Caroline Monroe

originally published December 13, 2006

Caroline Monroe is playing a CD release show at the Eastwood Pub on Friday, Dec. 15.

Local country singer Caroline Monroe got her local start playing in the rock band Umpteen in 2003 and 2004. After that band dissolved, she spent some time re-examining her goals, researching her roots and teamed up with local songwriter Fester Hagood. The duo performed around town at venues as disparate as J.R.'s Baitshack, Wild Wing Café, Athens Arena and the Caledonia Lounge.

Monroe, whose ambitious yet easy-going vocals call to mind crossover artists like Stevie Nicks or Emmylou Harris, now has a solo offering in the debut album Ghost Town. Recorded at Full Moon Studios, the album features country tracks co-written with Hagood and with Monroe's own father Doug Monroe, a noted Atlanta journalist who's put in time at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Creative Loafing and Atlanta Magazine.

For a show this weekend at the Eastwood Pub, Monroe has assembled a crack backing band to give her songs the full treatment. Matt Sapp, formerly of Engineering and Another Broken Vehicle, is on bass; hey, revolution!'s drummer TJ Young keeps time and longtime Athens musician Rick Fowler (The Wildcats, Redneck GReece Delux, Rack of Spam) rounds out the four-piece on guitar. "It's at the Eastwood Pub," says Monroe, "anything can happen." Hagood's new band King Cotton also performs.

Flagpole

You and Fester wrote a number of the tracks together. What's that process like?

Caroline Monroe

Fester is more of the brains behind songs we wrote together. I’ve helped him to be at ease with his feminine side, which has helped to him write songs from a new - my - perspective. I’ll present him with ideas and he’ll help me put them into songs. My next step is to actually write my ideas onto paper and have him edit them.

Flagpole

You have a good amount of strong guests on the record like Randall Bramblett, William Tonks and John Neff, among others. How'd that come about?

Caroline Monroe

Wow, I do feel quite honored about that! Lucky for me, I have a fabulous producer who was able to hook it up. Mark at Full Moon Studio also knows some of those guys pretty well and got us in contact with them. It's funny, some of the songs have Randall, his bass player Mike Steele playing bass and his lead guitar/ back-up vocalist Mike Hines singing backup: Caroline Monroe and most of the Randall Bramblett Band! Wish I could get those guys to go on tour with me. Of course, Neff really brought some songs together with that pedal steel of his; that sound is the most beautiful sound in the world to me. And Tonks really helped to put the twang into “Sunday Sinner” and “This old Town.” I’m so thankful for all of them.

Flagpole

Any other local acts you're currently digging?

Caroline Monroe

Why yes, Kimberly Morgan and Betsy Franck are two of my favorites. The three of us did a little guitar pull together down at The Hummingbird in Macon. That was quite fun, and I hope we can do that somewhere in Athens soon. I’m of course a huge fan of The Truckers. My pal Ty is in the Bearfoot Hookers, it's always a pleasure watching them. Can’t wait to see Fester’s new band King Cotton, they‘re actually playing after me at my CD release party. I’m hoping to broaden my horizons with all of the local country acts.

Flagpole

How's singing and recording your dad's songs?

Caroline Monroe

It’s been quite the adrenaline rush. He had the ideas for “See Rock City” and “She Regrets Her Tattoos” long before I even started singing country music. He has so many more great ideas. I’m hoping that that gene will expose itself sometime soon for my writing skills. The fact that I’m singing some of his songs has really made him supportive in my pursuit of music. More so than most parents, I would assume.

Spotlight is a biweekly feature looking at newer or emerging local acts. Next up: The Suex Effect. Is there a band you'd like to see covered? Email music editor Chris Hassiotis at music@flagpole.com.