Odetta Hartman

Odetta Hartman’s infectious brand of country soul marries the sounds of Americana with the throb of electronica and experimental soundscapes, as heard on 2018′s Old Rockhounds Never Die. Born and raised in Manhattan, Hartman’s classically trained violinist upbringing was interrupted when her mother bought her a guitar. Writing songs while she was still in high school, Hartman embraced different musical styles, flirting with soul, country, and psych rock, and by the time she’d left college, she found herself playing in a folk band and touring the U.S. Hartman’s first release, the Tally Marks EP, appeared in 2012 and comprised four tracks of country folk; it was followed by the funk- and soul-inspired BARK in 2014. The following year saw the release of her debut album, 222. Produced by partner Jack Inslee, the album found her taking those early inspirations and marrying them with a more experimental electronic sound. A job offer — and the opening of a branch of her parents’ pizza parlor — prompted Hartman and Inslee to move to Washington, D.C. from Manhattan before recording her sophomore release. With Inslee producing and adding electronic flourishes, Hartman played all the instruments, bringing together her own field recordings with fingerpicked banjos and acoustic guitars. The expansive-sounding Old Rockhounds Never Die was released in 2018 by Memphis Industries and Northern Spy. ~ Rich Wilson