Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Centerstage MN is Flung Wide Open

by Doug MacRostie

Some artists "own" a style. They eat sleep and breath it. Their entire career is dedicated to it. That's cool and all, but it didn't work for Deb Harley, a singer-songwriter from Eden Prairie. Her new CD, "Flung Wide Open," broke the mold of her previous work and brings many different styles into the mix. "I decided to give myself the freedom to touch on any genre because I love them all," she told me, and it rings very true on this new CD. It's upbeat contemporary folk music with more than a twist of blues, country and swing, and she'll be joining me in-studio this week on Centerstage MN to talk about it.

"I felt completely open to everything," Deb went on to say, "I felt like this is it, this is how I want to stay: open." She will also have her guitar along to perform some live music during our conversation. While a lot of writers are drawn to sad and morose topics, "Flung Wide Open" is pleasantly positive with occasional giggles. Deb said, "I want to write music that promotes healing and hope."

Inspired by Deb's flung wide open attitude, Centerstage MN covers a lot of sonic ground this week. We'll hear some classic Bob Dylan, MN blues man Big Walter Smith, the "new-grass" of Trampled by Turtles, the rock of Paul Westerberg and the acoustic work of Bill Bulinski...and more!

Centerstage MN is Thursday evenings at 6, streaming live online at www.KAXE.org; or 91.7 Grand Rapids, 89.9 Brainerd and 105.3 Bemidji and can be heard again Sunday mornings at 6. All interviews are archived at www.KAXE.org. Centerstage MN is also heard on KSRQ in Thief River Falls, and on KMSU in Mankato. Sometimes heard on KFAI in Minneapolis & St. Paul and WTIP in Grand Marais. Often featured on MNartists.org.

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