quickly became friends. As time passed, North was brought into the studio to record her own demo. She had little to no experience in the studio. With Wilson’s experience working with artists such as John Legend, North looked to Wilson for support. As she was assisting North, Wilson was asked to lay down a vocal track for the chorus of the song being recorded. At that moment, the duo knew a social connection was not the only connection they shared.

“Jessie jumped on the recording, and our voices were blending on this song,” North said. “When they played the recording back, everyone just stopped in their tracks. It was really obvious that something special just happened.”

“It was very organic,” Wilson added. “We were meant to sing together. The first time that we ever sang together, our voices blended perfectly like we had practiced it.”

The lucky Hangout Fest crowd may get a sample of the Muddy Magnolias’ upcoming album. The duo has given the release the working title of “Broken People,” the name of one of the album’s tracks.

Wilson and North describe the song as a musical observation of the state of the world through a “super-cool, urbanesque” point of view. As for the rest of the album, it’s “very soulful and very groovy and we sing our asses off,” Wilson said.

General admission, VIP and Super VIP passes are on sale now at www.hangoutmusicfest.com.

About The Author

Stephen Centanni

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s. He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing. While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer. His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade. As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children. Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.