Montrose
Records Signs Blues/Soul Singer Annika Chambers & Will Release Her Debut
Album,
Making My
Mark, on January 14, 2014
.
HOUSTON, TX – Montrose Records announces the signing of
Houston-based blues/soul singer Annika Chambers and will release her debut
album, Making My Mark, on January 14, 2014.
Making My Mark will be available through CDBaby
at iTunes and Amazon, as well as at the label’s website. On the new CD, Annika
(pronounced “Ann-NEE-Ka”), is backed by an aggregation dubbed “The Houston
All-Stars,” well-named because it boasts the talents of many Grammy winners and
nominees.
Heading that list is bassist Larry Fulcher, who co-produced
Making My Mark along with Montrose Records owner/engineer Richard
Cagle. Fulcher is a two-time Grammy winner for his work with Taj Mahal on the
albums “Shoutin’ in Key” and “Senor Blues,” and has appeared on 10 of Taj’s
albums. He’s also a regular member of the acclaimed Phantom Blues Band and has
recorded and/or toured with such other renowned performers as Eric Clapton,
Bonnie Raitt, Maria Muldaur, Willie Nelson, Ruthie Foster, Curtis Salgado, The
Crusaders, Smokey Robinson and The Wailers.
Additional Grammy winners or nominees on the recording
sessions were keyboardists David Delagarza III and Skip Nalia; drummers Tony
Braunagel and Samantha Banks; and trumpeter/arranger Darrell Leonard. A host of
other stellar Houston musicians added their talents, including guitarists Brad
Absher, Corey Stoot and David Carter; organist Barry Seelen; pianist Randy
Walls; saxophonist/arranger Anthony Terry; and backing singers Nicoya Polar and
Sheree Howard. Making My Mark was mixed by six-time Grammy-winning
engineer Joe McGrath.
The even-dozen tracks on Annika’s new CD feature several
originals by Chambers and additional songs penned by Larry Fulcher’s talented
daughter Dominque, who also contributes vocals on the album. A diverse set of
covers enhanced by Annika’s unique takes on them include songs from Bobby
Charles (“Jealous Kind”), Spirit bassist Al Staehely (“Trust
Me”),
Joe Sample/Alan Gorrie (“Put It Where You Want It”), Steve
Cropper/Eddie Floyd (“Love’s Sweat Sensation”) and B.B. King (“Let’s Get Down to
Business”).
At the core of this great supporting cast are the bluesy,
funky and powerful vocals of Annika Chambers, an extremely gifted singer with
the drive and talent that stamps her as a rising star in the blues and soul
world.
After an eight-year stint in the U.S. Army, which saw her
rise to the rank of Sergeant and serve two deployments in Iraq and Kosovo,
Chambers left the military to pursue her dream of being a singer. “This record
is from my heart and soul,” said Annika about the new album, “and I will cherish
it for years to come. Larry and Rich took my vision and enhanced it into
something that I would have never imagined. I’ve always told people it’s one
thing to believe in yourself but it’s an even greater feeling when you have
others believing in you. Thank you for believing in me.”
With the release of Making My Mark, Annika
Chambers stands as a shining example to others to follow their dreams and not
settle for anything less.
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