Stacy Wilson & The Band Raven
photo by Mickey King
Have you ever reached down in your sofa cushion to retrieve the TV remote clicker and pulled out those long lost Jeep keys? Or, reached down in between the car seat and the console to retrieve the piece of mail you just dropped – and out comes a $20 bill? That’s when you know you’re having a good day. Such was the case last week when I went to see Stacy Wilson & The Band Raven. For the second week in a row, I hit the jackpot.
Stacy Wilson & The Band Raven is a five-piece band and consists of Stacy on lead vocals, Creed Wilson on drums, Aaron Brown on lead guitar and vocals, Jay Harris on bass guitar and vocals, and Rick Nelson on fiddle. Rick was out of town the night I went to see the band. The band plays country and classic rock covers. They play them well. Really well. And, one more thing - the band had their sound set just right. It didn't blow out the windows and was just perfect.
We might as well get this out front – Stacy Wilson can flat out sing. What an incredible voice she has. I have heard Tracy Chapman’s Give Me One Reason covered a hundred different times by a hundred different singers. Stacy’s version is the tops. She even did great on Folsom Prison Blues, which is traditionally a song done by male vocalists. Also, the bass guitar work on Folsom Prison was as good as I ever heard. Stacy blows away Deana Carter on Strawberry Wine.
Melissa Etheridge isn’t going to be blown away by any singer, but Stacy can match her, note for note, on I’m the Only One. How about a little Honky Tonk Women by the Stones? You guessed it – she nails it. Since I am old, my memory fails me on occasion, but they did a Fleetwood Mac song that was also fantastic, and Creed Wilson is spot-on with the drum work, in which this mystery song features several tempo changes. Jay Harris, formerly of the great Collins Brothers Band, does the lead vocals on Copperhead Road very well. Aaron Brown, Stacy, and Jay combine for most excellent vocal harmonies, too.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Aaron Brown’s guitar playing. Since the band is primarily a country band with real female country singer, Aaron chooses the Telecaster guitar and its signature sound. He can play the fire out of that guitar, too. His playing ability and style is the perfect compliment to such a great sounding band.
The band, like Voodoo Slim, has the three ingredients necessary for success – talent, song selection to suit the crowd and venue, and the ability to really have fun on stage. The dance floor was full all night. The crowd was appreciative all night. The band hails from my current town of Ringgold, GA. I think they “travel well”, meaning they brought some fans from home to see them. I guess they call us Ringgoldians. Or, is it Ringgoldites? Or Ringgoldarians. Whatever it is, they love their Stacy Wilson & Band Raven. So do I!
Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/thebandravenofficial.
The final Riverfront Nights of the season is this Saturday night and features the great Jason D. Williams as headliner. The Sullivan Band opens for them at 7 p.m. on the riverfront in downtown Chattanooga. If you like Jerry Lee Lewis and honkytonk piano songs, you will love Jason D. Williams. Check him out right here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnQ0b_7Ha_Q.
I’ll see you out and about. Will I get the Trifecta of great bands on my next trip out? We’ll have to see. To get three great bands in a row may be asking a lot, but our town is full of talent.
I’m back.
Bob Payne is the Entertainment Editor for the Chattanoogan.com and talent buyer for Friends of the Festival. You can follow me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/davrik2000 or email me at davrik@aol.com.