The husband-and-wife team of Ricky and Micol Davis met while students at the University of Tennessee. He plays guitar, she plays piano and they both sing. The love match was based in part on a common appreciation for rootsy musicians like John Lee Hooker and Van Morrison. Check out their version of Paul Anka's "Put Your Head on My Shoulder' on the soundtrack of last year's "Daltry Calhoun" with Johnny Knoxville and Juliette Lewis.
Macon Telegraph (Jul 14, 2006)
Review by Wess
"You guys were a breath of fresh air. Ya'll came (with) the force of a wrecking ball."
The Daisycutters (Jul 11, 2006)
"The musical celebration of freedom included the unique musical stylings of Blue Mother Tupelo, a band which blends Delta Blues, Bluegrass, and Folk music to produce a distinctive sound that highlights the South's most cherished musical styles."
PigeonForge.com (Jul 5, 2006)
Review by John Sewell
Acclaimed acoustic blues-rockers, Blue Mother Tupelo, will perform at Johnson City’s The Down Home this Thursday, June 29. A mainstay of the southeast blues and roots music scenes, the band never fails to draw rowdy crowds for their red-hot, down and dirty blues.
Usually appearing as a trio, Blue Mother Tupelo is spearheaded by the huband and wife team of Ricky and Micol Davis. The couple met in Knoxville in the 1990s, quickly becoming partners in music and in life. It's a constant scramble for Ricky and Micol, who have crisscrossed the southeast many times over, appearing at clubs, festivals and small theaters. Blue Mother Tupelo has even appeared on National Public Radio’s revered “Mountain Stage” program.
The group reached an acme of notoriety (so far, that is) with their rendition of Paul Anka’s “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” which was included in the soundtrack for the 2005 film, “Daltry Calhoun,” which starred Johnny Knoxville and Juliet Lewis.
Although it’s been quite a while since Blue Mother Tupelo has released a full-length album, the group has nonetheless stayed busy. BMT was nominated for best acoustic blues act by the Music City Blues Society several years over. And Micol was also nominated for best female singer by the same organization. The group’s last full album was 2001’s self-released Delta Low, Mountain High.
Oftentimes compared to the Carter Family, Johnny Cash, and Robert Johnson, BMT delivers southern-fried blues with the aplomb of the most wizened Delta Bluesmen. Ricky Davis is noted for his exceptional guitar skills, and Micol Davis’ vocals and piano stylings have also received countless accolades in blues and alt-country publications.
TriCities.com (Jun 27, 2006)
Blue Mother Tupelo: Closer to the Walk of Fame
Before moving to Nashville a few years ago, Blue Mother Tupelo, a.k.a. Micol and Ricky Davis, got their musical start on the Knoxville scene in 1995. The duo, plus drummer Johnny "The Clock" Richardson, makes sure to visit Knoxville frequently, as it's Ricky's hometown, bringing news of the band's increasing successes in Music City USA. A recent update finds BMT included on the soundtrack of Daltry Calhoun, an indie movie starring Johnny Knoxville and Juliette Lewis and executive-produced by Quentin Tarantino. The band's cover of "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" figures in a soundtrack featuring several radio hits of yesteryear, like "Oh Lonesome Me" by Johnny Cash, "December 1963 (Oh What a Night)" by Frankie Valley & the Four Seasons, and "The Things We Do For Love" by 10CC. The disc also includes a hidden track of "The Put Your Head on My Shoulder Jam" by BMT, and the band's first music video will appear on the movie's DVD release.
Before Daltry Calhoun opened in select cities Sept. 23, BMT attended the film's premiere at Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. The trip was a first for another reason as well, Michol says. "Ricky has never flown on anything but a Huey helicopter during maneuvers at Ft. Campbell with the 101st Air Cavalry back when he was in college," she says. "Like our drummer's wife said, it's very cool that flying to Hollywood to represent our songs during the premiere of a film that has our music in it is a fantastic and special reason to make a first flight."
The movie, which has received mixed reviews, is expected to screen in Knoxville sometime in October.
The Metropulse (May 23, 2006)
Blue Mother Tupelo - Winner of the June 2005 TwangOff Competition In Chicago
By Michael Holm
Seemingly featuring only six strings per song, and spare but powerful percussion, Blue Mother Tupelo proved you don't need a lot of instruments to make a big impact. Husband and wife co-lead vocalists Ricky and Micol Davis clearly love their delta blues. Johnny "The Clock" Richardson drums on his thighs until the arrangement lets him actually hit the skins. And together, they evoke everyone from Elmore James to the White Stripes. Or ZZ Top minus Dusty Hill.
TwangOff Records (May 23, 2006)
Review by Greg Tutwiler
When Blue Mother Tupelo was first recommended for our annual Indie Artist Showcase in Nashville (7/24), I wasn't sure what to expect. The name is so unique. But after pondering what it might actually mean, I decided to let their music speak for itself. One quick run through Delta Low-Mountain High and their name fit their music like a glove. It's a rich, genuine, blend of Appalachian, (Blue Mother) and southern Blues (Tupelo). The husband and wife team of Ricky and Micol Davis make up the heart and soul of this catchy Nashville-based duo. "We just play how we feel and we're fortunate and happy that people feel good about it," Ricky told Steve Wildsmith of The Daily Times.
They moved to Nashville in the late '90's, landed day jobs and set out making music the Blue Mother Tupelo way. Ricky's hot guitar work, whether acoustic, electric or slide, combined with Micol's soulful Bonnie Raitt/Bobbie Gentry style vocals, makes for a superb offering of southern mountain blues. The track "You'll Be Mine," is excellent. It has a '70's tinge that brightens the senses. Other tracks of note, the funky, "For The Love Of You", and "Without You".
Singer Magazine (May 23, 2006)
Genre-defying band won't be fenced in
By Jer Cole
Although originally from Knoxville, Ricky and Micol Davis of Blue Mother Tupelo demonstrate all the attributes one might expect to see in a couple of Nashville songwriters. Their music is passionate but above all else original - so original, in fact, that it cannot possibly be categorized. While in the past the act has been labeled as blues, a quick listen is all that's necessary to demonstrate that Blue Mother Tupelo's trademark style is much more than blues, folk, bluegrass - or any single genre, for that matter.
The husband-and-wife duo began playing together locally nine years ago, making the Knoxville scene for three years before moving to Music City in hopes of joining an established music community and amplifying their chances of being heard by larger audiences. This Saturday the prodigal children will return to their former home for a show at The Downtown Grill and Brewery. The venue will serve as a slight change of pace for the band, whose shows usually involve the outdoors and some tricky back-roads navigation.
"Knoxville is home to us," explains Ricky Davis. "I was born and raised in Knoxville and have been playing in Knoxville venues since the 1980s, when I was a teenager. Micol and I married in 1994, and a year later, we were out doing writers nights, open mics and getting gigs in Knoxville.
"We moved to Nashville because we aspired to be more than a bar band - and we still do," he continues. "We love doing live shows. And performing in front of an audience and communicating with them through music is a true blessing. Basically, we moved to Nashville to explore further possibilities and approaches to what we could/can do with our music as a career. With all that said, we have had some songwriting meetings with some really great songwriters lately. We've written a couple of songs with John Scott Sherrill (hit Nashville songwriter) and a song with Craig Fuller (of the Pure Prairie League and Little Feat)."
Utilizing acoustic, electric and slide guitars, Dobro, piano, organ, harmonizing male and female co-vocalists, a drummer (Johnny Richardson) and various other percussions, the band defies the advice of its critics and colleagues, remaining true to its uncontrived style.
"We're all about pouring our emotions into our music and digging deeper inside ourselves to put our signature on the music that we play," says Micol Davis. "Many well-meaning people in the music business feel that we need to fit into a genre somewhere or try to hone into one aspect or another of our music so it will easily fit into one single category. The tough thing about that is in order to do that, we would be changing our music dramatically from what it's all about. We don't set out to try to write some country or blues or rock song. We're just letting things flow naturally."
Davis elaborates: "And within this challenge, our whole approach to performing our songs is something different than maybe what a lot of people are used to in pop music. We have two lead singers who also sing harmonies together. Our sound is very guitar-driven, and we don't have a bassist. Listen long enough and you'll hear everything from Southern gospel/spiritual influences to mountain music to Mississippi country blues and even experimental psychedelia."
Later this year, Blue Mother Tupelo will begin recording its third album, to be released in 2005. Until then, look for the couple to continue traveling throughout the South, playing picturesque outdoor stages. Saturday night at 10, The Downtown Grill and Brewery will host the band in a night of drinking and grooving as part of a strong weekend for music in Knoxville.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel (May 23, 2006)
Blue Mother Tupelo shakes free from blues cliches
written by David Cate
Ahh … autumn in the mountains of East Tennessee. There's nothing quite like this time of year anywhere. Orange and purple sunsets, long shadows and the smell of fireplaces turn our mountain home into a storybook from days gone by. Those were my thoughts as I drove the back roads through Beech Creek this past Saturday to hear Blue Mother Tupelo at Rogersville's historic Crockett Park.
Crockett Park is the resting place for Davy Crockett's grandparents and like many landmarks in our region, this park stands as a memorial to our history and ancestors. The Rogersville Arts Council selected this location in downtown to present concerts this year and plans many more next summer. A Saturday concert was the last of the season and featured one of the best female voices and most original music that you are likely to hear on a small stage.
This summer, I received an e-mail from Amanda Reeves and her schedule for the Rogersville Arts Council featuring Blue Mother Tupelo. She had read my column complaining about the lack of live music in Kingsport and invited me to Rogersville.
When I arrived at the park, it was cool. Lots of sweaters, kettle fires ready for marshmallows and hot apple cider served under a willow tree with kids peering like Cheshire cats from the branches. Beside the gazebo, Blue Mother Tupelo - the band's gear unpacked from a Chevy Suburban and a U-haul - was getting ready for its performance. Their instruments were onstage and the lead singer was fixing her makeup in the truck.
Micol Davis and her husband Ricky are the heart and soul of Blue Mother Tupelo. When I first visited their Web site, it was a treat to see two people who fit so well together. Both are great singers and together they produce great music that sounds like the swampy sounds of a French Quarter backbeat to down and dirty blues from the Delta. Some like to call it "Swampadelic."
Last week, PBS ran a series featuring Martin Scorsese and seven film directors' documentaries on Blues in America. Once again I was mystified by the history of this musical culture and I guess that's why I was glad to be in Rogersville, listening to a group that had recently been nominated as best Acoustic Blues act by the 2003 Music City Blues Awards in Nashville.
I spoke to Micol - singer, keyboardist and percussionist - before the set. I bought two CDs and introduced myself to this young woman with striking blue eyes. We shared stories about music and our Tennessee home.
She and her husband are from Knoxville and recently moved to Hendersonville. I know these two places well, having lived in both areas and she was delightful to talk to. She is also obviously passionate about her music too; and talked more about the band - Ricky on vocals and guitar, John Richardson on drums and Ronnie James on Acoustic Bass.
Blue Mother Tupelo began its set a little past 6:30 with a pastel sunset behind the gazebo ... and what a sound! With Ricky playing a resonator guitar with slide and Micol on tambourine, it was like a Pentecostal testimony night.
Their music was the most honest, original performances of any group I've heard lately. Too many places serve up the blues that sounds like a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan, but this couple's down-to-earth style is more than guitar; it's about the music. They sing about family, the mountains, the delta, work, church and above all, their love. As an added bonus, they played an old blues song that I thought I would never hear again, that my brother and I used to sing when we were kids called, "Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad." Other memorable songs included; "I'll Make Love to You Any Old Time" and ‘Further On Down The Road."
I can't say enough about the voice of Micol Davis. Tennessee has given birth to many distinctive female voices, and here is another gem. Her voice has an original style that reminds me of the passion of Janis Joplin and the honesty of Dolly Parton; she's got a seductive coo like Norah Jones, too. The East Tennessee hills may have another legend in the making.
Blue Mother Tupelo is one-of-a-kind blues act. Its songs are terrific and with a little more stage presence, Micol and Ricky will surely find themselves at bigger venues in the future. Their recent nominations as best Acoustic Blues and Best Female Blues Vocalist are well deserved. I feel lucky to have both original CDs and invite you to explore this great music online @ their website.
Kingsport Times-News (May 23, 2006)
Eclectic Blue Mother Tupelo brings sound to Brackins
By Steve Wildsmith
Ricky Davis can't exactly remember if Blue Mother Tupelo, the band he formed with his wife, has played Maryville before, but one thing's for sure -- after moving to Nashville five years ago and returning monthly for dates all over Knoxville, the group will perform at Brackins tonight.
The show will begin at 10 p.m. instead of the regular 9 p.m. start time for most Brackins groups, and starting tonight, owners Mark and Linda Brackins will charge a $3 cover for Friday and Saturday nights when live music is featured.
But if you question whether Blue Mother Tupelo is worth it, don't. The band's most recent album, ``Delta Low, Mountain High'' is so rich in a syrupy, blues-bluegrass mixture that it's almost impossible not to be hooked on the group after the first few songs.
Ricky's guitar work, whether he's playing acoustic, electric or slide, channels the blues from the Mississippi Delta as much as it does the fleet-fingered picking styles of the Appalachian hills. With a sweet tenor, he's a perfect compliment to his wife's brazen, Bonnie Raitt-meets-Sheryl Crow vocals.
``The music that we play is kind of a combination, a Southern blend of music,'' he said recently. ``There's a lot of different types of Southern music, and ours has got a real earthy feel to it, a real soulful kind of approach. As far as our live performance goes, we've been told it's real energetic and soulful. As far as how we approach it, we just play how we feel, and we're fortunate and happy that people feel good about it.''
One of the reasons Blue Mother Tupelo, a fixture at Barley's Taproom in Knoxville's Old City, sounds so good is the variety of influences the Davises draw upon.
``We've got so many it's almost unbelievable: Definitely the late '60s psychedelic bluesy rock stuff; old blues stuff like Muddy Waters; Van Morrison,'' he said. ``The realness of the Mississippi sound, that Stax Records soulful sound, is really kind of right in the middle of where we come from, as well as old country stuff, like Hank Williams and Lefty Frisell. Any kind of music that's got grit and soul appeals to us, whether it's Miles Davis to Jimi Hendrix to all points in between.''
Ricky and Micol Davis first met when the two -- both Knoxville natives (Ricky graduated from Doyle and Micol went to Clinton) -- ran into each other in Knoxville's Old City, where Ricky was playing with another group.
``She actually came out to see the group I was playing with ... we ended up starting to play music together and sing,'' he said.
The couple moved to Nashville about five years ago to further their music career, a move that's paying off. The two both have day jobs -- she's a school teacher, and he works for the state, Ricky added -- but right now, they're in discussions with industry-types in Nashville that may influence the direction of their next record.
``We're still promoting `Delta Low, Mountain High' right now,'' he said. ``We've got new material, but we're just holding off a little bit because we're in some discussions with folks in the music business. It's best to play with what we've got for a while.
``Ideally, what we're wanting to do is to be recording artists and touring artists. We're also looking at doing some other things in the business, like songwriting for other artists. So we're kind of looking at different avenues. I've been playing all my life, and all my adult life this is what I've been hoping for.''
Thanks to the success of other roots artists, bolstered by the success of the ``O Brother'' soundtrack, the band is quickly gaining new fans, and with any luck, Ricky and Micol may be the next Buddy and Julie Miller, two of Nashville's best-known singing, songwriting husband-wife team.
``There's obviously obstacles that have to be crossed in any marriage, especially any marriage in comparison to a career, but it's pretty easy for us,'' he said. ``We have similar ambitions, and we both have a love for what we do.
``Probably the hardest part is holding down day jobs and traveling and playing at night. We're not just burning the candle at both ends; we're burning it all the way across right now. But we think it'll pay off.''
The Maryville Daily Times (May 23, 2006)
Review by Derek Halsey
Blue Mother Tupelo is a blues/rock/roots band out of Tennessee that has as good a thing going as any southern band out there. There are a lot of so-called 'southern rock' bands roaming the countryside right now, but this bunch is the real thing. Actually they are much more than a 'southern rock' band. They are a blues band with influences that range from the mountains of Appalachia to the Delta of Mississippi. At the core of Blue Mother Tupelo is the husband and wife team of Ricky and Micol Davis. Micol is a songwriter, keyboardist, and a singer with a sweet and earthy singing voice. Ricky is a songwriter as well but is also as good a slide guitar player as there is in the country right now. Their second CD, "Delta Low, Mountain High" is proof that these guys are a band that is making real southern music in these modern times with their heart in the right place.
If you get a chance to see them live don't pass it up. As good as they are on CD, they are even better in person. That is the test of a truly hot group, and Blue Mother Tupelo is just that.
Gritz Magazine (May 23, 2006)
Compact Dreams
Review by Tom Clarke
Free-flowing minds were at work in the birthing of Blue Mother Tupelo's Delta Low ~ Mountain High. There's an immediate sense of earthiness-besides obvious professionalism-emanating from the music. Augmented by eight cohorts, spouses Ricky and Micol Davis are responsible for all of the songs, the lead vocals and many of the instruments played. What's here, as their name and the album title suggests, is a melding of '60's rock and folk sensibilities with the blues and the 'grass. Their conscience drives "Como Dust," a solo acoustic blues lament for the black man of yore. The set opening, "I Feel So Glad," on the other hand, is just plain giddy, but infectious nonetheless. Ricky's tough "Workin' Man," will prick a few ears around these parts for its Southern drive and its sweet guitar break. Micol Davis' gorgeous voice is a revelation-the simplicity, yet all-consuming depth she achieves in "Without You," is staggering. With Ricky, she takes "For The Love Of You," from a place in the heart to what should be a place on the charts. I'm hooked!
Hittin' The Note (May 23, 2006)
Review by Shannon Williford
Delta Low~Mountain High is my new favorite rekkid! Serious! This is wonderful music! One listen and you’ll know why; the act’s delta style recordings are simple and powerful, driven by the Marcia Ball/Bonnie Raitt-like intensity with nuance of vocalist Micol Davis and the retro modern-guitar work of her husband/bandmate Ricky Davis. Vocal leads from Ricky are also memorable, with both artists offering soulful harmony. Eclectic music that goes into modern melodic rock, funky stuff, jazzy (Louisiana brass band sounds, too) leanings, even some country-ish sounds and, of course, blues-rock. I can recommend Delta Low~Mountain High for any music fan.
The record is staffed by some of the best in the Nashville blues biz; including MCBS (Music City Blues Soc.) Drummer of the Year Chuckie Burke, and the fantastic Richard Griffin on saxes, flute, and clarinet, as well as horn arrangements. Also, sax great Bobby Keys (the famous "6th Stone" - ya, like Rolling Stones …) shows up and Quentin Ware blows trumpet, with Danny Vestal adding trombone. Tasty Jimmy Clark fiddle is sprinkled around, while the bottom is supplied by Dave Rorick. Of course, the multi-guitared, multi-facet fret work of Ricky Davis is worth the price of admission by itself. Add to that the textures of Micol’s keyboard, and you have a disc that will stand multiple spins in your player.
Blue Mother Tupelo music, sometimes billed as merely acoustic and delta, covers so much more musical ground. For example, "Afraid To Fall" reminds me of 70’s super group Traffic, "What She’s Doin’ To Me" reminds me of Traffic drunk in New Orleans… "Como Dust" is eerie word poetry from Como, Mississippi; which is, of course, deep in the Mississippi delta. "Appalachian Sunshine" sounds like something on the back porch of -uhm- Appalachia. Several tunes have enough length to let the songs breath, going through movements to allow for tasty dynamics, one of my favorites being Micol’s seven-minute lament/meditation called "Without You". Whatever you hear, it’s almost always original. Ricky and Micol author twelve of the thirteen cuts, yet only one is a collaboration. This form seems to work well for the duo, apparently allowing an artistic freedom as the author of each takes musical control. Micol sings like she means it; a Bonnie Raitt comparison, with all the soulful nuance of delivery, would not be all that far off. She’s the real deal, as anyone who’s ever heard her live can tell you. The only cover on the disc is Micol’s searing delta-style rendition of Jessie Mae Hemphill’s "What A Shame". Have I said enough??? THIS IS A TERRIFIC ALBUM!!!
Music City Blues Bluesletter (May 23, 2006)
Blue Mother Tupelo are Micol Davis and Ricky Davis with a little help from there friends. The disc starts off with two rocksongs which could have been written by Lowell George. Some nice country songs and even a few songs that could be considered as funky soul songs. (Without you) is the absolute highlight of this CD, it's a ballad about loneliness, sung by Micol with nice piano, violin and acoustic guitar. (Working Man) is a good country-rock song sung by Rick. (Como Dust) and (What A Shame) could be described as acoustic blues orientated.
Radio ATL "Roots Revival"