The Laura Jean Band is set to perform at Che’s Lounge on Sunday, Feb. 4. They will trade sets with musician Beth Bombara from St. Louis. The band will also be playing at Che’s Lounge on Sunday, March 31.
In her music, Tucson-based artist Laura Kepner-Adney of the Laura Jean Band is influenced by country, Appalachian and rock sounds. She has been recently getting back into writing and recording music and performing live after taking a break during the height of COVID.
As a solo artist, Kepner-Adney performs at venues such as 191 Toole, Loews Ventana Canyon Resort and JoJo’s Restaurant.
The Laura Jean Band features Kepner-Adney on vocals and guitar, Bob Lopez-Hanshaw on bass and vocals, Julius Schlosburg on drums and Clay Koweek on pedal steel and lead guitar. They will be playing newer songs Kepner-Adney has recently written along with music from her former band Laura and the Killed Men.
In December, the Laura Jean Band released the holiday song and video “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas,” which Kepner-Adney recorded at her former bandmate Sam Golden’s studio, Holiday Heart Studio, in St. Louis. The song has a fully-orchestrated sound, which was different from other music she had done in the past.
“You could submit a song for him to record as long as it was about a holiday, and he would record it for free if he picked you,” Kepner-Adney said. “So, I real quick wrote that song and wanted to incorporate elements of 1970s country star sings a pop song.”
The video was shot inside the Monsoon Room inside JoJo’s Restaurant. Her friends, including local Tucson musicians, appeared in the video. “The whole background of the scene was supposed to be people hanging out, having a great time and seeing each other,” Kepner-Adney said. “We didn’t have to direct any of it because people were just doing that. It was Christmastime, so it all had this nice and warm feeling to it.”
Kepner-Adney also recorded four other songs in St. Louis, which she has plans to release in the future. “One of them is Nashville country style, and the other has a little more bluegrass vibe to it,” Kepner-Adney said, “And then, the other two lean more toward rock. One of them is very influenced by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and the other one is more ethereal, atmospheric.”
She has also written a few more songs since then. “I’m in a creative peak right now, which feels really good…” Kepner-Adney said. “I’m just trying to keep that energy moving forward. When you got it, you got it. If you don’t, it’s a real bummer. I’m taking advantage of it.”
Kepner-Adney is originally from Wisconsin, but she was exposed to Appalchian-style music in college. “The old Americana stuff from that region has always spoken to me,” Kepner-Adney said. “I’ve gotten a lot of influence and a lot of just spark from that genre… I really love the haunted sounds of shape-note singing and old gospel from that region, just people making music just to make music. They aren’t making music to make it a side hustle. It’s just music that comes from people who do it because they love it.” Over the years, her music has developed more of a western country sound, with some rock elements.
With the Laura Jean Band, Kepner-Adney is getting a chance to write more music on her own. She used to collaborate with Golden in her former band. “This new version of the band where I’m writing all the stuff is really pushing me to trust myself and to also enjoy the kind of freedom that comes with writing songs on your own,” Kepner-Adney said. “You don’t really need to ask for permission. You’re the one who gets to answer is this good? Is this dumb? Do I like this?”
She said Laura and the Killed Men brought more of an Appalachian sound, especially with their four-part harmonies. Kepner Adney decided to change the name of her band during COVID. It was prompted by feeling the name wasn’t appropriate and by a change in her group’s lineup around 2022.
“The Killed Men wasn’t necessarily a cute thing to celebrate anymore, even if its roots came from haunted Appalachian ideas,” Kepner-Adney said. “And at the same time, two of the band members moved away, so I was rebuilding the band, same songs and new band members, and writing new songs. It seemed like it was time for change.”
With Laura and the Killed Men, Kepner-Adney had a chance to open up for Mavis Staples. The group went on a 12,000-mile tour across the country and visited Alaska. Kepner-Adney said while that time was special in her life, it was also challenging.
“We were all still at a point in our lives where we were okay with sleeping on floors. Touring is really hard if you don’t have representation, and you’re not making enough to get yourself a hotel room every night. It’s tough, and I don’t know if I can ever do that again,” Kepner-Adney said. “I would like to play in more parts of Arizona and maybe New Mexico. Band members have other stuff going on, family, I’ve got my husband and my dog. It’s harder to leave for long periods of time.”
She also performed with the Silver Thread Trio, an all-female group. This group had a chance to sing with Calexico and appeared on an Amos Lee album. Kepner-Adney studied music, but she didn’t start playing out until after she moved to Tucson. She has lived in Tucson for 20 years and played live since around 2007.
“I’m a music school drop-out,” Kepner-Adney said. “I went to Oberlin Conservatory, and I thought I was going to be an opera singer. I realized quickly that that wasn’t the life that I wanted to live. That’s when I really started playing more and enjoying music more was when I got out of that academic rigor.”
Laura Jean Band with Beth Bombara
WHEN: 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 4
WHERE: Che’s Lounge, 350 N. 4th Ave., Tucson
COST: No cover
INFO: laurajeanmusic.com, www.instagram.com/laurajeanband.
www.facebook.com/laurajeanband, www.youtube.com/@laurajeanband
This article appears in Jan 25 – Feb 1, 2024.