Marcella René Simien Makes Memphis Music Work

November 16, 2014 / Marcella Simien / Source

by C hris Shaw | Memphis Flyer | May 15, 2014

When Marcella René Simien first moved to Memphis to go to Memphis College of Art (MCA) and join the local music scene, she had a bit of a leg-up on her contemporaries making noise in basements at house parties. Trained on piano, mandolin, guitar, and drums and well-schooled by her Grammy Award-winning father, Terrance Simien, Marcella quickly left the house-show scene and began playing at clubs like Bar DKDC, the Beauty Shop, and the Mollie Fontaine Lounge. Since then, it's almost impossible to have a week go by without Marcella Simien appearing somewhere in town.She's at the Hi-Tone on Monday. We sat down with Marcella to find out more about what drives this immensely talented Louisiana native, how she's made music her career, and what it was like to sing a song on a Grammy-winning album.

Memphis Flyer Record Review

November 14, 2014 / Marcella Simien / Source

by J.D. Reager | Memphis Flyer | November 13, 2014

There is perhaps no current Memphis musician with more buzz surrounding him or her than Marcella René Simien. The past couple of years have seen Simien evolve from a largely unknown Louisiana transplant/art student playing house shows to a very much in-demand solo act and bandleader about town. Last week, Simien and her band, dubbed Marcella & Her Lovers, unveiled a long-awaited debut EP titled The Bronze Age. And to my ears, anyway, it absolutely delivers.

Marcella featured on GRAMMY award winning Dockside Sessions

January 27, 2014 / Marcella Simien

I am so proud of my father Terrance Simien and his incredible band the Zydeco Experience for winning the GRAMMY in Best Regional Roots Album of the Year (Terrance's second GRAMMY win since 2008). I was so honored to be a part of this recording as a featured vocalist on the track "Ava Magnolia" written by George G. Receli (of Bob Dylan, Keith Richards); with special guest Kenny Wayne Shepard on lead guitar.