Margaret Belton's Tribute to Patsy Cline
San Francisco, CA | Established. Jan 01, 2010
Music
Press
"From her shy, slightly sad, smile to her down-home warmth, Belton charms the audience before she even begins to sing. And when she does, she caresses with her warm vocal tones, bending notes and delivery of emotion-packed numbers, just as the real Cline once did." - Sally Hogarty ~Mercury News
"Portraying Cline, Margaret Belton creates a significant part of the success of the show by not merely attempting to do a cold impersonation of Cline's distinctive voice. Instead, Belton uses her own voice, striking precisely the right vocal balance, capturing those sweet contralto notes but assertively sultry tone that enlivened Cline's songs. From the rousing opening number, " Belton brings both a powerful voice and presence to the stage." - NOLA.com - NOLA.com
"Margaret Belton. Chanteuse extraordinaire and a radiant soul with a smile that lights up the stage and makes us all feel alright. A warm contralto voice that soars from a powerful growl to sultry to sweet, and the most lovely stage presence—well, there’s just no one like her in all the world." - Kathryne Cassis
"The first female solo artist inducted (posthumously) to the Country Music Hall of Fame, it's no small task for anyone to take on Cline’s oeuvre. Fortunately, a modern-day singer,Margaret Belton, is up to the task. Graced with a warm, powerful and supple voice as well as riveting stage presence, Belton is not only reviving Patsy Cline's musical legacy, she's making it her own. On Mother's Day Weekend, Belton and an all-star band of Bay Area musicians romped through 18 Cline favorites in the tribute, "Today, Tomorrow & Forever." Leading off with a faithful rendition of "Sweet Dreams," honoring the mothers in the audience with "Back in Baby's Arms," and romping through "Lovesick Blues," Belton faithfully revived the spirit of Cline. The night was simply golden: a fitting and glorious celebration of Belton's dedication to Cline's legacy thus far and perhaps a hint of what is yet to come." - - Deborah Crooks, No Depression
""THE NIGHT WAS SIMPLY GOLDEN." One of the BEST shows I've seen, ever! (And you know I really like my music community and all the really great singer/songwriters out there! :) And I am hugely fond of many.) Margaret Belton ripped it up singing Patsy Cline. Sublime. Superb. She simply could not have been any better!!! And the band ~ Whoaaa. Margaret, your voice, your singing, your presence.... I'm only sorry I didn't go both nights. I will see you again doing your Patsy tribute. WOW." - Marlene Aron
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
Photos
Bio
Margaret Belton and her band of outstanding Bay Area musicians
pay tribute to the incomparable Patsy Cline, who immortalized songs like
“Crazy,” “I Fall to Pieces,” “She’s Got You,” Sweet Dreams,” and “Walkin’ After
Midnight.” Margaret Belton is that rare artist who fuses her exceptional talent with a genuine warmth that makes audiences feel they’re part of the family. Margaret has played Patsy Cline in ‘Always… Patsy Cline’ at
Alameda’s beloved Altarena Playhouse in the winter of 2014 for which she won
the Theatre Bay Area Award for Best Principal Female Actor in a Musical for her
portrayal of Patsy Cline. She then went
down to New Orleans in the spring of 2015 to play Patsy again at The Stage Door
Canteen then came back to The Altarena for a come back of the play in the
winter to 2015 and then back to New Orleans in the Spring of 2018. The role came natural to her at a young age when she was given an
RCA record player and a case of 45’s. After flipping through the records she
came across Patsy Cline’s 'Walkin' After
Midnight' and that was the beginning of her immense adoration for Cline and her
inspiration and drive to sing. It took a
little time but 20 years later In 2010, Margaret started 'The Patsychords' band. “She knows the woman and her music intimately,
and she knows how to bring her songs to life.”~ The New Orleans Times-Picayune, in
a review of a recent performance, praised Margaret for “striking precisely the
right vocal balance” and bringing “both a powerful voice and presence to the
stage.”
Her
band features Maurice Tani on guitar, David Phillips on pedal steel, Mike
Anderson on bass, Henry Salvia on piano and Ken Owen on drums. Maurice has been
a fixture on the local alt-country scene for more than a decade with his band
77 El Deora. The San Francisco
Chronicle has praised his
“twangy modern country sound” and called his songs “wry yet romantic, tender
but aggressive.” David has worked with such artists as Tom Waits, Peter Rowan,
Charlie Hunter, Johnny Paycheck, and the San Francisco Symphony. He was also
the musical director for 'Always...Patsy Cline' 2015. Mike plays in 77 El
Deora and recently collaborated with Maurice on an excellent acoustic album, Two Stroke. Ken Owen is
known form playing all over the Bay Area with all kinds of amazing bands. He is
known for his co-directed band The Rick Slyter Band, then later became part of
the award winning country-jazz quartet The Ten Gallon Cats that toured with the
folk legend Peter Rowan. Henry has played with the Johnny Nocturne Band, Bo
Diddley, Rickie Lee Jones, and Big Jay McNeeley, and currently plays with
Houston Jones.
Catch this tribute to one of the greatest
country singers of all time, performed by a group of terrific musicians imbued
with the spirit of Patsy Cline!
Band Members
Links
