crystal
Bowersox has made it her
mission to live life and
her music to the
fullest. With a gentle
warmth and wisdom well
beyond her years, the
consummate artist has an
uncompromising vision of
herself and her music
that is refreshing and
rare. “I believe if you
stand for something,
stand your ground; stand
it strong and stand it
proud.” It is this
fortitude and courageous
spirit that resonated
with millions night
after night when the
2010 American Idol
runner up took the
stage. There is a
Bowersox’s new recording
is a finely crafted and
beautifully arranged
tapestry that
illustrates the dynamic
singer’s keen ability to
shape a narrative
poetically and
metaphorically, inviting
listeners into her
world. “I was regularly
obliterated by how
powerfully Crystal can
connect,” says Steve
Berlin. “I can say that
tears and goose bumps
were a fairly everyday
occurrence." All That
For This showcases
originals and co-writes
with the exception of a
lone cover by the 90s
British Pop group, The
Sundays, which was
suggested by Berlin. “My
gut instinct told me it
would be beneficial to
work with Steve and that
I would learn something
and the record would be
all that I wanted,”
explains Crystal.
“Steve brings everything
to the table. He is a
percussive genius. He
thinks of rhythms that
would never come to me
naturally.” Berlin, who
admittedly did not watch
American Idol and who
was not familiar with
Crystal, quickly became
a convert. “I really
didn't know what to
expect from Crystal as
far as songwriting, but
one listen to the demos
and I knew this was no
amateur,” says Berlin.
“She kind of blew me
away with how
intelligent and soulful
her writing was and once
we got into the studio
it was obvious she had
an amazingly deep
connection to the
material."
All That For This
features many first
unions but there is one
in particular that was a
special highlight for
the singer who is
originally from
Northwest Ohio. Jakob
Dylan joins Crystal
Bowersox for a duet on
her hypnotic country
waltz “Stitches.” It was
an experience she calls
‘wonderful.’ “I grew up
a fan of the
Wallflowers,” she says.
“I can remember wearing
my headphones and
walking down the
property line on my moms
farm listening to
Bringing Down The Horse.
What his music did for
me was give me a place
to escape to when times
were tough. Working with
Jakob was a truly a
dream collaboration for
me.” Other highlights
include the lilting,
tender and affirming
title track where
Crystal croons, “All
that I’ve been through
was just a stepping
stone to where I’m going
to…” She angelically
sings about her faith in
destiny and shows us
that sometimes you just
have to follow your
heart and trust that it
will lead you down the
right path. “My entire
life has been
serendipitous. Each
moment has led me to the
next,” she explains.
“There is little to
question as to how I
have gotten to this
place. I have let myself
trust in the universe
and my instincts have
not led me wrong. I am
thankful I have learned
to listen to my heart
the way that I have.”
Bowersox rejoices on the
sweepingly beautiful
“Amen for my Friends,”
speaking to the
blessings of friendship.
She testifies, “I’ve
been down. I’ve been out
and nowhere. I’ve been
on my knees begging for
some kind of peace.
People come- people go
but one thing's for
sure, if I need you
you’ll be there I know.
Amen for my friends!”
All That For This also
includes “Dead Weight,”
featuring Crystal’s rich
and emotive alto ringing
truth with the potent
lyrics, ”If you don’t
know I'll tell you
now…Don’t go beating
dead horses keep steady
your course.. if you're
holding on to dead
weight it's just holding
you down.” Crystal
penned the song “Till
The Whiskey’s Gone” with
a dear friend of her
husband’s, Austin
musician Charlie King.
She brings the heat on
this rocked out anthem,
as only she can. The zen
and funky “Fall Into
Place” opens with an
insatiable guitar riff
and Crystal makes her
declaration for
independence and bares
all on the show stopping
bluesy number “Moving
On.” Throughout Bowersox
raises the bar as a
triple threat adept at
shining as a vocalist,
composer and guitarist.
Steve Berlin adds, “She
was never anything but
amazing. Her time and
feel were unerring and
that's her guitar you
hear on every single
track!” Both Crystal
Bowersox and Steve
Berlin are Portland
based and The City of
Roses provided fertile
ground for their
creative vision to
germinate. With
assistance from
recording engineer
Jeremy Sherrer, the duo
called upon many of the
city’s finest cutting
edge musicians to create
an inspiring band. Some
of the artists include
drummer Scott McPherson
(Beck, Bright Eyes, She
& Him), bassist Dave
Depper (Loch Lomond,
Blue Giant, Mirah),
guitarist Paul Rigby (Neko
Case, A.C. Newman, Jakob
Dylan)
pianist/keyboardist
Asher Fulero (Halo
Refuser, Everyone
Orchestra) and vocalist
and multi
instrumentalist Jans
Ingber (Norah Jones,
Charlie Hunter, Joshua
Redman, Art Neville).
“I’ve met a lot of great
people working on this
record,” states Bowersox.
“From my musical peers
and others in Portland,
I have learned so much
from their attitudes
about life and their
work ethic. It’s easier
going here and that is
something I really
needed to incorporate
into my life.” As early
as eight, Crystal
Bowersox has
recollections of hitting
the karaoke hot spots
with her mom, performing
Patsy Cline hits among
others. She recalls,
“Music was always there
and there wasn’t
anything else I ever
wanted to do.” Although
the spotlight shone on
Crystal when she
appeared on American
Idol, she was already a
seasoned veteran of the
folk circuit before she
was on the show. She
began performing
regularly at ten and by
her teens she was
gigging steadily. In
2004 she relocated to
Chicago where she spent
several years honing her
skills on Chicago’s
North Side, busking at
train stations and
performing at clubs and
bars, as well as
internationally.
2010 was a big year for
Bowersox who placed
second in one of the
nation's biggest
Crystal shares, “I feel
like I’m finally
achieving a sense of
balance in my life and
it's making itself
evident in my new
material. My career is
really still in its
infancy and the
possibilities are
limitless. The silvery
residue from Idol has
faded a bit and now it's
all about what's true
and real in my world.
I'm paying way more
attention to the things
that really matter and
making more of my
decisions based in
kindness and love. My
son has taught me so
much about that, how
strong I can be, even in
my weakest moments.” In
2012, Crystal was
featured on Blues
Traveler's release,
Suzie Cracks the Whip,
where she performed a
lively duet with
Harmonica virtuoso John
Popper on the song "I
Don't Wanna Go." She
also quietly released an
acoustic five song EP
titled Once Upon a Time
with long time friend,
bassist and collaborator
Frankie May. The
material featured
pre-American Idol
recordings. Diagnosed
with Type 1 Diabetes at
age six, Crystal
Bowersox has played an
active role in
advocating awareness and
education for the
disease. “Initially I
did not want to dive
into that role and tell
the world. There were
some issues of shame and
embarrassment. It’s a
lonely disease, you feel
like you’re the only one
who has it sometimes,”
she says. “I want people
to know that they are
not alone and that
people from all walks of
life have to deal with
Type 1 Diabetes. I know
what kids and adults
with this disease are
going through. I want
people to know that it
is important to know how
to care for your body. I
am happy to be a voice.
It brings joy to my
world to be able to help
people.” A busy mom who
delicately juggles
motherhood and a
thriving music career,
Crystal admits that the
challenge is not always
easy. Understanding the
importance of taking
care of oneself and
finding balance, she
manages to find the time
to knit and do yoga,
which she says has
helped with both her
blood sugar and
performances. She also
loves to put her
culinary skills to the
test and has even
thought about putting
together her own
cookbook. She adds, “I
am health conscious and
I do my best to take
care of my body in every
way I can.” She also
believes in taking care
of our planet. “Somehow
this year I plan to wean
our household off fossil
fuel. Not sure how quite
yet but it's something
that's important to me,
and most important for
my son, and all of our
children.” One of the
most admirable
attributes about Crystal
Bowersox is her
down-to-earth,
no-nonsense,
what-you-see
is-what-you-get vibe.
She honestly loves the
exchange with her
audience and is thrilled
to be hitting the road
in support of All That
For This. “There is a
world of difference when
you get to meet people,
look into their eyes,
hear their stories,
share your own and make
a connection. You can’t
beat that.” With a new
CD, national tour and
some high profile acting
ambitions.
in
2013, it look for
crystal to hit the
Broadway Stage as Patsy
Cline in the play
"Always" a musical based
on a true story about
Cline and featuring her
greatest hits. Bowersox
will also release a new
single "Dead Weight",
the first single from
her new CD "All That For
This". The single will
be released on March
26th.
