Listen up, Fort Worth! Welcome to The Soundcheck, a biweekly music column keeping you in the loop on what’s happening across the Tarrant music scene.
Interested in music focused on the intersection of education, activism and the history of the Black community? What about music with a feminist and LGBTQ+ flair? Meet Fort Worth-based artist Brandi Waller-Pace and Nashville-based Lizzie No.
The two come together for the album “Outlaws’ Almanac,” which looks to reframe U.S. history through a person of color’s lens. The record is focused on Americana and roots traditions and serves as a response to America’s 250th birthday celebration, according to the musicians.
The album combines the storytelling and musical stylings of 15 different artists, including Waller-Pace. The purpose of this project was to blend Indigenous, Black, brown, queer, rural, and women’s voices with traditional and contemporary music, No said.
“We created a space of sacred permission for the whole range of emotions that come up when we tell stories about our people, what we’ve experienced in this land, and what we hope for,” they said. “The central question was ‘What do we, as working-class artists, have to say about this heavy anniversary?’”
Waller-Pace, founder of the nonprofit Decolonizing the Music Room and organizer of the annual Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival, has left their mark on the city’s scene since relocating after grad school. During her 12 years as a grade school music teacher in Fort Worth ISD she co-wrote music curriculum for the district and served as an artist-in-residence at Arts Fifth Avenue. She taught private music lessons and led a jazz choir through the nonprofit’s Summer Playhouse camps for children.
No and Waller-Pace didn’t meet in person until 2023, but their admiration for each other’s music existed long before that. Waller-Pace invited No to headline the roots music festival the following year.
“I had been following Lizzie for a while on Instagram and was digging her music,” Waller-Pace said.
On “Outlaws’ Almanac,” Waller-Pace plays bass on many of the album’s tracks and lends her voice on “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around.”
The song came about as the musicians talked through the last track they wanted to record together, Waller-Pace said.
“What started as talking through an initial idea somehow led to us putting together an arrangement of the song inspired by The Roots,” she said.
No said the Fort Worth musician stepped into “bandleader mode” to lead the group through an essential anthem that reflects the Civil Rights era.
“Her power to bring a room full of musicians to attention is unmatched,” they said. “(Waller-Pace) has this quiet storm of energy that demands attention. You can feel the entire band moving as one on this recording.”
The two musicians hope when people listen to the album, they hear the blend of stories, history and music.
“(This album) makes me feel Black and proud,” Waller-Pace said. “It’s always joyful to create through a lens of Black freedom.”
“I hope that you feel energized in your body after listening to this record,” No added. “I hope it makes you want to call somebody you love or say hello to a neighbor. I hope you sing along.”
Other featured artists Kapali Long, Zachary Hamilton, Kasey Anderson, Will Greene, Tray Wellington, Nick Shoulders, Nick Rapley, Kimaya Diggs, A.J. Haynes, Eric Ambel, Olivia Ellen Lloyd, Kaïa Kater and Nathan Evans Fox.
“Outlaws’ Almanac” is out June 19 and available for purchase on Bandcamp.
Credits list for “Outlaws’ Almanac”
- Executive Producer: Lizzie No
- Producer/Engineer: Nick Rapley
- Mastering Engineer: Jesse Cannon
- Additional Engineering: Eric Ambel, A.J. Haynes, Will Greene, Zachary Hamilton, Kapali Long, Kimaya Diggs
- Album Art: Mia Kersten
- Publicity: Kimaya Diggs
- Radio: Ronda Chollock
- Financed by RuralOrganizing.org Education Fund
Hailey Green (she/they) is a live production professional based in North Texas. She serves as production manager for the Fort Worth African American Roots Music Festival as well as on faculty in the University of Texas at Arlington Department of Theatre Arts & Dance.
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