There is something special about the music born during the first half of the twentieth century; the roaring twenties, the Jazz age, big band. Each representing generations in such a timeless manner that no matter how far we may be (decades and music wise) we will always be attracted to those iconic sounds.
Bill and The Belles are doing their part to make sure those eras are not only remembered but that they stay fresh in today’s music. With an amazing combination of country, bluegrass, blues and Americana, Bill and The Belles’ retro vocals and style blends the past with the present in very distinct way.
We caught up with Kalia and Kris to talk about their wonderfully unique style, the history of Johnson City and their new album DreamSongs, Etc.
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
Kalia: We’re a stringband from Johnson City, TN who specialize in the intersection of rural and urban, hillbilly and pop music. We’re a group of 4 folks from all over the US who met in East Tennessee and bonded over our love of singing close harmonies and expanding what it means to play old time music today.
CN: At what age did you all discover music and realize that this was your calling?
Kalia: music was always a given in my life, growing up in a thriving and supportive music community with parents who let me learn to love making music on my own terms. I never doubted that playing music would always be a part of my life, but it wasn’t until I moved to Tennessee in 2013 that I actively prioritized it.
CN: How did Bill and The Belles come to be?
Kalia: Kris and I were playing honky tonk music together when we met Grace and started singing as a trio. We had a shared interest in early country music and close harmonies, and quickly started adding a lot of old sentimental songs to our repertoire. We kept stumbling on this amazing pop songs that felt so refreshing, and and discovered a way to present them in our stringband setting. Now we’re focusing on expanding our original material.
CN: Kris, after spending your childhood years in the mountains of Colorado, you moved around to Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Chicago before settling in historic Johnson City in 2011. Can you talk a little bit about what this town and its history means to you and how it’s inspired you?
Kris: Music brought me to East Tennessee. I was aware of the music culture that is still thriving today but wasn’t fully aware of the significance Johnson City played in the early days of commercial country music. After moving here I quickly found out about its influence. Lots of incredible musicians made there way through Johnson City many of which were recorded on the 1928 and 1929 location recordings for Columbia. As a matter of fact one of those recordings is what inspired our band name.
CN: It’s not a coincidence then that with the development of the radio happening in Johnson City that Bill and The Belles would find a road in radio as the house band of ‘Farm and Fun Time.” a program that you, Kris, started and is presented by Radio Bristol. How did that come about?
Kris: Farm and Fun Time was a staple program in the region that started in 1946 on WCYB in Bristol. Folks in a five state region would tune in to hear the likes of the Stanley Brothers, Jim and Jesse, Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys, Flatt and Scruggs, Mac Wiseman and many others. As a matter of fact most of the first generation bluegrass musicians kickstarted their careers on Farm and Fun Time. In the initial plans of launching Radio Bristol (the station I program) it was a no brainer to reintroduce the show. Of course we’ve changed it around a bit but we definitely give more than a nod to the original. Our version of the show is shot and broadcast live in front of an audience. We are now three seasons in and its been a huge success.
CN: And you’ve had the opportunity to perform with some iconic artists, such as Marty Stuart and Earls of Leicester..
Kalia: yes
CN: Can you take us through not only your songwriting process, but also the writing process for the jingles you perform for Farm and Fun Time? How do the processes differ / compare?
Kris: Writing jingles has been a wonderful exercise in helping to develop my songwriting. It’s talk me to not second guess myself as much and to have a sense of humor in approaching songwriting. It’s so easy to take songwriting too seriously. I have really enjoyed stepping out of my comfort zone and letting go a bit in the process of learning to write jingles. Also, I always have a clear deadline which I find it helpful. A few jingles I have written have actually become full songs.
CN: Your namesake is from the 1920s performers Bell and Belle Reed – what was it about this couple that made you want to name your group after them?
Kalia: We were all drawn to Johnson City in part because of the music that came from this region, and we wanted to pay homage to it directly through our name: Bill and Bell Reed were artists that recorded in the Johnson City Sessions, an incredible collection of location recordings that took place in the late 1920s. We appreciate their music, we love this place, and we love being a part of carrying forward it’s musical legacy. We’re big believers in Johnson City. It’s exciting to live in a place that’s investing in itself so heartily, and we think there’s something very compelling about this town and towns like it.
CN: Speaking of the 20s, you have a general attraction to the music of those golden ages – the 20s, 30s and 40s – each generation amazing in their own ways. What draws you to that era?
Kalia: We’re inspired by the intersection of rural and urban, and a lot of our non-original music comes from a time when sounds of those two places were interacting for the first time. What an exciting time for music-making!
CN: Your admiration for those past decades is well represented in your music, as well as your love of country, bluegrass, blues and Americana. You are able to create your own sound while keeping the classic essence of the 20s-40s. Country and bluegrass are represented with banjo and fiddle along with the iconic sounds of Benny Goodman with the clarinet. How do you go about writing and recording music in this way?
Kris: Thanks for saying that. We aren’t trying to replicate any past recordings that we may be influenced by, instead we are trying to interpret the sounds of the past for the here and now. We don’t want to sound like anyone else so really we don’t have clear cut rules about how we’ll record or write or have distinct vision for songs. Instead we play them for a while and experiment until we’re satisfied. We like all types of music but find older recordings are generally a little more interesting or might take more unexpected twists and turns than what you might typically hear today.
CN: The new album DreamSongs, Etc., does just that with a very positive, free spirit vibe. Tell us a bit about the background of the songs.
Kris: This is an album that has been in the works for quite a while. These songs are all meaningful to the band in different ways. Some we have been singing for years others are brand new. We feel overall they give the listener an honest perspective of what it is we mean to do when we make music. We hope people find joy in these songs. Yes, some are lonesome and downtrodden yet we really want people to feel empowered and uplifted after listening to our record. The title itself “DreamSongs, Etc.” says that in so many ways.
CN: There are two Jimmie Rodgers covers on the album as well – “Carolina Sunshine Gal” and “Tuck Away My Lonesome Blues.” Why did you choose to include those two?
Kalia: Jimmie Rodgers took influence from blues and jazz and hillbilly music and found a sound that resonated with the masses. We are inspired by artists like that who disregard genre expectations and stake a claim on a new sound. He epitomizes that!
CN: Also you guys not only recorded the entire project in 2 days but had a very comforting and warmth ambiance during those 48 hours. Can you talk about that and how it influenced and inspired the recording process?
Kalia: We like recording live, everybody gathered in one room and cranking out songs the way we would on stage. There’s something infectious about the energy of live recordings, and it suits our style. Engineer Joseph DeJarnette’s (Joe Bass) set up is definitely dreamy; a beautiful home complete with cozy jams around the wood stove, home cooked meals, and a lot of open, fun, supportive energy.
CN: If you could describe Bill and The Belles in one word, what would it be and why?
Kalia: Our friend Roscoe answered this question for us: Cantaloupe. More than just a melon, Bill and the Belles provides important vitamins and minerals, and they’re just a great way to start the day.
CN: Do you have a dream collaboration in mind? Given your connection to the past, perhaps also a collaboration with any artist that may be no longer with us?
Kris: Funny you should ask! We are currently working on the initial outline of a collaboration record with a top of the line jazz band. But its a secret. It will probably incorporate Jimmie Rodgers.
CN: DreamSongs, Etc., recently dropped on August 24th. What’s next on the agenda? Tour?
Kalia: Lots to look forward to, including our all-time favorite new festival, the Old Tone Roots Music Festival (Hillsdale, NY), playing the street fest at IBMA’s Wide Open Bluegrass, and our whole album release tour (including two official album release shows, one at the Down Home in Johnson City, one at our label’s home at the Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn). And of course, in November/December we’ll be overseas in Germany and the Netherlands!
For more information on Bill and The Belles, visit their website: https://billandthebelles.com/