First/Last-Melinda

Melinda
Pittsburgh Winery
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Strip District

"Not many singers rock. And with a voice that is truly unmistakable, blending blues and rock while remaining beautiful and raw at the same time, Melinda does just that. Growing up in the steel city of Pittsburgh, Melinda first started performing with notable local musicians at the early age of 15. They recognized her natural talent and innate knowledge of rock and blues music that was rare in someone so young. She quickly became a staple throughout Pittsburgh’s hidden and diverse blues jams where her roots were established. Soon a voice told her it was time to take the next step. She moved to Boston, MA after receiving the World Scholarship at Berklee College of Music. There she was selected by the voice department to perform in the prestigious Singers Showcase and was the recipient of The Aerosmith Endowment Award. While in Boston, Melinda was also a member of the all girl rock band Mass Ave, which received major interest from Epic Records."

Check out Melinda at her official Website, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and BandCamp. I recently had the pleasure of seeing her rock out and knew I had to feature her on the blog. Talk about an 'artist to watch'. She is announcing a new local gig this very morning at the cool Pittsburgh Winery and I want to thank her for taking the time to participate in this edition of First/Last.

The first album you ever bought?
“Pump” by Aerosmith. It totally changed by life. I remember being a young girl in Catholic school and had never heard anything like that before. About 6 months later, I convinced my parents to buy me my first guitar. The rest is history.

Your last album bought?
“Boys & Girls” by Alabama Shakes.

Favorite album of all time?
“Sticky Fingers” by The Stones.

Least favorite/most disappointing album?
“Chinese Democracy” by Guns N' Roses. There was so much anticipation since it took so long to release the album. I was hoping for some classic G N' R and even though there were some great moments, guitar riffs, and vocal melodies, overall the songs fell short.

First concert attended?
The Pointer Sisters in the 80's at the Civic Arena. Totally random.

Last concert?
Kevin Bowe + The Okemah Prophets.

Favorite concert ever?
A tie between David Bowie at The Benedum Center and Prince at Madison Square Garden.

Least favorite concert?
Gwar, mostly because I had no idea what I was getting into.

Favorite thoughts, experiences about Pittsburgh?
I was born in Pittsburgh and lived in both Los Angeles and Boston for awhile. I didn't appreciate our city until I left. I think Pittsburgh continues to grow and I'm excited to see how the music scene is developing with so many great original acts. If the momentum keeps up, Pittsburgh can become a city that's known for its music scene similar to Nashville or Austin.

Thanks, Melinda. I love discovering and spreading the word about local artists and I am really looking forward to future music from you.