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Artist and writer, Betty Elders' music is richly varied and often surprising. Each song is a marvel of poetic beauty, a testament to human frailty and grandeur, a meditation on the harrowing wonder of existence. The moods of her songs are as varied as the colors of life they reflect; her supple voice traversing a vast emotional range with ease and clarity--embodying both power and aching vulnerability. Her mastery of diverse forms combined with an artist's sense of space and movement create a visual music that is timeless and beyond category, deeply resonating within listeners' hearts. Born in North Carolina, she moved to Texas in the early 80's to hone her style, drawing inspiration from family, friends, and fellow songwriters Jimmy LaFave, Lucinda Williams, David Rodriguez, Denice Franke, Michael Fracasso, Iain Matthews, Eric Taylor--while keeping her poetic lens trained on the socio-political landscape. |
From 1981 to 1995 Elders released four albums of original music-- After the Curtain, Daddy's Coal, Peaceful Existence, and Crayons. In 2009 and 1999, folk icon Joan Baez released two of Betty's songs from Peaceful Existence, Crack in the Mirror and Long Bed from Kenya--on her Collector's Edtion Gone From Danger CD (both editions). Elders' albums have earned multiple year-end awards from Austin's Music City Texas' Insiders' Poll: Best Independent Tape/CD, Song of the Year (shared by two of her songs), Best Female Songwriter and Best Female Vocalist, attracting an unprecedented amount of international acclaim for an "unknown." Subsequent glowing reviews in Detroit's Metro-Times, the Detroit Free Press, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, Miami Herald, Performing Songwriter Magazine, Dirty Linen, Folk Roots (UK), Il Voce (Italy)--to name a few--range in tone from laudatory to reverential. Dave Goodrich of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette named Peaceful Existence one of the five best releases of the decade. Later, her album Crayons, a Flying Fish (now Rounder Records) debut released to even more acclaim. Her artistry has been featured in trade publications such as Billboard, All Music Guide, Sing Out!, Performing Songwriter Magazine, Acoustic Musician, (UK) Country Music People, Detour Magazine, the Kerrville Kronikle, Country Gazette Magazine, and Folkwax Magazine. |
Betty Elders is an artist whose grace and uncompromising style appear to transcend the whims of an oft-changing industry. Her performances create an undeniable, unforgettable exchange between her and all who listen. No longer one of Texas' best-kept secrets; word of her gifts is spreading globally! |
Betty sings "All God's Children" with Diana Jones on her 2009 critcally-acclaimed european release, "Better Times Will Come"-- |
Betty records harmony vocal on longtime friend Roy Lonhoiden's second Norwegian Grammy-nominated album, "Nar Dagen Demrer Blatt"-- |
Legendary Norwegian songwriter, "Hillbilly" King, Roy Lonhoiden, has included one of Betty's unrecorded jewels, "Farewell", on his 2007 Norwegian grammy-nominated (Spellemannprisen), Norskamerikaner release, "Sanger fra Skogen". On this beautiful CD, Betty's "Farewell" easily shares aural space with covers from Townes van Zandt ("Snowin' on Raton"), and Rodney Crowell ( "Til I Gain Control Again"). |
2005 - Icehouse Music in Austin, TX, releases a compilation of 10 up-and-coming Texas singers performing other Texas artists' creations--"Ten in Texas"--among which you can find Texas singer-songwriter favorite and cowgirl herself, Terri Hendrix, singing Betty's, "Cowboy"! |
2004 - Norwegian folk artist and friend, Roy Lonhoiden, releases his incredible CD, "Det ensomme landet" ("The Lonesome Country") to rave reviews from the European, Scandinavian press. "Det ensomme landet" includes Betty's yet unreleased song, "Safe Within Your Love," ("Vis Meg Veien"),as well as her own liner notes. Our congratulations to Norway's own true Hillbilly King! |
Hear Betty... or her songs: Betty So & Doug Cox - Light in Your Window Christine Albert - Underneath The Lone Star Sky Glen Alyn - Texas Heat 95 Degrees (OBIT) Joan Baez - Gone From Danger ("Crack in the Mirror", "Long Bed from Kenya") Eric Blakely - Still Life at Full Speed Sarah Elizabeth Campbell - Running With You Brian Cutean - Parakeetfishhead Brenda Freed - Until Daylight Steven Fromholz - A Guest in Your Heart Janne Henshaw -Tell Me Janne Henshaw - Drifter's Prayer ("Drifter's Prayer", "Light in your Window") Crow Johnson - Painting Stories 'Cross The Sky Emily Kaitz - Household Word Michael Landschoot - Heart Of The Dragon Don McCalister - Brand New Ways Mary Melena - Something Passing Through Roy Lonhoiden - Nar Dagen Demrer Blatt Roy Lonhoiden - Sanger fra skogen ("Farvel" - Farewell) Roy Lonhoiden - Det ensomme landet ("Vis Meg Veien" -Safe Within Your Love) Roy Lonhoiden - Kulseth Brothers & Roy ("En Vandrer's Bonn"- A Drifter's Prayer) Sarah Pierce - No Place Like Home Mary Reynolds - Patience Nancy Scott - Heartprints In Clay Leslie Smith - These Things Wrapped Eric Taylor - Eric Taylor Ten in Texas - ("Cowboy") Walt Wilkins - Bull Creek Souvenir Lucinda Williams' - Sweet Old World ("He Never Got Enough Love) Betty Produced, or Co-produced: David Rodriguez - Man Against Beast Lourdes Perez - Recuérdate Por Mi Nancy Scott - Heartprints In Clay |
For more info, artists' albums and musical projects Betty has worked on, go now to her BIO Part II - HERE! |
NEWS!!! oIn June 2011, Austin's Songbird, Betty Soo, releases "Light in Your Window" on her artistically acclaimed duo album with Doug Cox,o"Across the Borderline/ Lie to Me" |