This week I've decided to start a new segment that I'll call Music Review. Each week, I'll review a band or artist that I've noticed that isn't popular enough to be on the radio.
This week we're going to focus on the family band from Raleigh, North Carolina -- Delta Rae.
Delta Rae began as three siblings making music together. Ian, Eric, and Brittany Hölljes grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina with dreams of becoming musicians. As they grew, they began to record music for YouTube. Eventually, they would meet Elizabeth Hopkins and she would become the fourth member of the band known as Delta Rae.
When I first heard Delta Rae, I was attending a Hanson concert in Asheville, North Carolina. Delta Rae was the cover band. It was just the 4 singers, a guitar, a piano, and some microphones. From that moment, I knew I would love their music. It was so simple but so beautiful. I bought their EP album at that concert and fell in love with every song.
As years passed, Mike McKee and Grant Emerson were added to the group, filling out their sound. Their music morphed and they became a little bit of everything. There is soul, pop, rock, and country on every album. Every song has it's own personality and it's own story.
I think my favorite thing about Delta Rae's music is that it all comes from their hearts. They write their own music and each singer is featured just as much as the next one. The sense of family and love you get from every song is breathtaking.
Another thing I love about Delta Rae is that they are genuinely talented. A lot of artists on the radio don't sound anything like what you hear on the radio when you hear them on concert. With Delta Rae, what you hear on the CD is what you're going to hear on stage.
Their on-stage performances are fantastic! They really make it a point to interact with the audience and you can tell with every performance that they love what they do. No matter how tired they are, they make each performance vibrant and entertaining. I've seen them multiple times live and every time it's a new experience.
Some of my personal favorite songs are "Ooh Caroline", "Bethlehem Steel", "Unlike Any Other", "I Will Never Die", and "If I Loved You". Just in these 5 songs alone there is such a difference. "Ooh Caroline" is from their EP, while "Bethlehem Steel" and "I Will Never Die" are from their most recent album. You can really hear in the music how the band has changed over the years.
If you're looking for some new music, you definitely need to check out Delta Rae. They are worth the listen. You can find their music on YouTube, iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora.
