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Some poems simply make better songs. As part of her Master of Fine Arts curriculum at the University of New Orleans, Kelcy Mae wrote a poem about pennies and a bird. It did not fare well during peer-review workshops.“Let’s put it this way,” Mae said this week. “It didn’t make it into my thesis.” She later retooled the poem as a song, “Pennies in Hand.” She was so pleased with the result that she showcased it as the title track of her new CD. On Friday, April 15, Mae and her band celebrate the release of “Pennies in Hand” at Carrollton Station. She’ll also play a free show at the Louisiana Music Factory on Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m.

Born Kelcy Wilburn — her stage name, Kelcy Mae, is a nickname bestowed by her maternal grandfather — she grew up in Shreveport, where she started writing music in high school. She moved to New Orleans in 2001 to major in English and minor in music business at Loyola University. At the urging of friends, she braved open mic nights at the Neutral Ground Coffeehouse. She was graduated from Loyola in May 2005, three months before Hurricane Katrina temporarily chased her back to Shreveport. The Tipitina’s organization’s new musicians co-op in Shreveport helped her find gigs in her former hometown. She eventually returned to New Orleans and worked as a sales representative for a tile and flooring store, but a nine-to-five job left little time or energy for creative pursuits. She enrolled in the MFA program at UNO in 2007, around the time she released her debut full-length CD, “The Times Compiled.” “I thought going back to school would help get my creative energy flowing, and help me write songs,” she said. “But I ended up writing more poems. You only have so much creative energy in a day.”

Since graduating in 2010, “it’s all music from here on out.”

Her songs often originate with lyrics; she matches them to melodies found on a guitar or piano. Lyrical raw material mined from her poetry requires tweaking. “I don’t rhyme much in my poetry, and, in the songs, I do. So (the transition) is not exact by any means, but it’s close.” Her voice evokes Natalie Merchant crossed with the Indigo Girls. Mae counts Ani DiFranco and alt-country singers Casey Chambers and Gillian Welch as artists she admires. Welch “writes incredibly beautiful melodies and harmonies, simple but touching.” Mae aspires to a similar aesthetic. “Pennies in Hand” sparkles with nuanced vocals, smart wordplay and a bright, warm production that casts arrangements in a flattering light. Acoustic and electric guitars, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, piano, cello, drums and upright bass factor into the mix. “With this record, I had more freedom to experiment with different textures and instrumentation. The process took a lot longer, but it was nice.”

She covers “Moonshiners,” an Irish standard previously recorded by Bob Dylan, Cat Power and Uncle Tupelo. “Mr. Leopold” is named for a character in James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” She initially recorded it with her full band, but scrapped that version and conjured a richer, darker take with cello and piano. It is the only track on the album on which she plays guitar and sings simultaneously. “The song slows down and speeds up, and there are different moments of intensity. It’s hard to re-create if you’re just focusing on the instrument or the vocal. I needed to do both to really express how I feel in that song.”

Not surprisingly, Mae puts a premium on lyrics. Two inside panels of the “Pennies in Hand” CD package are crammed with lyrics in small type. “I had to squeeze them all into an affordable CD package. You might need a magnifying glass.”

Fans donated $6,000 via Kickstarter, an online fundraising site, to partially fund the recording. “It was hugely helpful,” she said. “It covered more than half the album, which I wouldn’t have been able to afford on my own.” Katrina scattered her original band. Her current ensemble includes Lucy Cordts on banjo and mandolin, Kyle Sharamitaro on drums, Owen Romero on bass, “Bad Andy” Neubauer on lead guitar and Tom Marron on violin. They have found an appreciative audience at such venues as Carrollton Station and Chickie Wah Wah.

Looking back, she believes her early gigs as an undergrad, while crucial to her development, did not introduce her at her best. “I wasn’t really ready for the attention,” she said. “I wasn’t developed enough in terms of who I was and the songs I was writing. “It’s been a challenge to find an outlet and to find who my listeners are. I’m hoping that’s happening now. It’s taken a minute, but I finally think that I’ve come into my own.”

-Keith Spera, April 15, 2011

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The sound of Pennies in Hand is familiar enough. Kelcy Mae and the album exist in Lilith Fair’s long shadow, evidenced by her good musical taste and the emphasis on voice and words. These are solid ground for Kelcy Wilburn, whose voice is warm and distinctive, and whose lyrics are intelligent without being brainy. She references genres and books (Ulysses, of all things, in “Mr. Leopold”), but without making a production of either, and if you missed the reference, you wouldn’t miss the song. The lyrics are rarely confessional, though it almost always feels like there’s a story behind the song, no matter what. The title cut is the album’s finest moment, an expansive song that feels far shorter than its six-minute length. Its opening lines set the tone for the song and represent her writing at its most evocative: “If in the distance you spy some large bird / carrying my scarf it its claws and strands of my hair in its beak / well know that I shall make a good nest.” There’s a whole story in those lines alone, a reason to keep paying attention to Kelcy Mae.

-Alex Rawls, May 2011

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Kelcy Mae has a nice rootsy sound and a cool way with her own songs. The traditional "Moonshiner" gets a powerful reading that she really nails. "Down to the river" is a dreamy and suitably country tinged song with a gorgeous lead vocal. "Take your time" sees her in a relaxed mood, her lovely vocals set to a good tune. It's a wonderful album.

-The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music, September 2011

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Kelcy Mae's album Pennies in Hand is a bold statement against the stereotypes associated with singer/songwriters. These are songs with guts, with purpose, and with legs. Her heart is all over these songs, but her musical head makes them great. A pleasure to listen to from track one til the end. A true success, in a field of just ok's.

-Johnny Sketch, April 2011

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In a world where singer/songwriters are a dime a dozen, the ability to stand out of the crowd is definitely worth mentioning. Get ready for a fusion of rock and roots as Kelcy Mae makes her way back to Shreveport to promote her sophomore album, "Pennies in Hand." The 28-year-old released the album last weekend in New Orleans, which was fully funded by donations and pledges made through funding platform Kickstarter.com. Her album, Pennies, packs a vocal punch of southern styled lullabies with a hint of sarcasm and sass; You can meet the songwriter when she performs tonight at her favorite hangout, Bear's. I got the chance to sit down and talk to her about her new album, what she says "had a lot of emotion" behind the tracks.

Question: How was your launch party?

Answer: It was so much fun. It was a huge success. I think the Times Picayune article helped get people in, it was packed. There were over a hundred people who were there.

Q: Tell me a little about your title track, "Pennies in Hand."

A: I wrote the song long before the Kickstarter project. Whenever I decided to do the Kickstarter thing, I thought, "Oh well, this is kind of clever, I can use this title." It was sort of a play on words I suppose, but the song itself started out as a poem. Inspiration is best described as a love-lost relationship. It's like a goodbye, but it's not one that you want to be permanent. It's like celebrating something that was good while it was good.

Q: Is it your favorite?

A: It's a culmination of a lot of work and a lot of emotion. There's a lot that went into that song and the album as a whole. I just love the ending, it's my favorite part to hear. I had like ten friends come in the studio and record the ending with me, so when that chorus of vocals comes in, it's a fun culmination of work and play.

Q: Any other mentionables?

A: "Mr. Leopold." Chronologically, that's the first song that was written for this record and so, it's kind of my favorite in that way. It's the first born. It's definitely one of my favorite songs to play.

Q: What is special to you about playing at Bears?

A: I really like Bear himself. He's always been really generous to me and very willing to host my performances when I come to Shreveport. I like the room, the stage - I like being next to windows especially when the sun's setting. It's one of my favorite places to hang.

Q: And Shreveport itself?

A: When I left in 2001, Shreveport was a completely different place than how it is now. I really enjoy coming home and seeing my family and seeing what's new.

Q: On a non-musical note, do you have any pets?

A: I have a cat named Clyde.

Q: Does he inspire you musically?

A: I sing him songs sometimes. So far, he hasn't been an inspiration for one, but I'll never say never.

-Derick Jones, April 22, 2011

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In New Orleans, we are lucky to be treated to so many great performing songwriters. Kelcy Mae is one of them, her lyrics vivid and unforgettable. Pennies in Hand has this great summer breezy feeling—even the sad songs will make you feel good.

-Margie Perez, April 4, 2011

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A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to meet with the very talented and very ambitious New Orleans musician Kelcy Mae, whom I believe you will hear more about in the near future. I sat down with Kelcy and two of her band mates Owen Jon Romero (bass guitar) and Lucy Cordts (banjo/vocals/mandolin) to discuss the upcoming major release of her album Pennies in Hand on April 15th, and to learn more about her music.

M: Mark

K: Kelcy Mae

O: Owen

L: Lucy

M: So what is Kelcy Mae’s “elevator speech”? How would you describe who you are and what you do in a short amount of time to someone who does not know you?

K: Well, there’s this book that UNO (University of New Orleans) Press recently put out called New Orleans: The Underground Guide. It’s a guidebook for discovering the lesser-known aspects of New Orleans. I liked how they described my music as “poetic roots rock about the American South that appeals to people up to the Canadian North.” Really, my music is “blue grassy” in terms of instrumentation but someone else told me once that it’s “trad roots rock fusion.”

M: I agree, it is hard to describe you guys perfectly; which is a good thing because if you can’t easily say, “it sounds like this” you are your own person and a unique artist.

O: It seems like if you could describe it easily you could put it in a basket and dismiss it. Like, “O.K. We know what it is now.” K: Right, I’ve been pigeonholed as a singer-songwriter since the beginning. But I don’t think I sound like your typical pop-radio singer songwriters; and I don’t want to call my music folk either because its not just folk. L: I actually used to just say “folk rock” to people until I realized that was completely wrong. O: I’ve narrowed it down to “honest.” [We joke about finding the upcoming album in the “honest” section of Barnes and Noble.]

M: Let’s talk a little about your “Pennies in Hand” Kickstarter project. How did you approach it and how can other artists make use of this site kickstarter.com?

K: Well I approached it because I had to. [laughs] I thought Kickstarter was a great idea because I basically did the same fundraising for my 2007 album The Times Compiled, except Kickstarter didn’t exist… so I did it all at my shows. People came to my shows and physically handed me checks or cash and signed a little form saying, “I want to pre-order the cd or a get a cd and a t-shirt.” That kind of thing. But Kickstarter allowed me to expand and get funds from people all over the world. I had people pledge from France and New York for this one. I think the website was a great idea. It got me the funds I needed and without it I would have had to cut out of the studio a lot sooner.

M: What makes Kickstarter so fun for donators is the tiered reward system where artists can offer more and more rewards at different levels of donations. I saw, for instance, that your highest tier was a private concert pretty much anywhere, anytime. How did you come up with your tiers?

K: I just thought about what I would want for that amount of money. O: [to Kelcy] Did you ever get to that top tier? K: No but I did get to the next to top tier which is the “I’ll write a song about you if you give me 500 dollars tier.” Luckily, they were all family members so I shouldn’t have too much trouble writing songs inspired by them.

M: So how many people do you have to write songs about exactly now?

K: 3. [laughs] I keep forgetting about it and I’m like, “Oh crap, I better start writing…”

M: How will this album Pennies in Hand compare with your previous work?

K: The production quality is definitely going to be better simply because we had more time. The previous album was recorded in a very expensive studio in a very short amount of time. And this one was recorded in a small, relatively inexpensive studio over a long period of time. So I was really able to focus on the sounds and work with the musicians. [To Owen and Lucy] What do you guys think? L: Yea. You had more time to con me into playing on more songs than I originally planned [laughter all around]. “Yea Lucy why don’t you pick up that mandolin…” K: We were able to have a lot more guest musicians lay down some different textures for the music. L: I didn’t play on the last album. But I can’t image using all of these folksy, acoustic instruments like the banjo, violin, and mandolin with a strict schedule. You can’t just plug them in and count on 440 pitch. Issues come up. Big issues come up. We spent hours trying to get the right sound out of those instruments. So I can’t imagine being in an expensive studio and rushing through the album.

M: What studio did you use this time?

K: Blue Velvet Studio. Tom Stern was an incredible engineer in terms of capturing the right sounds and mixing. He was very professional and very patient throughout the whole process.

M: Is there a general theme or concept for the album?

K: I hadn’t thought about it prior to recording but after the fact I think there is a general theme of human relationships. Celebrating them. Lamenting them.

M: Where did your inspiration come from for this album and, for that matter, any songs that you write? How do you apply this inspiration to your music and lyrics?

K: Definitely people. Friendships. Intimate relationships. Familial. I think they are all…fascinating. To see how they all interact with one another. But there are some times where bigger picture things do inspire me. “February” from my last album is a Katrina related song. The song goes by months and describes the different predicaments people were in at different times. And then on this album I have a song “Take Your Time” which I started writing one morning sitting outside on my porch drinking coffee and looking at a tomato plant.

M: That actually reminds me of a story I read once about one of the Avett Brothers, Scott Avett; how many of his songs have come from sitting on his front porch with a banjo. So this does transition into my next question… two folk bands, the Avett Brothers and Mumford and Sons, have recently risen to high levels of popularity. They both are coming to Jazz Fest for the first time this year, they both performed at the Grammys, and Mumford and Sons album at one point was the 2nd top selling album in the nation across all genres. Do you feel there is a rising trend in appreciation of folk/bluegrass/”trad roots rock fusion”? There a few theories out there, some connecting the two bands’ popularity to the recent recession, others just talking about a “counterculture” against the auto-tuned, overly produced mainstream music. What do you guys think?

L: It seems that people every now and then become ready for something new. Not so much that they are going to actively seek out this new thing, but if they get exposed to it and it kind of “peaks” into the mainstream so that just enough people are paying attention…. it’s like a re-awakening of something. It’s moving in cycles like everything always does. O: I ‘m just realizing that I do like folk. I didn’t even like the banjo until Lucy joined the band. The way she plays it as sort of reinforcement is not the way I’m used to hearing it. But as far as the economic theory you mentioned, I mean, look at Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie during the Depression Era. Maybe folk music and poverty do go together. L: I think a big part of it too is that we like the things that we can identify with. So when we see young people like us playing real instruments we can see ourselves in them. K: I think it goes back to that word “honest.” M: I remember when I watched Mumford and Sons and the Avett Brothers play at the Grammy’s, it was very real. They were all just playing their instruments and singing and producing real harmonies. It was very human. K: I listened to NPR one time and they were interviewing Will I. Am from the Black Eyed Peas about how he writes songs. He writes how a Nashville country songwriter would write: he finds a hook and then writes around that. And that’ so different from how I write my songs. It’s a longer, more reflective process for me in finding my hooks. They are deep within a lot of words.

M: So the last question of course: What’s next? What are your plans for after the big album release? Any big tour?

K: I definitely want some kind of a tour to happen. But I honestly haven’t had the time to fully prepare for the “after the release” part. Right now we do have shows booked for April and May. The plan is to just get out there and promote the hell out of this album. I’ll be looking to play in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Jackson, and Austin, try to get out of state as much as possible.

-Mark Johnson, April 2011

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When New Orleans musician and Shreveport native Kelcy Mae released her 2007 debut album, The Times Compiled, she raised money for it the old-fashioned way. She held fundraiser shows in Shreveport and New Orleans and garnered additional funds through pre-orders of her album. But this go 'round, for her forthcoming album, Pennies in Hand, the 27-year-old roots/rock fusion artist and local favorite is turning to another source, Kickstarter.com. The website provides a funding platform for artists just like her.

Through the site, Mae has set up The Kelcy Mae “Pennies in Hand” Album Project with a fundraising goal of $5,500 to help her produce the album and, until Sept. 8, anyone can go through that Web page to make a pledge toward her goal and receive goodies with their pledge. For instance, a $10 pledge will get you a complete new album in either CD or digital form, depending on the pledger's preference. For $15, you receive the completed album and a Kelcy Mae bandana. For $100 you can receive the completed album, a Kelcy Mae bandana, T-shirt, handwritten, signed and framed lyrics and a producer credit on the album. Among perks for the $1,000 donors is a personal concert by the artist. If her goal is not reached by Sept. 8, the pledges are not actually charged, leaving pledgers risk-free and the album unfunded. So far, she's already raised more than half of the total she's hoping to raise. As far as Kelcy Mae's concerned, it's the perfect antidote to a struggling industry.

“I was working for University of New Orleans Press and noticed that more and more budget cuts are happening state and nationwide and, a lot of times, the arts are what goes first,” Mae said. “So for people in all various art forms, visual, music and film, there's fewer grants and fewer people willing to invest in your project. So we're kind of a do-it-yourself society.” Pennies in Hand will also signify a change of mood from Mae's critically acclaimed debut album, which was written after she returned to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. “I plan on spending a lot more time in the studio, which means I'll be able to be more versatile with instrumentation and musicians. And I think my song style changes a little bit because, on my last album, the songs were all written surrounding Hurricane Katrina, but my life has changed since then and my style has, too,” Mae said.

Local fans can get a preview of the new album when Kelcy Mae performs live Saturday night at Bear's. While there, a computer will be set up where fans can stop by, log on to Mae's Kickstarter website and make a pledge toward her album.

As she reflects on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the storm that brought her back to Shreveport for four months, she thinks about how it changed the course of her career. “I remember how, prior to the storm, I had the ball rolling down here in terms of my band and the shows we were playing were in better venues. We were getting more attention and then Katrina happened and the band was spread out everywhere, and I was away from all of my friends, Mae said. However, she said she's grateful for the love she received in her hometown. “I came to Shreveport, and I remember how Tipitina's [Music Co-Op] and everybody else was just really kind and generous and really helped me to get some gigs. I had to start over in New Orleans, but my experience in Shreveport was good momentum for me.”

-Donecia Pea, August 27, 2010 Issue

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“I'm refusing to get a full time job.”

Ask Kelcy Wilburn (a.k.a. Kelcy Mae) what she wants to do with her life, and it's obvious-music is where her passion lies. “I know that if I get a full-time job, I won't spend the time and energy that I need to on music and being creative, and that is where I want to be,” Wilburn says. Wilburn (a former OffBeat intern) struggles to make a living solely as an artist. Today's economy, especially in the music industry, has significantly narrowed the traditional outlets, and it is harder than ever to find someone to back a record. But hard times encourage creativity, and if you can't find someone, you find many. Wilburn and a growing number of New Orleans musicians used a grassroots method to fund their recordings: Take it directly to the fans. For her first album, she simply pre-sold copies at her live performances. “I raised about $3,000,” she says. “I did it at shows, got people to sign up and pay certain amounts, then they got stuff whenever the album came out.”

After graduating from the masters program in creative writing at University of New Orleans, she decided to take the leap from part time to full time with her music, using a new outlet to reach a wider audience for her sophomore effort. “I didn't use the Internet [last time], so it had to be local. I went with Kickstarter.com this time so I could reach more people.” Kickstarter.com is a digital marketplace of ideas and concepts for those looking to fund a project of their own or those looking to fund other creative ideas. Started by one-time New Orleanian Perry Chen, Charles Adler and Yancey Strickler almost 16 months ago, Kickstarter has brought the concept of fan-funded projects to the widest audience yet. New Orleanians are not new to concept. Threadhead Records, a fan-based record label, has been around since 2007. Threadhead uses donations from fans to loan money to artists to record an album. A small portion of the loan goes to a charitable organization and to Threadhead's overhead costs, the rest is given back to the contributors once the album is released to the public. Paul Sanchez, Alex McMurray, Margie Perez and Honey Island Swamp Band are among the many artists that have recorded though Threadhead. This isn't only a New Orleans phenomenon, either. Singer/songwriter Jill Sobule (of the '90s hit “I Kissed a Girl” fame) also did something similar; she raised money from fans in 2009 to record California Years, and started her own record label based on the same concept, Pinko Records.

Kickstarter differs in its concept. Fans only pledge certain amounts; they are not charged upfront. An artist decides on a goal and has a certain amount of time to raise it (no longer than 90 days), and if the money is raised, then the backers' credit cards are charged. If not, the project goes dead. In its best cases, it allows the artist to build a deeper relationship with his or her fan base, working directly with them to get the project off the ground. It is only natural that an idea like Kickstarter would have its roots in a city like New Orleans, made up of hundreds of artists all trying to live creatively. Chen was living in the French Quarter when he first began kicking around the idea. “I wanted to throw a nighttime show at the Contemporary Arts Center during Jazz Fest, (but) it was going to be a lot of upfront money, and I couldn't stomach the risk,” he says.

That lost opportunity stuck with Chen for years, and he thought of the idea to pre-sell tickets to the show. “If you could get people to commit that they would attend, pre-selling conditionally, then I could use those funds to pay the initial expenses.” The site builds in incentives for backers, so artists must think of rewards for different levels of money pledged. But, Chen stresses, it must be well thought out and worthwhile. “Make an effort; people will appreciate it. Have a private show you'll play for them, not just '$25, you get a button, $100 you get a T-shirt.'”Earl Scioneaux III (a.k.a. The Madd Wikkid), musician and sound engineer for Preservation Hall, used the site to pursue a side passion of his: Mixing electronica and more traditional New Orleans music into a blend of new sounds. Scioneaux and Chen were roommates in the Quarter when the concept of Kickstarter first developed, and Scioneaux was one of the first people to use the site.

“In 2001, I got booked to play this Mardi Gras rave and I was mixing in clips of Mardi Gras tunes, and I had this idea to make a record with that sort of vibe,” Scioneaux says. “I quickly realized it would cost more money and had to back-burner it for a while.” In April 2009, Scioneaux created his Kickstarter project profile and named the album Electronola. In 60 days, he raised $4,100 with his goal set at $4,000. Today, the album is available digitally at Scioneaux's Bandcamp page, and he is working on physical copies. Scioneaux's rewards included a music theory lesson for those who donated $35 or more and gumbo dinner and pre-listening party for people who donated $50 or more. Countless New Orleans musicians are using Kickstarter today. Singer/songwriter Kristin Diable raised $15,083 and cellist Helen Gillet raised $2,179, each for new albums. Dirty Bourbon River Show raised $3,067 for touring costs. For artists like Wilburn and Scioneaux in a local setting with a limited fan base, Kickstarter provides the platform to go national. “Initially it was friends and family, the people I had the quickest access to reach out to,” Scioneaux says. “But then I contacted music blogs and started pushing it whichever direction I could. By the end of it I'd say less than half were people I knew.” The easiest way to explain the concept is using the album example, but Kickstarter helps fund more than just music. From documentaries to photographs, books to art, anyone with a creative idea can submit an application, and as long as it meets Kickstarter's few requirements, the project can go live on the site.

Local cameraman and documentary filmmaker John Richie used Kickstarter to push his film, Murder Through the Eyes of a Child, into its final stages. An emotional look at the teenagers in the middle of New Orleans street violence, the film began when Richie met students involved in the Fountain of Youth program and heard their stories. “As I started talking to them, not only had all of them witnessed murders, but they all were desensitized to it,” Richie says. “I have lived here for 10 years, and I was aware of the statistics, but I never really thought about what they meant. I don't think most people do.” Richie set out to record the real-life experiences of the kids he met by having them use the equipment and record themselves opening up to one another about the violence they had witnessed. “We used the Kickstarter money mostly for post-production, organizing the footage by buying hard drives and supplies for cataloging. We have 16 terabytes of footage. Just a 4-terabyte drive costs $1,200.” Documentaries are one of those projects that many times don't get made or take years to get made because they cost so much throughout the process and they sometimes lack a tangible outcome. Richie, who needed and raised $7,000 in 90 days, also acknowledged their lack of return. “It's hard to get people to invest in documentaries because they don't make money. A lot comes out of your own pocket, and a lot of times you get to a point when you have no funds and you have to stop until you get more.” For Chen, that is where Kickstarter steps in: “We want to help things that may not have found funding before and things that aren't about making money-that could never make money.”

Other local projects that have been funded include “Where They At”, a multi-media archive of bounce artists from New Orleans that included a showcase at South by Southwest in Austin, and a photography project of New Orleans cemeteries. The artists behind the New Orleans Treehouse-a group of installation projects in and around trees that people can walk around in and experience personally-are using Kickstarter to build a second exhibition after the first was shut down. To Scioneaux, funding these creative projects is not about a physical product or outcome. “To me, in the end it's about people attaching themselves to cool stories.” Platforms like Kickstarter are offering artists a way to put their ideas into action and let people be a part of them if they choose. Despite a massive economic downturn and the continuing collapse of the traditional record industry, it seems that creativity is exploding. A quick look at the number of Kickstarter projects-most of which get funded-shows people's willingness to promote the arts.

For Wilburn, having the money to record means the beginning of a new career and a chance to pursue a passion. “It's been three years since I recorded last, and this is going to be a stepping stone for the future.”

-Lauren Noel, November 2010 Issue

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Once you decide on a drink (or drinks), Clever invites you to stay and listen to the many local bands that play every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Bands such as The Courtyard Kings and a personal favorite, Kelcy Mae, provide the perfect sounds to compliment any glass…

-Danielle Gilyot, November 3, 2010

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One look at this native's MySpace page will confirm what you can hear in her voice on this, her debut CD: she appreciates the obliquely cutting poesy of Tori Amos, the deathly conversational phrasing Joni Mitchell is famous for, and the obsessively confessional tone of Fiona Apple (not to mention her love for moody, pillowy jazz piano chords). But vocally, she's a dead ringer for Natalie Merchant, who isn't listed. So you certainly can't accuse Kelcy Mae of bad taste on these 10 thoughtful originals, and you can't accuse her of dilettantism. She sounds like she came by all these influences naturally. It's only experience she lacks; she hasn't found a way to forge these influences into a signature style yet. Too often on The Times Compiled you can hear her gallery of Lilith Fair headliners poking their individual heads out for just a brief moment, a phrase or two, to announce themselves.

Make no mistake: this is an impressive debut, well-crafted and professional. And Mae's lyrical noodlings, unlike a lot of works in this genre, occasionally strike gold, or at least move her past the poses. ("You leave your notebook locked away / Like a Daniel in your den / But can your words tame lions?") But tellingly, it's when she drops the mask and steps out to make a universal emotional statement that the elements all come together, such as "Dear Baton Rouge (The River Jordan)," in which she asks the Mississippi for some mythic healing, or the near-jaunty "Swingin' Low Without a Chariot": "You don't believe in everything you hear / So why should I be any different?"

-Rob Fontenot, January 2008 Issue

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Singer/songwriter Kelcy Mae makes an unforgettable entrance with her debut album, The Times Compiled. Her pure yet eclectic voice hugs genuine, personal lyrics, creating a sweet and honest tribute to her beloved hometown of New Orleans. Having been spared any personal loss in the storm, Kelcy Mae offers a unique perspective on life Post-K as someone who is just as heartbroken and confused as those that did experience loss. Astutely crafted lyrics complement the album's indie folk-rock style. The song "In the Underlining" expresses poignant melancholy, as evidenced by a sample lyric: "It's always in the underlining; it's never in the silver lining." "Lullaby-bye" is certainly the most memorable song on the album, reminiscent of a young Sandy Posey. "Bait" has an Irish folk slant, while "This Town" incorporates a jazzy trumpet, which rounds out this well-produced, solid first album. Great things are right around the corner for this budding local artist.

–Katie Tape, Volume 9 Issue 9

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As a child growing up in Shreveport, the Red River Revel was big in Kelcy Mae’s eyes. Crowds of people, an array of activities, endless food booths and the steady stream of music blaring from multiple stages captivated her. The Revel was more than making a sand sculpture, eating a funnel cake and going home -- it was experiencing community.

Years later and all grown up, Mae will return to the Revel, but this time her eyes will take in the festival from a different perspective -- the stage. Set to perform Saturday on the Chase Stage, Mae is excited about the experience.

“I went to the Revel every year as a kid. Playing there is kind of an awesome feeling,” said Mae, a 2001 Byrd High graduate.

“It’s somewhat intimidating, but I’m really excited about it. I love playing music. I feel comfortable on stage, and I like people seeing what I do.”

The New Orleans-based musician evacuated to her hometown following Hurricane Katrina and found the music scene in Shreveport more inviting than she imagined.

“Shreveport is more welcoming to my style of music than New Orleans. I think the music scene (in Shreveport) is on the rise because of all the things they are doing for artists.” During her temporary stay in Shreveport, Mae performed hurricane benefit concerts at 516 Soundstage and Sully’s. Mae has since returned to New Orleans, but finds the music scene much different than when she left.

“It feels great to be in a city that I love so much, but it’s also somewhat painful to see the distress some people are still going through. But so many good things are happening as well.”

As Mae woos the Revel audience with her melodic folk/rock and graceful voice, she hopes to snag the attention of some new unsuspecting fans.

“The biggest benefit of the show is the amount of people that are going to be there, that are randomly going to hear my music, who haven’t heard it before,” Mae said. “It doesn’t matter if I’m playing at a bar or a festival. Just playing for people is good enough for me.”

-Stephanie Netherton, October 13, 2006

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Kelcy makes perfect pastoral pop music. Her music is resonant in the way Sandy Denny and early 10,000 Maniacs were, and Erin McKeown and Josh Ritter are today.

–George Howard, former president of Rykodisc Records, Spring 2005

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An intelligent combination of insightful lyrical angst and catchy melodies, singer/songwriter Kelcy Mae captivates audiences while leaving them enchanted by her smooth poeticism and beguiling charm. With a distinct talent for writing lyrics, Kelcy Mae stands apart from the redundancy that plagues the soft alternative rock community. Her songs provide comfort and emotional reassurance in an honest yet unthreatening way. Lines like, “It’s the nuclear family that never was okay…it’s a pill a day to keep all emotion at bay,” and “I can’t imagine what it’s like to bleed anymore, it’s the love and it’s the hate, the trust, the lack of faith that keeps you guessing,” exemplify Kelcy’s lyrical eloquence and ability to clearly and creatively express herself.

Backed by Eric Klerks on bass, Ryan Olivier on piano, Ingo Deul on drums, and Beth Halel on cello, the group fills the room with a uniquely rich and relaxing sound. Traces of the Counting Crows, Tori Amos, and Jewel (before she sold out) can be heard in her music.

Raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Kelcy Mae, whose real name is Kelcy Wilburn, began playing piano at the age of six, trumpet at age ten, and guitar and bass guitar at age fourteen. She entered Loyola University New Orleans in 2001 as a Music Business major, but decided to change her concentration to English. By combining her talent for writing with her love for music, Kelcy is able to offer audiences something new and uplifting.

-Erica Landau, Spring 2005

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Kelcy Mae: Girl with a Guitar is a Strong Example of Local Female Talent

“It’s the nuclear family that never was okay, it’s the sick dissection of each goddamn religion.” Ladies, Kelcy Mae is just what we need. This young singer/songwriter has just recorded her first full album, Strange Confidence, which is filled with powerful lyrics that we can all identify with.

She started out as a solo guitar act and filled out her sound by adding drums, bass, cello, and piano. This combination of instruments is perfect for Kelcy’s variation of material. Each song has a unique sound. The piano brings out melodies while the cello adds a soothing aspect. The drums contribute to the distinct rhythm of each song. For example, Carnivale has a touch of a Latin beat.

I like to think of Kelcy as a Trojan horse. Her music’s catchy and soft exterior masks her sometimes harsh lyrics. Her voice is angelic, but her message is poignant. For example, “Revolution Song” is an upbeat, tap-your-feet and smile kind of song. The lyrics begin, “Don’t you love those Sunday afternoons when we sit out at the Fly.” But it continues, “we talk about the politics and the men who love to lie.” Since her music is so melodic, it has the potential to appeal to every demographic. It is very easy on the ears. But unlike most pop music, her lyrics are intelligent. Her songs run the gamut from friendships and breakups to saving the world.

-Michaela Bono, May 2005

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Kelcy Mae, the New Orleans-based alternative/indie folk artist is a Shreveport favorite having lived here and performed regularly for several months in the wake of Katrina. [She is] a singer/songwriter of unique sensitivity with originals such as “Swinging Low Without a Chariot,” “A Select Few,” and “Strange Confidence.”

–The Forum, October 11, 2006

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Kelcy Mae has been featured as one of Keith Spera’s “Top Picks” in New Orleans’s Times Picayune numerous times since 2006.

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• WWOZ 90.7FM - New Orleans, LA
• WTUL 91.5FM - New Orleans, LA
• WWWL 1350AM - New Orleans, LA
• WEFT 90.1FM - Champaign, IL
• WFPK 91.9FM - Louisville, KY
• KOPN 89.5FM - Columbia, MO

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Kelcy Mae's albums have aired internationally as well as across the United States. Pennies in Hand has appeared on nationally syndicated programs, local and community stations from Washington state to Virginia and New Orleans up to Canada. Kelcy Mae's music can also be heard via streaming online radio shows and through websites/applications such as Pandora and Spotify.

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