Audra Rodgers is a Taoseño who plays 13 instruments and for the past decade has worked as a solo performer, in numerous bands and as a studio musician. Her album, Audra Rodgers & the Sweethearts-Between You & I, took top honors at the 38th Annual New Mexico Music Awards, winning Best Album of the Year. The album was produced by Audra Rodgers and Greg Thum at Thum’s Studio in El Prado.
The album kicks off with the haunting Ride On, painting a picture of the Taos plains and offering equally haunting vocals. That’s followed by Beautiful Mess, a sleepy waltz. The album is consistent all the way through, giving listeners a glimpse of live on the northern plains with songs like the title track, Between You & I, Better Friends and Walk to the River. Ann then there’s, surprise!, the jazzy You May Be Right. The entire album is built around Rodger’s incredible vocals and instrumentation. The arrangements are solid and the production is kept to a minimum making the entire project very organic.
Audra had left her original music behind while working with other artists until 2022 when she began writing and performing her original music again. Her work with bands as diverse as jazz, country, prog-rock and cover bands deepened her experience and broadened her songwriting abilities. She performs her original music almost exclusively with The Sweethearts and Big Violet.
The Sweethearts are Audra, Bill Anderson and Kenna Tuggle. Together since since 2022, the group blends folk, americana and country with sweeping melodies, beautiful harmonies, and lush instrumentation.
On the flip side of Audra’s musical talents is Big Violet, playing high desert rock and roll. The five piece Americana Rock band also came together in 2022 as a passion project, but playing for crowds is so much more fun, and so, a fun pastime quickly became a working band. Powerhouse vocals, harmonies, rocking guitar, violin, drums, and bass make it a good time.
Big Violet blends rock, country, blues, and Americana to create original music in a high desert style all their own.
Find out more about Audra and her music at https://www.audrarodgersmusic.com/
