JoDell set to perform at Sunset Beach
BY CHERYL BENTLEY SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF Published: July 12, 2008
Updated:
This chickadee warbles with a country accent.
Growing up in northwestern Pennsylvania, JoDell was nicknamed Chickadee by her family because of her childhood habit of singing all day from the moment she awoke. She still sings the country music her family loved.
These days, however, the Dunedin resident has her own five-piece band and has performed with big name country music artists, including k.d. lang, Charlie Daniels and Sara Evans. "I'll sing anywhere, any time, for anyone who hires me," she said.
That has included performing both original and cover songs at area venues such as the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa and the Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater.
JoDell has enjoyed some international acclaim. A song from her first CD reached the radio Top 10 in Spain, Germany and Norway and was on the charts in Scotland, the Netherlands and New Zealand.
JoDell and her band will appear at the monthly Sunset Beach concert this Thursday, July 17. Hers is one of the few female-led country music bands in the area, she noted.
JoDell plays acoustic guitar and sings. Other members playing at the concert are Jay Harris, keyboard; Fernando Doval, drummer; T-Bone Carter, lead guitar; and Brian Pfister, bass. The band has been together for five years. All but Pfister are original members.
"My band is awesome," JoDell observed. "They make me look good."
JoDell still wears the jeans she wore as a child but has added cowboy hat, boots and big belt buckle to complete the country theme.
Her performances are marked by her close relationship with her fans, JoDell said. "I see them enjoy my music. That's what makes it special."
The lowdown
The free concert by JoDell and her band will be presented 7 - 9 p.m., Thursday, July 17, at Sunset Beach. The waterfront recreation area is at the western end of Gulf Road, in Tarpon Springs. The concerts are sponsored by the group Friends of Music on the Beach. Many concert goers bring chairs, blankets and picnic dinners. Alcohol is not allowed.