Jamie Coon (Singer/Songwriter)
At the American Indian Film Festival award show tonight, in the filled-to-capacity, 1,000-seat Palace of Fine Arts Theater in San Francisco, all eyes and ears are focused on singer Jamie Coon. The audience is captivated by her voice—which is both soulful and angelic—and her original soul-pop tunes. Most in the crowd have that rare feeling that they are listening to a singular voice—and witnessing a true performer. A gifted singer and completely natural on stage, Jamie is connected with the audience, ad-libbing between tunes and interacting with the crowd—which spurs her to dig in, take risks, and reach new musical heights. Not surprisingly, Jamie Coon is regarded by many as one of the freshest-sounding singers to come along in awhile, and is continually reaching larger audiences via films, TV and national awards.
Growing up in Okemah, Oklahoma, Jamie’s parents were huge music fans who listened to everyone from Ronnie Milsap and Elton John to Percy Sledge, Fats Domino and Aretha. In high school, her friends got into alternative rock; Jamie’s hero was Elvis. Still a teen, Jamie dedicated herself to music, writing songs, singing and learning piano and guitar. Older rock, country and soul influenced her and she wrote constantly. Soon, it was obvious that she had found her calling—so she relocated to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams.
Hearing Jamie Coon’s music for the first time, you immediately know that you’re listening to something different. Imagine a touch of Natalie Merchant’s upbeat pop and some Nora Jones’ vibe—mixed in with a nod to all the soul greats—and you get an idea of what she’s about. However, there are other currents running deeper throughout her songs: a Native American raised in Oklahoma, Jamie’s songs have a spiritual, wide-open feeling that flows within. Jamie also incorporates a wide variety of instrumentation and styles, seamlessly fusing stripped-down acoustics, standard pop/rock instrumentation, electronic elements, drum loops, and more. It all works so well because of Jamie’s musical vision, passionate voice and solid soul roots.
In L.A., Jamie has assembled a band of like-minded artists, who push her musically and bring her songs added depth. They include Latin-influenced acoustic guitarist Rafael Barajas and guitarist Eric Sampson: both bring an earthy, soulful vibe. Filling out the rhythm section is veteran bassist Tom Von Doom (formerly with Cycle Sluts from Hell—and also one of the kids on Blood, Sweat and Tears’ first album cover), and drummer/producer Pat Evans. Tom and Pat co-produced Jamie’s first CD, Everything So Far, in late 2005 on the indie label CSW Entertainment. Since then, Jamie and the band have put on well-received shows at the Pig ‘N’ Whistle, Rainbow Room, the Improv, Cat Club, Talking Stick, Knitting Factory and the Lebowski Fest.
Jamie’s music has also been enjoying national exposure. Two of her songs appeared on the soundtrack of the indie comedy Long Term Relationship. Her single, “Breathe” is heavily-featured in Deceit, starring Joe Pantoliano and Jon Abrahams. She recently signed an agreement with Riptide Music, a company placing music in national TV shows and films; her single “Waiting” was featured in an episode of CBS’s Ghost Whisperer, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt. This year, she performed to sold-out audiences at the Smithsonian National Museum of American Indian Summer Music Festival, and the Kennedy Center, both in Washington, DC.
Industry accolades are pouring in, too: Jamie received a nomination for Best Female Artist at the First Annual Southern California Music Awards (’06), and won the 2007 “Best Out of County” from the Orange County Music Awards. She was voted 2007’s “Singer/Songwriter of the Year” by the Payne County Line/Oklahoma Music Awards and was nominated for both “Best New Artist” and “Best Pop Recording” in ’07’s Native American Music Awards. In 2008, she has already won “Female Vocalist of the Year,” and her “Waiting” won “Single of the Year” at the Oklahoma Payne County Music Awards. At the 2008 Native E Music Awards, she won the “Mainstream Song of the Year Winner” for “Waiting” and “Breathe.”
Jamie and her band are currently writing material for her upcoming album, and will continue to tour across the West Coast and nationally. And wherever she ends up, we’re just glad that we’re along for the journey.