Artist: Liz Simmons
Hometown: Brattleboro, Vermont
Song: “This Old Heart of Mine”
Album: Poets
Release Date: March 1, 2021
Label: Morgana Music
In Their Words: âGrowing up with musician parents, I was exposed to many different musical styles — Motown being an important one. I loved Diana Ross and the Supremes, and we had the album A’ Go-Go on vinyl and I remember dancing to it as a child in our living room. I started to work up a bluegrass-inspired cover of ‘This Old Heart of Mine’ a couple years ago — I thought the song would work well with a string band treatment, which is provided courtesy of Wes Corbett on banjo, Flynn Cohen on mandolin and guitar, and Corey DiMario on double bass. I arranged the ’60s-style backing vocals as a loving nod to the era as well, provided by ska singer Dunia Best and jazz singer Nicole Zuraitis. Composed by Motownâs songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland alongside Sylvia Moy, it is a great example of classic Motown, and I cover it with the greatest respect.” — Liz Simmons
Photo credit: Sid Ceaser
Graphic design: Jeremy John Parker