After stops in Glasgow, Paris and Amsterdam, JD McPherson looking forward to Tulsa show
BY JENNIFER CHANCELLOR World Scene Writer
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Local musician JD McPherson is living his dream. Finally.
The rock ’n’ roll-slash-roots-slash-rockabilly musician recently headed to Chicago, where he recorded his debut album, “Signs & Signifiers,” released last year on Rounder Records.
A new album is in the works, he said.
“It’s highly probable we’ll play new material at the Tulsa show,” he said. “We’ll see how the Chicago sessions go.”
In recent months, he’s played Glasgow, Paris, Amsterdam, “all over England,” as well as the U.S., Canada and Germany. He was given the official “MacPherson” tartan tie from a radio host of BBC Scotland. He played a festival in that tie (and with a “MacPherson” clan beer opener) - and a whole lot of new friends.
“That’s one of my favorite places now,” he said of Scotland. “The people are warm, fun-loving, good people.” He’ll play his first Australian show in March.
He also played live to millions on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Late Show with David Letterman.”
His ’50s-inspired take on rock ’n’ roll incorporates everything from Little Richard and Fats Domino to The Pixies, The Clash and Led Zeppelin. His voice is his own, and he’s earned a grass-roots fan base that spans the globe due to his earnest take on songwriting.
“Signs & Signifiers” debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums chart last April.
The video for “North Side Gal” found air time on Country Music Television and has been viewed more than 1.1 million times on YouTube. He headlined Tulsa International Mayfest last May and played countless rockabilly and roots music festivals across the globe before and since.
He’s back in town Saturday for a live show at Cain’s Ballroom, with his “old friends” The Bellfuries, a band he’s shared playbills with for more than 15 years. He’s home for a week before taking off on the road again.
McPherson has been home only a few weeks over the past year - and away from his wife and children. He left the life of a schoolteacher, part-time musician and artist to play music full-time.
Not that he regrets it.
Read more in Thursday's Weekend section
