Material: Staci Gray’s mix of classic covers and her own family-friendly catalog––dubbed BYOB (Bring Your Own Bubbles Bedtime Bash)––is comforting and refreshing. Like a journey into bedtime lullabies from my own father, this livestream is warm, welcoming and nostalgic. Well known tunes from Bob Marley or lesser known songs from Joe McDermott, mixed in with kindhearted banter about parenthood and tailored excellently to a young audience, make for a great performance for youngsters of all walks of life.
Musicianship: Gray has a voice that is well-suited to this style of music. You can really hear the smile when she sings, an infectious sound that surely has an impact on children. Her guitar playing, while simple melodically, was clear and clean during this performance and the vocal harmonies that Gray triggered from a rig down at her feet were Andrews Sisters reminiscent. Despite having no children of my own, this performance was enjoyable to watch and would likely be even more enjoyable to those with little ones.
Performance: Livestream performances can be difficult for an artist to pull off; they are often lonely and without lots of audience interaction that fuels many acts. However, Gray walked that line excellently, with stories of her own to share and an energy that made you feel like you were right there in the room with her. Despite slight technical difficulties, the artist’s positive attitude shone through.
Summary: Staci Gray has the pieces required to be the next big thing in family music, and her commitment to helping families with children during this difficult time is to be commended. Connecting with others is tremendously important; Gray helps parents and their kids connect before bedtime, singing songs, playing together and ultimately keeping their relationships strong through her music.
Web: facebook.com/stacigraymusic/
Contact: [email protected]
