Ansley Stewart November Residency at FTE

CRITIC’S PICK: If there was any question about what Atlanta based roots/pop/soul performer Ansley Stewart does, it’s answered by the name of her web page; Ansleystewartsings.com.
 
The veteran vocalist has been involved in music since she can remember, going back to piano lessons in third grade. In middle school her influences were Celine Dion and Mariah Carey which gradually morphed into the less commercial, more roots style of the Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson and even Nirvana. She fronted her first outfit in senior year of college (colorfully named Slang Jangles), which solidified her dedication to singing, then moved back to her Athens hometown and sang regularly while keeping a steady job. Stewart relocated to Atlanta in 2016, making the always challenging transition to a full-time musician as a guest vocalist for the ATL Collective and other acts, while working under her own name. “I love this city,” she writes.

And the city seems to love her back. She has played most major venues here, either as headliner or support, building a following of like-minded roots fans that keep increasing as more experience her commanding voice and determined stage presence.

Stewart has been a visible, vibrant artist around town for years, gradually forming a collective comprised of respected local journeymen that now includes the rhythm section of Darren Stanley (drummer; Col. Bruce, Jimmy Herring) and Robbie Handley (bassist; Lera Lynn, ATL Music Collective Director) who began playing together as far back as college. Add stellar guitarists Nick Johnson (Randall Bramblett Band) and Dave Yoke, two of the city’s finest, for a stunning outfit that can follow Stewart down her diverse paths of music and improvise if needed. They formed “organically” (her word), and are friends when not playing too.
 
Over the years she has opened for some of her idols like Mavis Staples and local icon Gladys Knight (a video of one song from that 2017 Atlanta Botanical Garden show is here). It has taken a while to write enough original material to record a full album (a six song EP was released in 2017), but that’s almost complete and slated for a 2024 release with a tour following.
 
No need to wait though. You can get an advance of her new music in November as Stewart and band are booked for a rare residency at From the Earth Brewery. It stemmed from a great performance there in June of this year, after which she and owner Tim Stevens scheduled the November gigs.
 
Stewart is rightfully stoked for these dates and ready to unleash her powerful pipes weekly, likely with different set lists. This allows her to try out the upcoming material, dig into some crowd-pleasing oldies, and expand her audience performing a higher profile clutch of shows with musicians, and in a venue, she loves. It’s the perfect scene for those unfamiliar with her to get a dose of her talents and for established fans to glimpse Stewart’s next career move. — Hal Horowitz