Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Cheley Tackett Earns Rave Reviews, Spotlights For “The Last Live”
“The Last Live” is a project that captured the last live show recorded at Douglas Corner Café in Nashville before the venue shuttered as a result of the pandemic.
Cheley Tackett, acclaimed Country-Americana songstress, released her acoustic-solo performance, The Last Live, captured at Douglas Corner Café in Nashville, Tenn. and has been garnering international spotlights for the incredible project. This collection of fifteen original country and Americana tracks are all penned or co-penned by Cheley in collaboration with fellow songwriters Ashley McBryde, Randall Clay, Lisa Carver and many other notable names. Cheley’s performance was the last live performance to be recorded at Douglas Corner Café on August 24, 2019 before closing on May 30, 2020 due to the pandemic. Nearly one year to the day from when they shut the doors for the final time, Cheley’s project landed at all major online retailers bringing a bit of the iconic Music City staple home for audiences to experience. To purchase or stream The Last Live, visit https://lnk.bio/6r8F.
Cheley has been showcasing songs from the collection during her recent social media live-stream performances on platforms such as Center Stage Magazine and RFD-TV to celebrate the release. If you missed that live stream, you can still view it by clicking the following link: https://fb.watch/5S68otypuS.
Cheley also shared songs and memories about the new album with The Boot. You can still catch that live stream at this link: https://fb.watch/667y8M3tFy.
The project has won over entertainment outlets as well acquiring the following reviews:
“Cheley Tackett’s The Last Live is a grand farewell gift to Nashville’s iconic Douglas Corner. When you hear Cheley sing, you can’t help but listen and that’s that. She has a voice that will stop you in your tracks. It’s all-consuming and immensely powerful, yet she makes it appear effortless. Whether you’re hearing her live or listening to her records, the clarity in her impassioned alto vocals is always there. Sink into your couch with a glass of wine while listening and you’ll almost forget it’s a live album at times. Brilliant engineering coupled with Tackett’s sparkling vocals and it’s as if you’re right there next to her on stage. ‘Good For Me’ is all about knowing the things that ultimately harm us, but indulging in them anyway. Coming from the recesses of deep melancholia, you feel this weighing heavily on Tackett as she once again takes us right out of the room and into the story. A struggle between what feels good and what might kill you. This one stings a little even as it remains camouflaged by hypnotic vocals. Among Cheley Tackett’s best work and one of her hidden gems.”
– Think Country
“Cheley Tackett might not be a household name in Country music but she damn well should be. Whether you’ve heard Tackett’s music before or not, there’s plenty here to enjoy and most likely convert you into a big fan. Across the collection, she shares her personal, relatable and inviting stories and there isn’t a dull moment to be found. The Last Live is a very strong release from Tackett and showcases just how incredible an artist she is. How she’s not a bigger star remains a mystery, but I suspect she’ll continue to gain fans here in the UK. This album is moving, funny, emotional and everything in between. If you’re yet to check out Cheley Tackett’s music, then I highly recommend you spend some time with this album and fall in love with her, like I have.”
– Entertainment Focus
“The Last Live, recorded in August 2019 at the now-closed Douglas Corner Café, is an absorbing, if bittersweet and unintentional, piece of history – the singer-songwriter, the audience and the bar owner embraced in a stunning musical moment. My favorite songs on the album are ‘The Healer’, co-written with Randall Clay about the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016 and ‘My Best Dress’, co-written with Ashley McBryde and Randall Clay; haunting strings perfectly complement Cheley’s soulful vocals to release the painful story, and revenge, of the character. Keep an eye out for ‘Good For Me’, written reflectively about Tackett’s own life. The album ends with an expression that perfectly sums her up ‘I hope you had a good time, or I broke your heart. Either way is good’.”
– Lyric Magazine
“Not only is this a stunner of an album in its own right, it has also turned out to be a piece of country music history, which is something no one involved was able to anticipate as its title refers to the fact that it was the final album recorded live at Music City’s legendary venue Douglas Corner. Get the lead single, ‘Good For Me’, a phenomenal ballad which Cheley says is her most personal write, but one I am sure many of us can identify with in some way. ‘I learned things the hard way time and time again’ she sings in this reflective, soul-searching and heartbreaking song. Cheley has a deep, rich voice which she controls so well and which is showcased particularly perfectly on songs such as the incredible story-telling song ‘My Best Dress’, ‘$2 Bill’, ‘The Healer’ and closer ‘Penny Wishes’, during which you can hear a pin drop before the appreciative crowd exploded into well-deserved applause and vocal appreciation for what they have been fortunate enough to be part of. Yes, this album will take your emotions on a rollercoaster ride, it has all the feels and made me miss real-life concerts even more than ever right now. But despite that… or maybe because of that… I absolutely love it!”
– Belles and Gals
“‘Good For Me’ is a slow and reactive acoustic track. The live performance gives it a sense of intimacy as Cheley pours out her confession of struggling with the draw of the things in life which lend us temporary relief but no permanent help. It really is a beautifully written song. As soon as I heard it, I knew I had to share it.”
– York Calling
“We recorded my annual birthday bash show and thought we’d release the resulting album in spring 2020,” recalls Cheley. “Turns out, we all sat at home in lockdowns and live music ceased to exist. Douglas Corner was one of the first venues forced to permanently close its doors. What Douglas Corner has meant to me and the history that it held for Music City is indescribable. Lingering in the brick walls we all leaned against on the busiest nights are melodies and applause from shows and songwriter rounds performed by no names, some that became known names, and a few that became household names. I hope these tracks help preserve a small sliver of this beloved venue.”
Mervin Louque, former owner of Douglas Corner Café, engineered, mixed and mastered the recording. He recalls that incredible night, “Whether derived from her upbringing, or her experiences with love and relationships, Cheley Tackett’s songs and performances can leave even strangers feeling as if they have a personal connection with her.”
Full details on The Last Live are below. Italicized tracks are introductions, live show banter and storytelling.
- The Universe Has an Incredible Sense of Humor
- Up Here (Writers: Lisa Christian & Cheley Tackett)
- Sad Songs Make Me Happy
- Play the One I Like (Writers: Rick Tiger, Cheley Tackett & Nicole Witt)
- Prolific People
- $2 Bill (Writers: Mark Stephen Jones & Cheley Tackett)
- Big Hair (Writers: Ashley McBryde, Cheley Tackett & Nicole Witt)
- Feeling Pretty Amorous
- I Like You a Little Drunk (Writers: Randall Clay & Cheley Tackett)
- Aunt Helen and the Dancing Couple
- Jerusalem Ridge (Writer: Cheley Tackett)
- The Room Got Silent
- When We Knew It All (Writer: Cheley Tackett)
- Homegrown (Writer: Cheley Tackett)
- The Healer (Writer: Randall Clay & Cheley Tackett)
- National Television Debut
- Fried Chicken (Writers: Lisa Christian & Cheley Tackett)
- Kill Somebody in a Song
- Save Yourself (Writers: Lisa Carver, Steff Mahan & Cheley Tackett)
- Stay Clever
- Feelin’ a Little Lonely (Writer: Cheley Tackett)
- My Best Dress (Writers: Randall Clay, Ashley McBryde & Cheley Tackett)
- Good for Me (Writer: Cheley Tackett)
- Penny Wishes (Writer: Cheley Tackett)
About Cheley Tackett
Cheley Tackett, a Springfield, Ohio native, is a Country/Americana singer-songwriter who has amassed a performance and recording resume that leaves audiences captivated by her signature songs teeming with authentic emotions. As a sought-after demo singer on Music Row and beyond, Cheley’s voice has bridged relationships with some of the most successful executives and writers in the music industry. Acclaimed as much for her songwriting as for her artistry, Cheley has won MerleFest’s Chris Austin Songwriting contest, the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival’s New Folk competition, Just Plain Folks’ “Song of the Year,” “Country Album of the Year,” and “Country Song of the Year,” as well as being a finalist in the Independent Acoustic Music Awards’ “Country Song” and “Female Vocal Performance” categories. She also scored a semi-finalist position in the International Songwriting Competition’s Rock category.
Reese Wilson, Cheley’s friend and #1 hit writer sums it up: “The first time I heard Cheley was around ten years ago at a writer’s club in Nashville. I was instantly drawn to her voice. I’ve heard literally thousands of singers during my career as a songwriter/producer and I’ve heard a lot of very good singers. Every now and then, however, you hear someone who really makes you want to listen to what they’re saying and Cheley does that. I’m definitely a fan and once you hear her, you will be too.”
She has shared the stage with Americana powerhouses like Mindy Smith and Mary Gauthier as well as country stars Doug Stone, Kathy Mattea, Chris Young, Ashley McBryde, James Otto, and Anthony Smith.
With her previous recordings and performances, she has garnered rave reviews from media as well.
“Cheley’s acoustic sets won audiences over from the start, not an easy task for an opener anywhere in the world, her deep powerful vocals and beautiful writing drawing everybody in…. you could have heard a pin drop during her emotional ballads. A really engaging performer, her personality is as big as her voice and her songs were interspersed with amusing and informative stories. The queues to meet her afterwards were testimony to all the new fans she made.”
– Think Country (UK)
“One of the most powerful, soulful singers in the business, she writes with the deep confidence and total abandon that only a true artist is capable of. She draws her listeners in with comfortable ease and offers each and every one an original and deep personal experience.”
– Maverick (UK)
“An excellent songwriter, she’s also an excellent singer with a velvety, yet powerful voice. She made the audience laugh, cry and left them a little amazed.”
– Saloon – Das Country Home Magazine
To stay updated on Cheley, visit the following:
Website: cheleytackett.com
Facebook: facebook.com/cheleytackettmusic
Instagram: instagram.com/cheleytackett