The 60s and 70s were a golden age in country for duets. George and Tammy, Loretta and Conway, Dolly and Porter, Waylon and Jessi and though not strictly country but heavily influenced by and influential, Gram and Emmylou, as well as Nancy and Lee, are a few names that have been breaking and mending our hearts for decades through their stunning harmonies. The intertwining of male and female voices is something missing in not just country but music across all genres, and while we may have The War and Treaty keeping the duet country tradition alive, we want and deserve more. Which is where Chaparelle steps in.
Though technically a trio, in their debut album Western Pleasure, Texas-based Zella Day, Jesse Woods and Beau Bedford have taken the countrypolitan sounds of George and Tammy, and thrown in some Gram and Emmylou rock’n’roll, before drenching it in the sexiness of Nancy and Lee. It’s very retro cool and it’s very Austin. We spoke to the lovely Zella and Jesse (Beau was tucked up in bed feeling under the weather) from the comfort of their home in the equally lovely Wimberley, Texas, the day before the album release, or “country Christmas” as Zella put it, and chatted about the album, musical influences, vintage shopping, as well as the possibility of a UK tour, before delving into their ‘First Rodeo’.
“I think country is a precursor to the record that we made,” says Zella on Western Pleasure. “There are country songs throughout the record, but we touch upon different sounds.” Some of these sounds are a bit more rock’n’roll like with ‘Devil’s Music,’ while ‘Baby Jesus’ is a little Beck with a dirty blues riff, there’s also an excellent Whitney Houston cover (I won’t spoil which one), and the ears of a hawk amongst you might have also picked up War’s influence on ‘Inside the Lines.’ “It’s a groover that, you know, kind of falling into that ‘Spill the Wine’ or ‘Low Rider’ vibe,” Jesse says after I note the influence. “Staying in California for so long you can’t escape ‘Low Rider’ being on the radio, it just definitely makes it into your psyche,” adds Zella. This is what the album is brilliant at, bringing together all these different sounds, whether they’re dreamy, groovers, dirty blues and weaving them into country standards to create an effortlessly cool and, quite frankly, sexy album.
But it’s the country duets that are at the heart of the album. Hence why it was unsurprising to learn that one of the reasons why the band started was through Zella and Jesse learning George Jones and Tammy Wynette covers together. They capture the heartbreak-through-harmonies of classic country duets in songs like ‘Bleeding Hearts’ and ‘All Things Considered,’ complete with the cry of the steel guitar. Whereas songs like ‘Heartbreak Holiday’ evokes the blend of Lee Hazlewood’s Western growl with Nancy Sinatra 60’s pop, and ‘Love is Hot’ is more in line with the naughtier lyrics of John Prine and Iris DeMent. Regardless of musical style and song topic, Chaparelle know how to tell both sides of the story. “It seems like there’s one solo artist, it’s either for the boys or for the girls,” notes Jesse on the big gaping duet hole in all music. “That’s kinda like what duet country does, it’s for everybody and really why we started the band.”
Just like their sound, the band’s outfit choices are nothing short of being cool and stylish, with plenty of enviable vintage pieces. “Yeah, Zella’s our stylist,” Jesse points out. “But the boys also have their own swag that they bring,” Zella is quick to add. “It’s been really fun and natural.” The vintage clothes they wear and vintage sounds they create is symbiotic and encapsulates the styles and sounds of Austin. “It’s fun here, Austin is like bursting out at the seams with culture.” If anyone’s curious about vintage shopping in Austin, Zella recommends Pavement, Charm School, Feathers and Garment Modern. There’s no gatekeeping here.
After their sold-out album release show in front of their home crowd at the Scoot Inn, Austin, Chaparelle will soon be off playing across the states, from Napa to Minneapolis to Pittsburgh to Nashville, with dates taking them all the way through to December. Is there hope, and enough time, for a UK tour? “I think with the release of the record, we’re going to learn a lot more about who’s into our music and what parts of the world are listening to the record,” Zella sounds hopeful for an international tour. “That will kind of help inform our next steps but it’s definitely on the bucket list.” So, if you’d like to see Chaparelle play in a town near you, get listening.
For those of you who are fans of any of the aforementioned artists, vintage enthusiasts, and love the mixing of old styles to create something new, then Chaparelle is the new kid in town for you. With the polished sounds of yore and Austin laidback flare, Chaparelle are encouraging the return of duets, and they’re sleeker than ever. Western Pleasure is out now, please enjoy responsibly.
