Though originally from Waitsfield, Vt., Grace Potter sings with Southern grit and soul.
Best known for the hit “Paris (Ooh la la),” Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are set to woo audiences at their May 4 performance, with music influenced by artists ranging from Tina Turner to The Kinks and Stevie Nicks to Neil Young.
The band formed in 2002 and slowly made their name known through a steady tour schedule, first around Vermont and then throughout the country. This will be the band’s first New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival performance.
Potter and the Nocturnals released their first album “Nothing But the Water” in 2006 to a small but passionate group of fans. A slew of award nominations and an expanding tour schedule helped the band break out of the northeast and gain
national attention.
In 2007, the band released their second album “This I Somewhere.” Songs like “Ain’t No Time,” “Falling or Flying” and “Apologies” graced episodes of TV sitcoms and the band began to appear on national talk shows and on national tours.
The game changed entirely in 2010 with the release of their third studio album “Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.” The album reached No. 5 on the iTunes Top 100 Albums list and the song “Paris (Ooh la la)” was the band’s first Top 40 hit.
Potter also collaborated with Kenny Chesney on the song “You and Tequila” in 2010, which peaked at No. 3 on U.S. charts. Potter is known to cover artistsshe admires in shows. She performed with The Preservation Hall Jazz Band for Louis Armstrong’s “St. James Infirmary Blues” and frequently plays Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” at live shows.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals will release their fourth studio album “The Lion, The Beast, The Beat” June 12, 2012. The band has stated they collaborated with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach on the record.
Catch Grace Potter and The Nocturnals at 3:15 p.m. Friday, May 4 on the Acura Stage at Jazz Fest.
____
Contact Grace Montgomery at [email protected]