Today’s
pop world is heavily populated
with manufactured female
stars. There are a myriad
of ways to become a Top
40 siren these days, it
seems—starring in
a reality show or a movie,
chief among them—but
possessing a unique and
natural vocal ability is
often the least of the prerequisites.
Which is why, when a homegrown
singer like Hope Partlow
comes along, the world can’t
help but sit back and notice,
ears wide open to the transcendentally
genuine tones of a major
artist in the making.
Though the phrases “plucked
from obscurity” or
“straight off the
farm” do not do justice
to the richness of Partlow’s
background, it is an inescapable
fact that just two short
years ago, the precociously
talented young singer was
getting up at five a.m.
to pick peas on her family's
farm in the tiny town of
Drummonds, Tennessee, 45
minutes north of Memphis.
Today, that same girl—all
of 16-years-old now—is
putting the finishing touches
on her Virgin Records debut
CD, set for release this
summer.
It was in the simple rural
setting of her family’s
farmstead that Partlow’s
talent first began to bud.
By day, she and her three
siblings worked the land.
"We grow everything—potatoes,
tomatoes, peas," she
says proudly.” But
peas are the worst—you
have to get up so early
in the morning to pick them.”
By night, Partlow pursued
her goal of becoming a singer,
heading down to the Strand
Theater in nearby Millington
to sing country songs while
her Dad played guitar. "The
first time I got onstage,
I was five years old, and
I sang 'Folsom Prison Blues,'"
she says, chuckling at the
memory. "Actually,
I made the train sounds,
and my father sang the song.
People tipped based on how
much they liked you—I
made twenty-five dollars
that night.” Together,
she and her father learned
hundreds of country and
gospel songs, all of which
became part of their live
repertoire over the years.
It didn't take long for
the young girl with the
deep, rich voice to gain
a devoted following. "I
knew I could sing well,"
she says, "and people
were always coming up to
my Dad saying, 'She's unique,
she's different. You need
to try to get some record
company people to hear her.'"
With the help of her aunt,
who is a songwriter in Nashville,
Partlow and her parents
decided to write and record
her first demo. One thing
led to another, and it wasn't
long before Partlow found
herself performing an impromptu
gig in the offices of Virgin
Chairman and CEO Matt Serletic.
By then a seasoned performer,
the singer clinched her
very first record contract—at
the tender age of 14.
Though Partlow spent her
early years singing the
country and gospel songs
that were native to her
Tennessee roots, her musical
tastes now veer more toward
pop and rock. "I love
country music," she
says, "but I feel that
I am at a place in my life
where I can better express
myself through pop music."
The songs on Partlow’s
debut album arose from a
series of intimate and creative
collaborations with a group
of specially-selected songwriters.
Through long talks with
the singer--and an occasional
peek into the contents of
her private diary—the
writers were able to fashion
songs that matched the strength
and power of her voice but
also conveyed the very palpable
sensitivity of a girl digging
down deep, getting in touch
with feelings of love and
loss for the very first
time. "When you’re
just starting to mature
as an artist, it’s
helpful to be writing with
people and telling them
what you’re going
through,” says Partlow.
The sessions proved to be
extraordinarily productive—and
cathartic—for the
singer, yielding an array
of uncompromisingly affecting
songs by such accomplished
tunesmiths as Angie Aparo
(Faith Hill's “Cry,”
Big & Rich's "Big
Time"), Kevin Kadish
(Stacie Orrico's "More
To Life," and Dan Wilson
(Semisonic’s “Closing
Time”).
After songwriting was complete,
Partlow moved to New York
City to record with Grammy-winning
producer Serletic, whose
credits include hits by
matchbox twenty, Rob Thomas,
Santana, Aerosmith, Celine
Dion, and Willie Nelson.
“Matt is a dream to
work with,” she says.
“He really helped
me dig down and discover
more of myself as an artist.”
The album that has resulted
from these sessions demonstrates
a singer with a remarkable
sense of self-possession.
Songs like “Who We
Are,” “Cold”
and “Everywhere But
Here” offer fiercely
passionate proclamations
of emotional empowerment,
driven by forceful guitar
grooves and propulsive programming.
More contemplative tracks
like “It’s Too
Late” and “Let
Me Try” partake of
the country and gospel influences
of Partlow’s youth,
beautifully expressing the
yearning vulnerability of
a singer who long ago learned
the art of conveying the
most heartfelt emotion through
song.
Though the scenery has
changed for this homegrown
talent, the roots of her
Tennessee upbringing will
always run deep. "I
loved being in New York
working on my album,"
she says. "But I always
miss my home. I miss the
sunlight and the open space.
When I’m home, I often
take a walk to the Mississippi
River to just sit and relax.”
There will always be an
aspect of a simpler American
way of life in everything
Hope Partlow does. You can
see it in her wide open
smile. You can hear it in
the subtle Southern lilt
of her speaking voice. Best
of all, you can experience
it time and time again in
the soaring vocals of her
remarkable debut album.
“It’s funny,
but singing is a way for
me to experience my memories,”
she says, “but it’s
also something that has
constantly driven me forward
and helped me grow.”
