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Bret Mosley

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Bret Mosley
Bret Mosley performing live in Perth, Western Australia in 2016
Bret Mosley performing live in Perth, Western Australia in 2016.
Background information
Birth nameBret Mosley
Born (1961-07-28) July 28, 1961 (age 63)
Alpine, Texas US
OriginBrooklyn, New York US
GenresAmericana
Folk rock
Alternative country
Blues
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)vocals
lap dobro
stomp box
Years active1995–present
LabelsWoodstock MusicWorks
Cosmo Sex School
Out Of The Park Records
Websitebretmosley.com

Bret Mosley is an American singer-songwriter from Brooklyn, New York.

Early life

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Mosley was born in Alpine, Texas, the son of Elbert (Burt) Mosley, a Viet Nam veteran, ranch hand, and computer programmer; and Nancy Lee Mosley (née Gothard), a project manager.[1] The family moved frequently throughout his early childhood and teen years—living in various towns in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nebraska, Ohio, and Virginia. He attended numerous schools before completing high school in Texas via GED. Mosley then attended West Texas A&M University studying music theory, voice, piano, theatre, and ballet.[2][3]

Career

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Mosley began playing guitar early in his childhood and grew up among an extended family of musicians. Following university and a brief ballet career, Mosley worked at Fidelity Investments for several years as a mid-level manager.[4][5] Subsequently, he attended University of North Carolina School of the Arts, majoring in drama.[6] Mosley then moved to New York City and pursued an acting career while developing as a musician and songwriter, first busking on the subway, then becoming active in the downtown Manhattan indie music scene playing frequently at Rockwood Music Hall, The Living Room, and Banjo Jim's.[2][3][7]

While playing a house concert in Woodstock, New York in 2005, Mosley attracted the attention of Lisa Hantes, manager of the nearby Bearsville Theater at that time.[8] With the support of Hantes, he opened at Bearsville for established acts such as The Blind Boys of Alabama,[9] Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk,[10] Big Brother and the Holding Company.[9] This led to an opportunity to record at Woodstock producer/engineer Pete Caigan's Flymax Recording Studio where Mosley's debut album Light & Blood was recorded in 2007.[11][12] The album was released on Woodstock MusicWorks.[13][14] Well received critically,[15][16][17][18] the album led to an increasingly busy touring schedule and Mosley's collaborations with singer-songwriter Jerry Joseph.[19]

Mosley subsequently joined Joseph frequently on tour 2008–2014.[19][20][21][22] In 2008, the two songwriters collaborated on the EP Charge—recorded live-to-tape at Old Soul Studios—joined by drummer Steve Drizos. The record was produced and mixed by Garrett Uhlenbrock, and released in 2009 on Cosmo Sex School.[23]

Following the release of Charge,[24] Mosley began touring extensively throughout the southeastern United States.[25] In 2013, Mosley recorded the EP X-ING ("crossing") in Awendaw, South Carolina—where he began collaborating and touring with Awendaw Green artist-in-residence Danielle Howle.[26] Howle appears on "Gun War" from Mosley's 2023 commemorative album release Light & Blood: 15th Anniversary Edition. The song was recorded at the solar-powered Swamp House studio managed by Howle.[27] The song was co-written with 2022 Mississippi Songwriter of the Year, Zechariah Lloyd,[28] who has toured extensively as a drummer with Mosley.

In 2014, Mosley emigrated from the U.S. to Australia, where he has since toured extensively.[29][30][31][32]

In 2022, Mosley released Lighter & Bloodier: Early Rarities, a compilation of early demos, live performances, and previously unreleased songs. Mixed and mastered by Mosley, the retrospective album's 13 songs span from mid-2001 through 2010.

In 2023, Mosley released Through the Fire—recorded in Fremantle, Western Australia. Mosley self-produced the album and performed all the instrumentation.[33][34]

Mosley has cited James Taylor, Chris Whitley, Son Volt, Ani Difranco, and the music of West Africa as significant influences.[2][9]

Performance style

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Mosley most often performs solo, accompanying himself on a lap dobro resonator guitar and a modified Porchboard Bass stomp box. Mosley's sound—often described as a blending of distinct genres and styles[4]—is noted for its raw soulfulness and authenticity.[11][15][35][36][37]

Personal life

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Mosley has stated that his Through the Fire album was born out of trauma from an abusive relationship experience upon his arrival in Australia.[2][33][38][39]

In March 2021, Mosley married Lee Robins, a shamanic and sound healing practitioner. They currently reside in Melbourne.

Discography

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Studio albums

  • Light & Blood (Woodstock MusicWorks, 2007)
  • Lighter & Bloodier: Early Rarities (compilation) (Out Of The Park Records, 2022)
  • Light & Blood: 15th Anniversary Edition (Out Of The Park Records, 2023)
  • Through the Fire (Out Of The Park Records, 2023)

EPs

  • Charge—w/Jerry Joseph & Steve Drizos (EP) (Cosmo Sex School, 2009)
  • X-ING (EP) (Out Of The Park Records, 2013)

Mosley also appears on the following:

  • Open – Allison Dennis (2004)

References

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General

Specific

  1. ^ "Bret Mosley - Texas Birth Index". FamilySearch.
  2. ^ a b c d Carrick, Crag (December 6, 2022). "Someplace, Somewhere".
  3. ^ a b Mann, Francesca (August 4, 2016). "Muso to bring a slice of Americana". The Geraldton Guardian. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Chandler, Chip (January 18, 2012). "Mosley explores careers before settling on music". Amarillo Globe-News. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023.
  5. ^ "Bret Mosley - Public Records ᐈ Radaris". radaris.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023.
  6. ^ "Good - Bret Mosley as John Halder". UNCSA Archives. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023.
  7. ^ "Bret Mosley / Jerry Joseph - Banjo Jim's". Concert Archives. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023.
  8. ^ Barry, John (December 5, 2007). "Mosley Musician has played Bearsville before". Poughkeepsie Journal. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Tomcho, Sandy (January 25, 2008). "Bret Mosley opens for the Blind Boys of Alabama in Woodstock". Times Herald-Record. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  10. ^ Darlington, Abigail (October 3, 2011). "Freeloaders: Free Fallin'". Charleston City Paper. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Tomcho, Sandy (December 7, 2007). "REVIEW: Bret Mosley at Bearsville Theater". Times Herald-Record. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023.
  12. ^ Mason, Stewart. "Bret Mosley Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  13. ^ "Release Details". PopMatters. October 23, 2017. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  14. ^ "Woodstock MusicWorks". Discogs. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Danielsen, Aarik (March 6, 2008). "BRET MOSLEY: LIGHT & BLOOD". PopMatters. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  16. ^ Jones, Kenya (January 30, 2008). "Bret Mosley's Light & Blood Gives Beautiful Testimony". ACED Magazine. Archived from the original on January 8, 2009.
  17. ^ McQuiston, James (February 17, 2008). "Bret Mosley Releases "Light & Blood" To Adoring Public". NeuFutur Magazine. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  18. ^ "Bret Mosley - Light & Blood Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Santala, Phil (August 26, 2008). "Jerry Joseph | 08.15 – 08.17 | MT". JamBase. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  20. ^ "Bret Mosley Concert History". Concert Archives. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023.
  21. ^ Ray, Linda (January 22, 2009). "The Denmark Veseys & Bret Mosley". Tucson Weekly. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  22. ^ "The Stockholm Syndrome Duo". jambands.com. October 14, 2014. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023.
  23. ^ "Cosmo Sex School Records: Charge". Archived from the original on 2013-12-25.
  24. ^ "Jerry Joseph EP, Stockholm Syndrome LP". Jambands. February 13, 2009. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
  25. ^ Lesemann, T. Ballard (June 22, 2011). "Songwriter Bret Mosley goes South". Charleston City Paper. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023.
  26. ^ Parker, Chris (December 19, 2012). "Decades into her career, Danielle Howle moves on to new projects". Charleston City Paper. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023.
  27. ^ Darlington, Abigail (January 1, 2016). "Off the beaten path Eddie White, Danielle Howle of Awendaw Green take music to the swamp". Post and Courier. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  28. ^ "Zechariah Lloyd - 2022 Mississippi Songwriter of the Year". Mississippi Songwriter of the Year. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023.
  29. ^ "Blues brings artists to delight music lovers". Bunbury Mail. July 17, 2015. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  30. ^ Release, Press (December 17, 2015). "Nukara Music Festival". Everything Geraldton. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  31. ^ Release, Press (July 20, 2016). "Bret Mosley Dinner/Show at the Bootenal Family Tavern". Everything Geraldton. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  32. ^ "Bret Mosley | The Blues Train". www.thebluestrain.com.au. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Mosley, Bret (October 12, 2023). "Seven Years 'Through the Fire'". Bret Mosley. Archived from the original on December 8, 2023.
  34. ^ Bregman, Jeremy (September 21, 2023). "Bret Mosley Drops Heartfelt New Album 'Through the Fire'". Mesmerized. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023.
  35. ^ "What to do this weekend for Sept. 4 to Sept. 7". Steamboat Pilot & Today. September 4, 2009. Archived from the original on March 29, 2023.
  36. ^ "December 2016 – South West Blues Club". December 8, 2016. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023.
  37. ^ Booth, Jared (February 7, 2012). "Follywood Productions gets down at the two-year mark". Charleston City Paper. Archived from the original on August 17, 2023.
  38. ^ Kerr, Paul (September 29, 2023). "AUK Shortcuts September 2023: Jeff Plankenhorn, The 19th Street Band, The Waymores, Andrew Rumsey, The Street Arts Project, The Two Tracks, Ludwig Wright and Bret Mosley". Americana UK. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023.
  39. ^ Doyle, Jon (September 18, 2023). "Weekly Listening: September 2023 #3". Various Small Flames. Archived from the original on September 18, 2023.
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