Seasoned New Orleans-based songwriter, Kelcy Mae is pleased to announce the debut record, The Place That You Call Home, from her new music project, Ever More Nest. A band with an unmistakable Americana tilt, Ever More Nest pairs Kelcy’s signature poetic lyricism with a musical style that can set you simultaneously on a rural dirt road and a gritty, big-city street.
Produced by acclaimed songwriter and producer, Neilson Hubbard, the album hosts an exceptional cast of Nashville players including multi-instrumentalist, guitar-wizard Will Kimbrough and Grand Ole Opry staff fiddler, Eamon McLoughlin. The rhythm section consisted of Hubbard on drums and bassist Dean Marold. With heart-wringing pedal steel and guitar work, Kenny Hutson rounded out the small, powerhouse group of musicians who gathered in Hubbard’s intimate former personal studio (now Skinny Elephant Recording) in East Nashville with owner Dylan Alldredge at the controls.
Inspiration for the band name “Ever More Nest” came from a line in a poem by Mary Ann Samyn, which Kelcy found striking in its ability to evoke both a nostalgia for and discomfort with place. These ideas are cultivated throughout The Place That You Call Home, from the fallen trees of “North Mississippi” to the infinite stars of “Major Tom” or the streets of New Orleans in “Broken Bones.”
“These songs are an exploration of relationships, and, more specifically, my relationship with place—my place in the world, my place in a relationship, or the place I live,” says Kelcy. “Some feel dark, some light. Some are rural and others feel urban. Hopefully they move people to reflect on where they are in their own lives.”
Shreveport native “Kelcy Mae” Wilburn cut her musical teeth in the way many Bible Belt kids do—singing traditional hymns in church choirs and belting out rock songs amidst the cigarette smoke of friends in cars on the backroads. When a set of braces prematurely ended a short-lived future in trumpet, a teenage Kelcy picked up her brother’s acoustic guitar and began writing songs. Her path to songwriting was forged in the hours after school, alone in her bedroom, surrounded by Beatles posters, wafting incense, and the burgeoning poetry of youth.
In 2001, Kelcy found a home in New Orleans, where she studied English at Loyola University and dabbled at local open mics. After Hurricane Katrina, she sold flooring while working toward her MFA in poetry at the University of New Orleans. The poetry of song was her first love, however, and to her first love she eventually returned, pursuing a life in music with the release of her folk-influenced solo recordPennies in Hand in 2011. The album garnered the budding artist local and regional praise. During the years that followed, Kelcy Mae learned the ropes of touring and the DIY music life.
With her next release, the 2014 double EP Half-Light, Kelcy Mae explored her country-leaning tendencies while staying rooted in a New Orleans-influenced pop-rock approach. No Depression called it “an album that pairs solid, straightforward songwriting with a wide ranging musical style with just enough twang at the heart of it all to appeal to any fan of modern Americana.” AXS.com reported, “In a town famous for jazz music and brass bands, Kelcy Mae is carving her own niche in New Orleans-style Americana…With a voice as delicate as Regina Spektor’s but accented with the occasional twang or growl, Kelcy shines on stage.” Playing regional tours and festivals like the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Gulf Coast Jam, and Milwaukee’s SummerFest then allowed Kelcy to build her audience while fine-tuning her style and finding her voice.
With Ever More Nest, Kelcy Mae shows that her work over the last few years—a music-driven journey of self discovery—has paid off, and with The Place That You Call Home, she displays just how at home she is at the intersection of Americana, Alt-Country, and Rock ‘n Roll. While her unique voice has consistently been a critics’ talking point, Kelcy’s writing has perhaps commanded more attention, garnering her songwriting accolades and critics’ respect. Kelcy’s poeticism is a calling card of her songs, and it’s on full display on The Place That You Call Home.
Recording of Ever More Nest’s The Place That You Call Home commenced on August 21, 2017, immediately following the total eclipse that darkened Nashville for two eery minutes, quite literally aligning the stars over the new project. Cosmically blessed, the album accentuates the best of Kelcy’s emotive, authentic voice, delicate yet driving guitar work, and honest, observational songwriting that poses the universal question: “Just where do I belong?”
Private Album Stream: The Place That You Call Home
Find Ever More Nest on tour:
9/14 – Americana Fest – Nashville, TN
9/17 – The Town Pump – Black Mountain, NC
9/21 – The Evening Muse – Charlotte, NC
9/22 – Mystery Brewing Public House – Hillsborough, NC
9/23 – Baine’s Books & Coffee – Appomottox, VA
9/26 – Rockwood Music Hall – New York, NY
9/29 – Porch Fest – Rhinebeck, NY
10/25 – Ogden After Hours – New Orleans, LA
