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If patience is a virtue, then the current state of Magnolia Boulevard plays right into the long-held notion that sonic grandeur evolves in its own time and place — one where the Lexington, Kentucky, rock-n-soul act is aiming to break into a national audience ready and roaring for the quintet’s soaring talents.
“Things happen when they’re supposed to happen,” lead singer/guitarist Maggie Noelle says. “And I’m so proud of this music coming out now with this group of dudes — it’s like we’re finally getting what we kind of deserve.”
“We know who we are now, and we know what we want to do,” adds keyboardist Ryan Allen. “We know what we want to sound like. Everybody involved is on the same path. We’ve got the same mission and we feel good about it. These songs have been cared for and thought about, where everything is happening with intention — there’s purpose behind the music.”
That mission of luminous tone and honest intent is no more apparent than Magnolia Boulevard’s latest self-titled album. Captured by legendary Kentucky producer Duane Lundy, the eight-song LP runs the gamut of genres, all with thick threads of the blues and soul radiating from the tracks.
“We like a lot of different things, so let’s start a band that’s blues and soul, the rest being whatever else we feel like adding,” Allen says. “These are songs and stories of the struggles of Appalachian people, these little snapshots of time of what it’s like to live around here.”
“Inspiration comes and goes,” Noelle adds. “I’ve realized, in these later years of songwriting, I tend to write about my current life and where my heart is.”
Formed in 2017 by Noelle and Allen, the band came together when other creative endeavors weren’t fulfilling the artistic desires and professional expectations of what the duo were envisioning. It was time to push down the gas pedal on the possibility and potential of what Magnolia Boulevard could be, and ultimately has become — in sonic design and in the live realm.
“The sound has been described as ‘Appalachian Soul,’ and I really like that because of our Appalachian roots,” Noelle says. “You get a taste of folk with the songwriting portion, but you also have that rock and soul foundation.”
Watching Noelle under the bright lights, her stage presence immediately conjures whispers in the audience, where her fiery vocal talents are compared to the likes of Susan Tedeschi, Bonnie Raitt, and Grace Potter. And yet, Magnolia Boulevard remains unique and steadfast in its approach.
The powerhouse group is rounded out by Roddy Puckett (bass), Austin Lewis (guitar) and Brandon Johnson (drums). With this bountiful lineup, Magnolia Boulevard has been making the rounds around Southern Appalachia and beyond, each show an opportunity to once again justify its reputation as one of the rising, “must see” rock shows anywhere in the country.
“It feels a lot better when it is the sum of all the parts, when you have five people all going after the same thing,” Allen says. “We’re not sacrificing or compromising anything, and in a way that we maybe had before. It feels like we’re got something substantial here that we’re really proud of.”
“Everybody in the band is also interpreting the lyrics and showing emotion, because they’re into it, too,” Noelle adds. “They feel the same emotions, and there’s something magic about it [when we’re playing].”
And as Magnolia Boulevard grows and evolves into a national act, the core essence and melodic attitude of the unit will proudly reside in the rich, vibrant music scene of its native Lexington and greater Kentucky.
“In Kentucky, we’ve got a little bit of everything, and we just have this real sense of community,” Noelle says. “Everybody has always been supportive of each other’s projects, no matter the genre, and I think that’s important.”
“There’s also this feeling of gratitude,” Allen adds. “More and more, I’ll just catch myself feeling really thankful for where we are. It comes from what we’ve gone through, and being able to persevere through it — it makes it even better when you wind up on the other side.”
With the new record appearing on the horizon and an upcoming tour running up and down the East Coast, what remains for Magnolia Boulevard is this deep, renewed sense of purpose — one held and shared with any and all who happen to happily wander into their musical landscape.
“Playing live is what we crave,” Noelle says. “[Onstage], we escape to a place where we can all be free, leaving fears and anxieties at the door, forgetting yesterday’s troubles — it’s a form of therapy at this point to just lay it all out.”
“The first time I saw Maggie sing, I knew we had a chance to reach a lot of people,” Allen adds. “We’ve come a long way since that first rehearsal. Different band members. Broken down vans. Empty dive bars. We’re both happier now with this band than we’ve ever been.”
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