Victoria Bailey - Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline (2020)

Victoria Bailey has got it figured out; all one needs in life is simply Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline. Grounding her timeless country music palette is her crystalline voice; an inviting warm tone with the occasional flutter that transports you back in time to a classic honky tonk where they’re playing the aforementioned Cline, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton on rotation — all of whom she has carried from the dive bar to the main stage. Bailey brings that same spirit to the 21st century through relatably raw, non-sugarcoated songwriting that may seem unexpected from most contemporary female musicians in the country realm. She shines a relevant light on some of the shadier corners of the genre not typically addressed, such as the hypocrisy that can be found in the outlaw country mindset, all while evoking a fiery, no-holds-barred lyrical approach in the vein of Margo Price. Raised under the rays of the sun in Huntington Beach, CA, the classic country singer-songwriter was surrounded by music in her household from an early age. From her drumming father’s rock ‘n’ roll band practices to her mom playing the narrative-driven songbooks of folk icons like Cat Stevens and James Taylor, Bailey was naturally drawn to music and the art of storytelling. After falling in love with the guitar at the age of 12, she quickly developed an affinity for songwriting in her late teens and garnered the kind of support system every musical child would dream of. Her father was so impressed by her talent that he called on his three musically-inclined best friends to join him in becoming his daughter’s backing band, eventually performing shows around town. It’s no surprise that the places where she fell in love with live country music serve as the backdrop for the album’s first single. On the melancholy anthem “Honky Tonk Woman,” Bailey yearns to become the ideal country crooner who has an evergreen catalog of jukebox standards that can provide the soundtrack for life’s memorable moments, like a first dance. “Honky Tonk Woman” was the first song written for the album, serving as the integral centerpiece by leading Bailey in a musical direction of classic country soundscapes and representing an important part of her story. “Everything in that song is so true to who I am,” she shares. “I feel really connected with singing in these kinds of bars and the community that supports that, so this is my ode to them.” The album’s second planned single, “Skid Row,” takes listeners down the road of a few of the Country legends rooted in California and the history of Bakersfield. On the soulful third single, “Spent My Dime on White Wine,” she leans in for support from an uplifting gospel choir and a bluesy guitar as she traverses the hard road of perseverance in what can be an uphill climb for a career in music. When times get tough, she finds resolute faith and strength in singing for “the two lonely hearts in the crowd.” The single release will be accompanied by a video for the song.