Category Archives: Featured

Americana husband-and-wife duo Swearingen and Kelli are set to release their sophomore album, The Marrying Kind, on July 21, 2017.  Unafraid of spilling their guts in their music, the Florida-based twosome of AJ Swearingen and Jayne Kelli presents 12 songs that challenge the listener to explore life’s hard questions while embracing what you have in the moment. The Marrying Kind is an album steeped in the sounds of Americana and country-folk with rich harmonies and character voices that are a modern echo of the singer-songwriters of the ’60s and ’70s. Organic, honest, and real, their music springs from a connected, closely shared life. “The creative process is very vulnerable and we trust each other completely,” says Swearingen. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTvY4qz9Xv0[/embedyt] Drawing from influences and inspiration unique and shared, they trade off lead vocals, showcasing the strengths of both members.  Says Swearingen: “We really dialed in our Americana country sound on this album. I used lap-steel on many of the songs. I was very inspired by the sounds of David Lindley (Jackson Browne) and Jerry Douglas (Alison Krauss). I even used a 1936 Rickenbacker to replicate some of those early sounds from the ’70s.” Kelli gave up a pull towards perfection for the sake of genuine, emotional performances. The lead-off, title track highlights the power of Kelli’s vocal, while telling the story of someone accustomed to her freedom and life on her own terms who second-guesses her aversion to settling down.  “Annalise” uses a haunting, Appalachian feel to bring to life a tale of a man holding onto a memory of his true love that will never die.  Tracks such as “Trying to Try,” “Survival,” and “Why Wait” are both contemplative and encouraging and promote taking risks, while not discounting the uncertainties that face us all.  Kelli’s vocals perhaps do not shine brighter than on “Leaving Yourself,” a song that is part Norah Jones, part Paul Simon and offers an interesting perspective on the story of love.  All the way to the final notes of the closing track, “Satellite Friends,” a song that confronts the struggle of truly connecting with others, the artistic benchmark has been set high with The Marrying Kind. AJ Swearingen, born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, grew up in a house where the classic country records of Kris Kristofferson, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson were always spinning. “I love that music, but the folk records of the early ’70s like Gordon Lightfoot and Simon & Garfunkel are what really fueled my desire to pursue a life in music.” He began playing at 13 and started performing professionally in his late teens. His acoustic guitar finger style echoes his influences – James Taylor, Paul Simon and Lindsey Buckingham – but his silky, soulful baritone voice is definitely his own. Jayne Kelli’s voice is both husky and sweet, tender and bluesy. Kelli was born in the small country town of Lapeer, Michigan. She grew up listening to her parents perform songs by John Denver, Jim Croce, and Glen Campbell around Continue reading Swearingen And Kelli Release “The Marrying Kind” July 21st→