THE LAUNCH BOX: Valerie June

The Launch Box featuring Valerie June

If you like: Tracy Chapman, Shovels & Rope, Civil Wars

Valerie June’s music is a mixture of folk, soul, blues, combined with Appalachian traditional elements. Originally from Humboldt, Tennessee, June quickly absorbed the local roots music styles in the area, and is a self-taught guitar player. She draws influence from artists like Bob Marley, yet crafting it into her own stylistic mix. At age 19, she officially began her music career as part of a duo with her husband, Bella Sun. The marriage eventually fell apart, and June took her music to the streets, living the life of a gypsy street musician on the West Coast. She eventually made her way back to Tennessee, and fit right in to their active music scene. Adding a banjo and lap steel to her music, she began to garner local attention, booking at area folk festivals and workshops.

Valerie June’s first two albums were The Way of the Weeping Willow and Mountain of Rose Quartz. Below is a video of her playing “Twined And Twisted” from Mountain of Rose Quartz.

Her career started to accelerate after she was featured in the MTV web series $5 Cover, alongside rappers Al Kapone, Muck Sticky, and other musicians. The show followed the lives of Memphis musicians, from the hardships of scarcely affording rent, love life, and playing in one of the most musically acclaimed cities in the world. In 2010, she used the publicity from the $5 Cover series, she released her EP Valerie June & the Tennessee Express with the Old Crow Medicine Show.

In 2011, June started a Kick starter to help fund the recording of her next album, and moved to Brooklyn New York. There, she was introduced to Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys, who put into motion the recording of her album, Pushin’ Against the Stone, released in 2013 in Europe and U.S.

One of my favorites from Pushin’ Against the Stone is “You Can’t be Told” – you can really hear some Black Keys Influence, check it out below!

Also from Pushin’ Against the Stone, this one has more of an oldies “doo-wop” feel – watch the video for the title track!

Valerie June has a new album coming out in March called The Order of Time. Many of the songs on her newest record are songs that she had written at least 10 years prior to Pushin’ Against a Stone.