Singer-songwriter Brooke Albright has dreamed of moving to the legendary home of country music, Nashville, Tennessee, for the past decade. And next month the 23-year-old Apalachin woman is moving there to immerse herself in the talent, the vibe and the history of her beloved country music.
But, before she leaves for the country music mecca, Albright will perform with the group, Hats Off Band, on her last New York tour stop at Ransom Steele Tavern on Main Street in Apalachin, on June 22 at 8 p.m.
Eighteen months ago, Albright (rhythm guitar and vocals) teamed up with the Hats Off Band that includes three childhood friends, Doug Trotter (lead guitar and vocals), his brother Lance Trotter (bass guitar and vocals) and Nick Allen (drums and percussions). They have entertained with classic and contemporary country music in the area for many years.
The “Farewell to Brooke” show will include special performances by two of the area’s top musicians. Local favorite Jake McKinney, who played drums on Albright’s debut EP and has been the drummer for the Tim Ruffo Band, She’s A Spy and Daddy Like and highly acclaimed singer / songwriter / guitarist Jack “Bastard” Breidenstein, who has been Albright’s mentor the past six years in songwriting, having co-wrote and produced her debut EP “Here’s To Us.”
Breidenstein, a three-time Buffalo Area Music Award recipient, was lead guitarist for Carl Dixon (Guess Who, Coney Hatch, April Wine) and is currently the lead guitarist for modern country act The Beadle Brothers. He has also been a supporting act for Cheap Trick, Gavin DeGraw, The Band Perry and Eric Pasley.
“I’m so grateful to all those who have seen some talent and taken the time to teach me how to hone it. I am so excited that my plan to move to Nashville is actually happening, but at the same time I’m freaking out because it’s actually happening,” said Albright, who started singing at age four in her church choir and has earned many awards in the near two decades since.
Albright is a humble singer/songwriter who likes her country music fun and passionate. She has played hundreds of gigs the past six years and has opened for and performed with John Driskell Hopkins of the Zach Brown Band, Two Dollar Pistol, and the Beadle Brothers.
It’s been six years since Albright first performed on stage in Nashville’s Bluebird Café and the Commodore Grill while on vacation with her parents Chuck and Debbie Albright. And she is ready to return and share all that Nashville has to offer.
Last year Albright started working at Starbucks knowing she could transfer with the international company when the time was right. And right now, the time is right. She will start working at the downtown Nashville Starbucks in early July and plans to play and meet local musicians at open mic nights at restaurants and pubs, join songwriter groups, and eventually form a band.
“My plan is to just be around incredibly talented musicians so I can learn as much as possible and just have a good time, regardless of what happens,” said Albright, who twice while in high school earned runner’s up in Binghamton’s 98.1 The Hawk country radio station’s music competition Hitmaker Challenge.
Albright has always loved to sing and as a quiet young teen found that performing gave her a way to express who she really was, an outgoing compassionate young girl.
At age 13, Albright met Demi Lovato, who inspired her to follow her music dreams. And under the tutelage of Jo and Mike Whitney, she began her music training at the Teen Rock Shop and was the lead singer in two teen pop bands, Wildflower Contrast and Super Celery, who played in local cafés.
By the age of 15, Albright started to play guitar and was inspired by Luke Bryan’s song “I Don’t Want This Night to End” and her southern DNA (her mom is from Louisiana) took over and country music has been her passion ever since. Albright studied with vocal coach Virginia “Adri” Young, who encouraged her to feel confident to perform solo, write songs from her heart and co-wrote two songs on Albright’s EP. Young was instrumental in her formative years, helping her book gigs and learn the ropes of the industry.
Albright’s debut EP, Here’s to Us is available digitally at CDBaby.com, iTunes, Spotify and other online outlets, and discs are available at Music City in Vestal and CD Baby.
Tickets for the “Farewell to Brooke” show, planned for June 22 at 8 p.m. at Ransom Steele Tavern, are available at the door for $10 with a drink chip or $8 without a drink chip. More information is available at the Facebook pages of Hats Off Band, Ransom Steele Tavern and Brooke Albright Music, or BrookeAlbrightMusic.com and RansomSteeleTavern.com.
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