When looking at Country Rock music, it most certainly always has a tale to tell. Everyday relatability, relationship struggles, reflecting on the past, it is all in there somewhere. Tugging on the heartstrings at all times, how about a story about a talented hockey star turned Country star? Not a fictional story, but reality, Alannah McCready would be the young lady up for discussion.
Originally from Minnesota, her love for hockey landed her on a full athletic scholarship at University of Wisconsin-Madison from 2007-2010. Impressive in itself, McCready would go on to win two National Division 1 Championships as a goalie for the Badgers and played in two NCAA Division I Women’s Ice Hockey National Championships, as well as the WCHA (league) championship. Also impressive, even more compelling beyond her athletic abilities, is her love for music. In fact, McCready has always had a deep seeded passion for music, singing at a young age in choir and eventually going on to front her own band.
Well into a career in entertainment, she has released several pieces of music in recent years, including her debut full-length album in 2015, Love Hangover. An album which put McCready on the map, available on major online retailer sites including Amazon and iTunes, she continues to work hard on awakening the world to her music, and her follow-up, Ricochet Heart, seems to do just that. Released back on Friday, April 27, 2018, the album is a big step forward for McCready, not only as a singer, but as a songwriter as well. Co-writing each of the 10 new songs off the album, McCready possesses a sound that is perfect for Country, but rugged enough for Rock-n-Roll.
Led by the single “Last Girl Standing,” the album is chock-full of highlights including the catchy opener “Enemies with Benefits,” the emotional title-track “Ricochet Heart,” cool, relaxed “Hang It All,” and rockin’ “Musta Been Love.” Bringing a diversity all her own, McCready’s songs are memorable, lively, and has all the sincerity needed to make a Country song effective.
Currently residing in Georgia, where her band – Andre Robinson (bass), Robert Sandifer (guitar), and Gary Ray (drums) – is also located, McCready is on the road in and around the The Peach State through May, June, and July. That in mind, naturally her album release party will be held up near her alma mater on May 12th in Madison, Wisconsin.
Still quite young and with tons of potential, McCready is not your typical Country diva by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, it would not be a stretch of the imagination to see her rocking out in support of bands like Halestorm or Blackberry Smoke. Maybe the bulk of the songs on Ricochet Heart are not as heavy as the aforementioned rockers, but McCready and her band have the ability to be oh-so-sweet as well as-oh-so-rough if they so choose to be. That is why she is certainly an artist to keep a tab on.
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