Roots, Toots n' Hoots Blog

Sellers' aim is true

Jeffrey Remz  |  October 21, 2016

Aubrie Sellers is one of my favorite new acts. That's based on seeing her live last year and her debut, "New City Blues." Fine voice with a sense of ownership, solid songs on her debut and a good variety as well.

Sellers released the disc on her own at the beginning of this year and said she preferred going the indie route. Sellers, whose parents - Lee Ann Womack and Jason Sellers - are both in the music business, indicated she was determined to do it her way. She seemed to eschew the major label idea.

The idea of signing with Sony, Capitol, Big Machine and Warner may not be the be all and end all that it used to be. After all, record sales tend to be dismal anyway, and the artist is in the hole to the label because it advances thousands to the artist to make and promote the record.

So, it was more than a little surprising when I heard that Sellers signed with Warner, which reissued "New City Blues" with a few covers to boot.

While Sellers did sign with the big boys, she did not seem to forget what she said not so many months earlier in a small club in Boston about wanting to do things her way. She is intent on sticking to her guns, which is the way to go. Not all artists can make that claim.

Sellers also ought to be excited about opening up for Miranda Lambert on her tour in 2017. She has been doing a short tour with Tucker Beathard, who doesn't quite seem like the kindred spirit that Lambert is. A lot more exposure on a big time tour is not too bad either.

It's not easy for a new artist to stick to their artistic vision. One suspects that Sellers learned a thing or two from her parents. After all, Womack gained stardom with MCA only to go six years before putting out a new album, "The Way I'm Livin'," and leaving behind the majors for Sugar Hill.

Congrats to Sellers for getting to where she is today. She's not resting on anyone's laurels, but, instead, if staying with her own vision of self. That goes a long way to creating music that is credible and speaks from the heart. She knows of what she sings. Here's hoping Sellers made the right choice with Warner.

No matter what, Sellers has remained true to herself. Her aim is true.