NANCY APPLE IS AS COUNTRY AS CASH,
AS ROCKIN' AS CARL,
AND BYGOD AS BOLD AS ELVIS!
-- NightFlying Magazine, Little Rock, Arkansas

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Hey - did you happen to see me and Jay on the cover of the
Commercial Appeal over Labor Day Weekend, 2003?

Here we are at the Music and Heritage Festival.

Backed by Jay Harrington, singer-songwriter Nancy Apple dashes country spice
at the Memphis Music & Heritage Festival.

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THE FOLLOWING ARE REVIEWS FROM THE LATEST NANCY APPLE RELEASE,
SHOULDA LIED ABOUT THAT.

(older reviews from previous albums will be posted soon,
please come back!)
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SANTA MONICA MIRROR, December, 2003
Like Bay Area honky tonker Jill Olson, Nashville-based Nancy Apple has a knack for tag-teaming London pop and Southern twang. The title track of Shoulda Lied About That shows Apple can put over sass as well as regret. When she sings the words “shoulda lied about that,” there’s a weary undertone of wishing she could undo what she did. And when she sweetly intones “Hey hey” before launching into the endearing “This Time Around,” you can’t help but like having someone like Apple tug on your sleeve. -- Tony Peyser
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Country Standard Time, December 2003
Memphis, Tenn. has been overshadowed as a center of roots music by its sister city to the East. That may be about to change, thanks to Nancy Apple, who has been a local sensation for several years and may be about to go national with this, her third album. Apple is a witty urban cowgirl with an irresistible twang. And she's easily as versatile as a Swiss army knife. She can go sentimental ("Mama's Stories) or set the room spinning with one of the best hangover songs ever ("Fruit of the Vine".) "My Boyfriend" is a redneck love poem ("He's got all of his teeth, for which I'm proud/I can hold my head up high in a crowd.") The autobiographical "Queen of Country" is a love song as well, extolling the joys of honky-tonk singing and attaining small-time fame. She even channels Carlos Castenada on "Angel Fire" albeit through her own down-home sensibilities. By the way, Ringo Records is named not for the Beatle drummer but for the Japanese word for apple, so this CD is educational as well as entertaining. And that's the truth. (3992 Hawkins Mill Road, Memphis, TN 38128, 901-213-9726) - Robert Loy
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Review from RikksReviews.com - October 31, 2003
Country music for the common man. Nancy Apple not only mixes between country and folk music, she does it with an alternative flair kicking country standards clean out of the studio, and rewriting the way a country song is written. Her southern drawl and attitude combine to make a modern country CD with sass, and stance that amalgamate an against the grain style with true country subject matter. From drinking too much on a night out, to heartbreak songs that can ring true, tickle the soul, and make you sit still with disbelief at the lyrical wonder and astonishment as Nancy Apple breaks more than one classic country standard along the way. The way the songs are constructed, they leave gender classification in the rear seat as her songs can easily translate into the male vernacular as easily as the feminine side. Hailing from Memphis, Tennessee, Nancy Apple draws on all of the music currently being put forth from the area, while turning her back on the "Nashville" sound at the same time. With the hokey twang, a good as it gets attitude, along with country and blues shaken together with rockabilly heart. The simple classification would be country, but this ain't Martina McBride or Faith Hill, this is pure Nancy Apple with an Outlaw feel in the female subculture. Fans of alt-country will eat this up, where fans of pure country should also serve up a helping of I Should Have Lied About That to discover a new direction in the vein of Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams. A treat to the ears as she marches her way through the classic country subjects with a new found grit and feel. Singing of her perfect mate "My Boyfriend", extreme drunkenness "Fruit Of The Vine", and of course the country standard song for mama "Mama's Stories". Give this a spin, and wait for it to catch you, because it is sure to do so, then you are hooked. (5 Stars out of 6) -- Rikk Matheson
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Honky Tonk Heros - Steve Terrell, Santa Fe, New Mexico - October 2003
I loved Nancy Apple’s music even before she came on my radio show, played some songs and helped out with the recent KSFR fund-raiser. (She’s a veteran of public radio herself, with a weekly show on her hometown station WEVL in Memphis .) This album, produced by her neighbor Keith Sykes, is full of fine tunes spotlighting Apple’s Tennessee twang, which just drips with personality. My favorites here are “Fruit of the Vine,” which is just a good, old, country drinking song; “Queen of Country,” which is about Susie Salley, one of her Memphis musician friends; and “Angel Fire,” a Castaneda-like fantasy about a trip to New Mexico.
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Memphis Flyer Record Roundup - August 2003
Longtime local fixture Nancy Apple's fizzy, twangy voice and classically crafted songwriting is reminiscent of another roots-music goddess, New York-via-Nashville's Amy Rigby: like Rigby, Apple's vocals are probably a little too idiosyncratic and unshowy for current mainstream country convention, but her songwriting demands attention. "Queen of Country," one of the highlights of Apple's new Shoulda Lied About That (Ringo Records; Grade: B+), slyly acknowledges this life on the fringes. And the song's setting -- "At the edge of town there's a run-down bar where all the locals go/You pay $3 for the cover/See everyone you know" -- has to be Kudzu's, where Apple and company, including co-producer Keith Sykes and singer Reba Russell, held a record-release party last week, and where Apple plays frequently. The song embraces barroom bonhomie over Nashville careerism without a shred of spite or regret. Shoulda Lied About That follows up Apple's strong Outside the Lines with an equally varied and vibrant batch of songs, ranging from the homey "Mama's Stories" to the good-timin' honky-tonk of "Fruit of the Vine." The title track, an affecting, truthful break-up song, is a highlight. Another favorite is "The Kind To Break a Heart" --you've got to love a country/folk song that references rapper Tone Loc. (The song opens: "I caught you dancing to 'Funky Cold Medina' at the 'She Just Left You' lounge.") But despite Apple's considerable songwriting talent, she also takes the opportunity to showcase the work of a few local colleagues. She does former bandmate Lamar Sorrento's "Same Old Thing" and has great fun with frequent collaborator Sykes' horny, double-entendre-laden "Cookin' Good," which sings the praises of "breakfast in bed." She also unearths Sid Selvidge's 1974 copyright "The Outlaw" and polishes it up with some freight-train acoustic guitar and a bit of yodeling from Selvidge himself. - Chris Herrington
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THIRD COAST MUSIC, San Antonio, TX - August 2003
Considering its role in American roots music, you don't hear much about Memphis any more, apart from people bitching about the lily-white Disneyfication of Beale Street. In fact, if it wasn't for the tireless activism of Nancy Apple (in the interest of full disclosure, with a roots show on WEVL, she's a FAR reporter), I. for one, wouldn't know for sure there was any music, apart from watered-down blues, still being played there. However, if its glory days as the home of Sun, Stax and Dewey Phillips are in the past, Memphis, of course, like any major city, does support a roots scene, in which the local press has dubbed Apple the reigning "Queen of Country Music." This is also the title of one of ten originals) of which "Fruit of the Vine" is offered in two versions) on her third album, in which she aligns herself with "all the Susie Salley's of the world" to whom the song is dedicated, when she sings "She could care less about Nashville, Tennessee." This time around, Apple's sound is less hillbilly and more Americana, indeed on one track she sounds like a female Fred Eaglesmith (Lamar Sorrento's "Same Old Thing") and on another like Mary Gauthier ("Have Mercy"). Mostly, however, she sounds like Nancy Apple whose down to earth urban cowgirl wit, most obvious on the "Redneck Luv Poem" "My Boyfriend" ("He's got all of his teeth and I'm so proud"), and sensibilities, which shine on "Mama's Stories" and the title track, have endeared her to a small but growing audience outside of Memphis, to which this album can only add. - John Conquest
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Country2.com (Spanish Review)
Aunque ya llevaba editados High On The Hog y Tijuana Tapes, conocimos el trabajo anterior de Nancy allá por el 2000, el estupendo Outside The Lines, donde encaraba desde honky tonks clásicos como You're The Reason hasta una canción country en japonés -Shiri shiri naka naka jyoto ne- y ahora, la llamada Queen of Country in Memphis o Queen of Twang nos hace llegar este Shoulda Lied About That, con 14 temas que demuestran su buena mano en la composición y también su buen oído llegado el momento de seleccionar material de otros, por ejemplo, el johnnycashiano The Outlaw de Sid Selvidge. La multifacética Nancy -guitarrista, baterista, productora, actriz y mujer de radio- sabe muy bien cómo armar un buen cd y si quieren comprobarlo, dénle un mordisco a esta manzana. -- por Raúl Tejeiro
TRANSLATION
Although already it carried published High On The Hog and Tijuana Cover, we knew the previous work of Nancy there by the 2000, the stupendous one Outside The Lines, where faced from honky tonks classical as You' re The Reason to a song country in Japanese -Shiri shiri naka naka jyoto ne- and now, the call Queen of Country in Memphis or Queen of Twang causes arrives this Shoulda Lied About That, withFear that they show its good hand in the composition and also its good ear arrived the moment to select material of other, for example, the johnnycashiano The Outlaw of Sid Selvidge. The multifaceted one Nancy -guitarist, baterista , producing, actress and woman of radio- knows very well how to arm a good cd and if want to verify it, give him a mordisco to this apple. -- Raúl Tejeiro
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Dutch Magazine Review - November 2003
“Shoulda Lied About That” is de tweede solo-cd van de uit Memphis afkomstige “Princess of Twang” Nancy Apple. Dat album klinkt in vergelijking met z’n voorganger “Outside The Lines” heel wat minder rockabilly-getint. Het moet het integendeel meer hebben van zijn cheating (country) songs en zijn lekkere twangy rootspopbijdragen. Je zou Apple ditmaal kunnen situeren ergens op weg van Libbi Bosworth naar de jonge Rosie Flores toe. En je mag van ons aannemen, dat er op dat traject heel wat te beleven valt. Alles op deze klasse plaat klopt gewoon! Schitterende rootspopdeunen als opener “This Time Around”, het relaxte “Mama’s Stories” of titelnummer “Shoulda Lied About That” worden afgewisseld met mooie countrymomenten als de zeer mooie, beheerste story song “Angel Fire” of het z’n titel helemaal waarmakende “Queen Of Country”. Dé momenten van de plaat zijn voor ons evenwel “The Outlaw”, “Hard Luck ‘n’ Old Dogs” en “Fruit Of The Vine”. In het eerste nummer van dat rijtje stoomt Apple als een vrouwelijke uitvoering van Johnny Cash doorheen een heerlijke countryriedel compleet inclusief een heuse yodel. In het tweede (een werkelijk briljante story song) steekt ze ongegeneerd Waylon Jennings naar de kroon. En het derde is prachtige tongue-in-cheek-country, geschreven daags na een lichtjes uit de hand gelopen verjaardagsfeestje en dat hoor je eraan ook. Het ziet er dus naar uit, dat niet kunnen weerstaan aan dit appeltje je het paradijs niet zal kosten… Wel integendeel! Er zal zich eerder een paradijselijk ogende nieuwe wereld voor je openen. Eentje waarin country weer als vanouds lekker spannend blijkt. En da’s een aantrekkelijke gedachte, niet?
TRANSLATION
"Shoulda Lied About That" is second solo-cd of the "Princess or Twang" originating from Memphis, Nancy Apple. That album sounds in comparison with its predecessor "Outside The Lines" a lot less rockabilly-getint. It must being it on the contrary more has of its cheating (country) songs and nice twangy rootspopbijdragen. Apple this time you are able situate somewhere on gone of Libbi Bosworth to the young Rosie Flores. And you can of our adopt that there on that route can it live a lot. Everything on this class plate are correct simply! Superb rootspopdeunen such as opener "This Time Around", the relaxte "mummies Stories" or title number "Shoulda song About That" are varied with beautiful countrymomenten such as the very beautiful, mastered story song "sting Fire" or it his title entirely proving "Queen or country". Dé moments of the plate are for our however "The Outlaw", "hard Luck ` n ' Old dogs" and "fruit or The Vine". In the first number of that row Apple steam as a female implementation of Johnny cash doorheen delicious countryriedel completely including heuse yodel. In the Second (really brilliant story song) she puts unashamed Waylon Jennings to the crown. And the third is splendid tongue-in-cheek-country, written daags after lichtjes gotten out of hand anniversary party and that hear you also. It sees therefore to that cannot resist the paradise to this appeltje you will not cost... However, on the contrary! Rather a paradijselijk looking new world for you will open himself. One in which country as vanouds nice stretching proves to be. And that's an attractive idea, isn't it?
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Miles of Music
Lighthearted and twangy as heck, Nancy Apple (aka The Cadillac Cowgirl) presents a collection of good-natured country that's charming and fun. Like a timeless honky-tonk act whose true era seems intangible, yet anchored to the present here and there with contemporary pop flourishes, Apple and company lay down an honest and live sound. The classic ballad "Queen Of Country" tell of the hapless but happy bar singer who plays for tips and smokes. "My Boyfriend" takes its lyrical cues from a "Redneck Luv Poem" that found its way to Miss Apple and exposes the good humor that runs through Shoulda Lied About That.
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Village Record Guide
There's some real words of wisdom in that album title. Nancy returns with fourteen more songs to add to herimpressive repertoire. On this album she moves a couple of degrees away from her rockabilly sound and replaces itwith a new jangly guitar kind of sound. No problem -- here we like anything from this gal. Her songs are fresh, rockin'and almost always right on the mark. The album is produced by Keith Sykes who also guests. She's been bubblingunder for the last few years, but it looks like the lid is about to be blown off with this new album. Grab it now beforeeveryone scarfs them up and you have to wait for a second pressing.
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German Record Guide
14 tracks Super Album des Memphis Cadillac Cowgirls. Der Sound, eine Mischung aus Honky Tonk, Rockabilly, Twang und Pop bis zu gradlinigem Country. Die CD erschienen auf Ihrem eigenen kleinen Independent Label. Produktion, Songwriting, Artwork und Marketing- Nancy Apple. Kaufen!/ Great album of the Memphis Cadillac Cowgirl.A mixture of Honky Tonk, Rockabilly,Twang,Pop and Country and she released it on her own label. Production, songwriting, artwork and marketing by her which means buy now.
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Review from the Memphis Commercial Appeal July 26, 2003 - 3 1/2 stars
Nancy Apple is a Memphis treasure.
The self-professed Cadillac Cowgirl is more than a queen of twang; she's her own cottage industry, a true independent light in town, juggling everything from penning and producing her material to staging a longtime songwriters show to doing CD art and graphic design to maintaining her own label, Ringo Records (which is named after not that Beatles guy but the Japanese word for "apple"). Yet Apple in her most natural element is a performer, one who lends both humor and poignancy to just about all she plays and sings. Her last album, 2001's wonderful "Outside the Lines," gave her country persona a wicked rockabilly edge. On "Shoulda Lied About That," Apple and co-producer Keith Sykes play up the pop sensibilities that also reside in her novel honky-tonk world. She rolls out The Kind to Break a Heart like a female Buddy Holly while her voice sounds like a pillow of cotton candy on My Boyfriend, a popular live staple that makes the studio transition with comic timing joyously intact. And Have Mercy, the disc's giddy rhythm and blues-flavored highlight co-written with blues pro Sandy Carroll, demands to be covered. Not afraid of shaking things up, Apple turns heads most on a cover of Lamar Sorrento's Same Old Thing, played as a cabaret-meets-surf slice of exotica. Also, look for a yodeling cameo by Sid Selvidge on his number The Outlaw. Making this Apple sound ever so polished is lead guitarist Jay Harrington, whose tasty solos help shape nearly every tune. Nancy Apple has a CD release party at 9 tonight at Kudzu's, 603 Monroe. Expect some CD guests to show up, including Sykes, Russell and Bob Salley, plus such "ringo-esque" touches as apple drink specials and bobbing for apples.  - Bill Ellis

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