Artist description Misfits, the new CD from Eliza Gilkyson, is a collection of songs recorded over the last seven years that rock a little harder than Eliza's atmospheric style, revealing and attitude and personality often downplayed on previous recordings. Featuring stellar performances by veteran musicians Matt and Mark Andes (Spirit, Heart, Jo Jo Gunne), Tony Gilkyson (X, Lone Justice), D.J. Bonebrake (X), and a duet of Bob Dylan's "Chimes of Freedon" with John Doe, this compilation of "misfits" is, almost, accident, Gilkyson's most radio-friendly effort to date.There is a lot of family interaction going on here, with the Andes brothers on bass and slinky national steel guitar, Eliza's brother Tony, all over the electric map, childhood buddy John Egenes on mandolin, and even a track with Eliza's son, Cisco, on drums. The material is relaxed and incredibly angst free for Eliza (witness the "fishin' musician" cover photo), who has been known to delve deeply into relationships, emotions, soul searching, and the pondering of the imponderables. Not that she doesn't dig deep, but the attitude is less vulnerable, and she's more in power as a woman and a singer.The songs range from an irreverent portrait of an almost affair between a priest and a neophyte ("Father Jesus") to a sexy tropical island fantasy ("Beautiful Dreamer") featuring a swooping Vera Cruz style harp played by Arturo Gerst (Linda Ronstadt), to the alternative country approach on "Bad Boy/ Good Man," a winner in the John Lennon Imagine Songwriting Competion. "Hollywood Years" is a quirky East Indian- style storytelling of her years in the trenches of the music business in Los Angeles. Those wanting vintage Gilkyson depth should check out the world-weary "Sleep Tonight," the lonely soul searching of "Mama's Little Baby" or the Great Hereafter ponderings of "Last Big Thrill," featuring a downright funky facet of Laurie Lewis' wondrous fiddle playing.Gilkyson's production really shines on this disc. There are the usual layers of acoustic instrumentation, and with this team of artists the result is musical interplay and support of her larger-than-life pipes. The band rocks, but Eliza never loses command of the show or of the primary need for her stories to be told.

Artist History The daughter of folk singers Terry Gilkyson, Eliza is a third generation poet/musician who, growing up in Los Angeles, knew that her life would revolve around music. As a young teenager she recorded demos for her dad (who wrote pop music hits "Greenfields," and " Marianne" and "Memories Are Made Of These," among others) and started writing and recording her own material. In her late teens she moved to New Mexico to pursue an alternative lifestyle and raise a family, but he continued to perform, write, and record. Over the years she developed a loyal fan base in the Southwest and Texas as well as a uniquely intimate style shaped by her personal experiences and her need to stay true to her vision. She cut numerous records, including her most well known work, 1987's Pilgrims, which charted and gave her an inaccurately limited reputation as a new age artist due to it's introspective and atmospheric nature. Although Pilgrims, released during a return to Los Angeles later described in the song "Hollywood Years," was a departure from her folk-driven roots, it helped expand her popularity to other areas of the country and gave her the opportunity to write, record and tour with Swiss harpist Andreas Vollenwider in the early 90's.In 1994 Eliza returned to the states to release Through the Looking Glass for Private Music and, in 1997, Redemption Road for Silverware/Mti. Both these recordings demonstrate her tendency to avoid stylistic categorization, but her folk/rock roots remain evident, always blended with a pop-influenced passion for a large melody and deep, intimate lyrics.Eliza now lives in Austin, Texas and still tells her own story as truthfully, melodically, and lyrically as she can.

Location Austin, TX - USA

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