Artist description Formed in 2001 after meeting in a New Orleans hospital emergency room, Soulscript is Chris Williams, Eric Whittenburg, and Tommy Bowden. After discovering a mutual interest in songwriting and home recording they soon began playing and writing together. This eventually led to their debut CD, There By Now, which was self-produced and recorded entirely at Tommy's home studio in Covington, LA. The album, which features eleven original songs written by the band members, was released in June of 2002 on the bands own label, Nobody Big Records. Chris Williams brings a wide array of talents to the band. In addition to being the lead vocalist and primary keyboard player, he is an impressive lead guitarist, equally at home on electric, acoustic, and slide guitar. He is an E.R. nurse currently residing in Mandeville, LA. Eric Whittenburg is a multi-instrumentalist who plays bass, drums, mandolin, banjo, harmonica, and percussion on the CD. The only band member not native to Louisiana, Eric performed with bands in St. Louis and Chicago before moving south. He is a Podiatrist presently working in Baton Rouge, LA. Tommy Bowden is in many ways the engine behind Soulscript. Besides playing rhythm guitar and providing the backing vocals, Tommy engineered and mixed There By Now. A native of Lafayette, LA, he has performed with bands in New Orleans for several years. He is an E.R. physician currently living in Covington, LA.

Music Style Americana, Alternative country

Musical Influences Tom Petty, Neil Young, Collective Soul, Son Volt

Similar Artists Tom Petty, Neil Young, Willie Nelson

Group Members Tommy Bowden - Guitars, Backing Vocals, Keyboards Chris Williams - Lead & slide guitar, lead vocal, keyboards Eric Whittenburg - Drums, bass, banjo, harmonica, mandolin, percussion

Instruments acoustic & electric guitar, drums, bass, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, keyboards

Albums There By Now (2002)

Press Reviews OFFBEAT MAGAZINE, January 2002 " Insert cliché about extreme emotional disclosure here. Soulscript's debut album, There By Now, succeeds because of its supreme earnestness. The folk-rock album acts as a big brotherly clutch onthe shoulder with its straightforward dealings on love, forgiveness, longing, insecurity, regret, hopefulness and hopelessness. The album's best songs are "Heavy," "Pollyanna" and "Rough," but its gem is "Wannabe." The interplay between an acoustic guitar and a restrained electric guitar's accompanying melody give the song a somber spirituality and sense of faith that permeates the album. Still, the lyrics are often world-weary and depressed. This dichotomy prompts empathy. Since the album is seared with emotional intensity, a little levity is appreciated when on "Kansas City," vocalist Chris Williams sing, "I know I can really be a prick/but please let me come home." The Covington band, formed in 2001, sounds green and unconfident occasionally, but the addition of a permanent drummer and an outsider producer to their multi-instrumentalist trio should help solve that problem. Listening to the album is comparable to watching the movie X-Men: the first installment's favorable taste seems only an introduction to better things ahead." -Jason Songe www.offbeat.com   TAMBALAYA MAGAZINE, September 2002 SOULSCRIPT IS ALTERNATIVE MAGIC FOR THE SOUL What is it about musicians? Most seem to have this need to bear their souls. And they say men don't want to commit! The trio soulscript not only wears its heart on its sleeve but puts it in a CD for all to hear. It's not only “out there," it's There by Now, the title the members have chosen for their debut album. It's on the band's own label, Nobody Big Records. The three members deal with disaster on a daily basis. The emergency room medical director, charge nurse and podiatrist had worked together for quite some time before they discovered a mutual love and talent for music. Just as the members are multi-dimensional in their lives, they are more so in the musical sense. Chris Williams acts as lead vocalist and plays the keys and guitar. He's at ease on the electric, acoustic and slide guitar. He lives in Mandeville. Originally from Lafayette, Tommy Bowden lives in Covington. He is considered the engine behind soulscript. A rhythm guitarist, he has played with several bands in New Orleans and engineered and mixed There by Now. He sings backup for the band. Tommy is self-taught, not developing his talent until college. Eric Whittenburg, the only one of the three who isn't a Louisiana native, performed in St. Louis and Chicago before settling in Baton Rouge. His music genius encompasses the drums, mandolin, bass, banjo, harmonica and percussion, all of which is featured on the CD. He's the only one with formal training with a degree in music and coming from a musical family. Soulscript is considering making the trio a quartet with the addition of Shawn Robbins as drummer. Goals of soulscript include securing airtime on radio stations, which Tommy calls “the playgrounds of the world." He particularly has the collegiate stations in mind. Judging from the CD, it seems a good fit. There by Now contains 11 tracks. It touts itself as “folk rock tales of trying to get somewhere else." I'd call it soul-searching alternative. With lyrics like," I'm a poet in a mute man's body, a poet in a dead man's body," it understandable that the group isn't just demonstrating it's ability to entertain. Each song has its own aspect of life, death, dreams and finding one's way through the maze of manure everyone encounters each day. Appropriately they are named 'Wannabe," “Better Days," “Movin' On" and “Lead me Home." Behind the commanding lyrics are powerful guitar licks, both electric and acoustic. Between the lines are poignant pauses and harmonious vocals. “Wannabe" is featured on an Oasis Acoustic Sampler CD, which is scheduled to be released to 500 radio stations on October 11. Fans of the SaddleTramps and Jude LeBlanc would find soulscript very palpable. The group's website, www.soulscript.com is worth visiting; it's complete with photos, lyrics to all of the CD'S tracks, bios and ordering links. The group was on Radio Free Kansas (channel 1) on August 25 (www.tafcommedia.net). Locally, the CD can be purchased at the Grapevine in Covington. It's also available at amazon.com, cdbaby-com and cdstreet.com. I know my copy will find its way to the petite stack I deem my favorites.

Location Baton Rouge, LA - USA

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