“Nothing can really prepare you for an explosion of talent like this. Williams not only has a great hillbilly voice in sort of a Jean Shepard, Paulette Carlson (Highway 101) sort of way, but is an excellent songwriter…She does display quite a range…As far as I’m concerned this is flawless, truly exciting, and very aptly named! Highest recommendation – don’t miss it!
Marc Bristol, Blue Suede New Magazine
USA
“This, her first CD, will please both the fans of female rockabilly Wanda Jackson style and the lovers of the Ronnie Dawson and Planet Rockers sound; 12 own compositions and just one cover in which she's backed by rockin' music aces as Graham Tichy (Bones Maki & The Sundodgers), Jeff Potter and Mark Gamsjager (Lustre Kings) to name just a few... Betsy-Dawn Williams will surely become one of the leaders of female rockabilly music in the USA, just give her a few months....”
Carlos Diaz, El Toro Records Spain
“The rockin’ tracks invite comparison with Wanda Jackson…should appeal to fans of Linda Gail Lewis…this is an entertaining collection and is recommended.”
Harry Dodds, Now Dig This magazine
Betsy Dawn Williams - Rocket Girl [ETCD 4040]
This is a great CD! Sorta like a female Ronnie Dawson (can't get over that he's left us!) and that says a lot! There’s driving Bo D' rhythms, beautiful country ballads and rockin' and rollin' all the way. We'd love to see you over in Europe Betsy!
Flipside Records, Norway
Rockabilly Monthly magazine
Betsy-Dawn Williams “Rocket Girl" (El Toro)
Eminently agreeable, and amenably melodic bop bounce that's easy on the ears and sure to move many a foot. On her provocatively strong debut, "BeeDee" sifts her roots and inclinations, interpreting them with infectious, winning personality. This is rollicking fun from beginning to end.
Joining singer/rhythm guitarist Williams are lead picker Graham Tichy (son of Commander Cody guitarman John Tichy), bassman Jim Haggerty and drummer Jeff Potter. Accompanied at times by various guests these three acquit themselves impressively and instill "Rocket Girl's" already solid songs with potent OOMPH. All but one track here is a BeeDee original. And her playful sense of humor makes this CD stand out.
Rocket Girl - Betsy-Dawn WilliamsEl Toro Records ETCD 4040
A luscious feline singing and screamin' her head off with a voice that is quite different and standing out from the rest of the crowd. Betsy-Dawn Williams writes and sings her own music, ranging from hillbilly, rockabilly, plain ol' rock 'n' roll and rhythm & blues. In fact, with the exception of Kenny Parchman's "Get It Off Your Mind", she wrote all the tracks herself, and she did a real fine job too.From the rockabilly stomper "Too Many Words", with great guitar licks by Graham Tichy, to a spacey "Lurlene Can't Read" with wild drums by Jeff Potter, a sensitive part-accoustic "This Feelin' Called Love", to a raving rhythm & blues rhythm on "Outerspace Motorspace Scooter Machine", this is all rock 'n' roll. The hard knocking piano/guitar rocker "Can't You See" will set your neck hairs straight up. The CD has a lot of variety, hence the long list of musicians that contributed to this album, and the many instuments used. A superb release by El Toro Records. -Black Cat Rockabilly, Europe
Rockabilly Baby magazine
Betsy-Dawn Williams
Rocket Girl
"Put your lyrics in a jar they all sound fake, it's gone too far and I've got a headache - now I need a break". That is the fading verse in the rockabilly kicker Too Many Words, from BetsyDawn Williams' latest release, Rocket Girl. Rocket Girl is a kick-ass album from a rockabilly girl with humble North Carolina roots. To quote her label's website, "BeeDee"
got her first start in music singing in the Baptist choir, but from the first time she heard her grand-daddy play clawhammer banjo and imitate a train whistle on his harmonica, her soul was captured by the raw sounds of hillbilly music". It's been many years (like a long, long time ago) since a female musician has commanded such respect on the rockabilly scene. She's not just another pretty face. She writes her own songs, from hanky tonk to rockabilly, Betsy-Dawn is a talented musician and hell on a scooter.
The Rocket Girl flies into another toe-stomper Lurlene Can't Read, a flash into the past of childhood remembrance. From there the tempo drops to the ultra-swing of This Feeling Called Love, a slow running flame of passion. Wrong Again pops up as a retro-piano backed, punk-fueled idea of never being right.
I'm sure she's heard this before, but Betsy-Dawn's angelic voice carries a heavy resemblance to the great Wanda Jackson with more twang. Plus, Betsy-Dawn has a host of very talented musicians on Rocket Girl, including a few mainstays like Graham Tichy on guitars, Jeff Potter on drums and Jim Haggerty on the stand-up bass. These guys keep it tight and keep you in the glorious time zone of yesteryear. Moving on to my favorite track is a spoof off of the album title called Outerspace Motorspace Scooter Machine. This honk-a-bill~ ditty is a head-bobbing masterpiece. "It's a mean screamin' green scootin' gravity Iiar," Ms. Williams pleads.
Get It Off Your Mind is the only cover on the CD, but it gels right in wit~ Betsy-Dawn's retro sound. Walkin' & Talkin' is a mid-tempo downer 01 cheating with a quiet blend of Patsy and old skool country.
I can go on and on about the sheer greatness of Rocket Girl, but I have to leave something for you to engulf for yourself. This album is worth its weight in space dust. Pick up your copy of Rocket Girl at www.eltororecords.com - Mark
