Christy McWilson

Christy McWilson is an American singer-songwriter based in the Pacific Northwest. She has performed with the Dynette Set, the Picketts, as a solo artist, and with many other artists, including Dave Alvin and The Young Fresh Fellows.

Early life McWilson was born in Northern California, but spent her formative years near Downey, California. Both of her parents are musicians.

McWilson attended college in San Francisco and Sonoma, California, earning a degree in anthropology.

After the demise of the Dynette Set, McWilson played around Seattle in some short-lived groups while adding backing to various albums by the Young Fresh Fellows. The Fellows' college radio hit "Amy Grant" particularly benefited from McWilson's sassy vocals. Steve Marcus was the original bassist (later Walt Singleman played bass).

The Picketts' first recording was a 7" single for the Seattle indie PopLlama Records that featured a country version of The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go." Rather than play straight-ahead country, the Picketts mixed '50s rockabilly and pop with more traditional influences, such as Wanda Jackson or Merle Haggard.

Solo work As the Picketts were disbanding (more out of sloth than acrimony), longtime fan Dave Alvin approached McWilson with an offer to produce her first solo album, The Lucky One, which contains mostly original songs (many concerning her lifelong struggle with bipolar disorder)

Two years later, she called on many of these musicians to help put together her second solo album, Bed of Roses.

In spring of 2015, McWilson decided to release her "old new" album Desperate Girl, which was recorded in 2004 as her marriage dissolved. As she put it: "The songs, written in the weeks leading up to and during the marriage's demise, were recorded in their full red-hot splendor. At the time it was so painful I shelved and tried to forget about it. I recently rediscovered it and realized I had an amazing portrait of that heightened time of my life."

Other projects McWilson also routinely participates on the Roots On The Rails tour with Dave Alvin, Cindy Cashdollar, and other artists.

McWilson said she prefixed her birth surname, Wilson, with "Mc" to create her stage name, McWilson.

Discography

Dynette Set Year Title Label Type Producer 1983 Rockers and Recliners Wolf Records WR-8310 Vinyl Jim Wolfe

Picketts Full-Length Albums Year Title Label Type Producer 1992 Paper Doll Popllama PLCC68 CD, vinyl Conrad Uno Jimmy Sangster John Olufs 1995 The Wicked Picketts Rounder CD 9046 CD, vinyl Conrad Uno 1996 Euphonium Rounder CD 9056 CD, vinyl Steve Berlin

Singles and EPs Year Title Label Type Tracks 1990 The Picketts Popllama PL7-34 Single A1) Should I Stay or Should I Go? B1) Walkin' Talkin' Jukebox B2) Fallin' for You 1994 Pick It !! Cruddy CR-07 EP A1) Sukiyaki A2) Stella Stomp B1) Party Hat B2) Remington Ride 1996 Baba O'Riley Rounder CD PR 1074 CD single A1) Baba o'Riley

Solo releases Year Title Label Type Producer 2000 The Lucky One Hightone HCD 8119 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin 2002 Bed of Roses Hightone HCD8143 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin 2015 Desperate Girl Sally Ann Records CD Kurt Bloch

Dave Alvin and Guilty Women Year Title Label Type Producer 2005 Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women Yep Roc YEP 2155 CD, vinyl Dave Alvin

The Granvilles Year Title Label Type Producer 2009 Martini's Mansion No label CDR Jim Sangster, John Sangster

The West Seattle 2 Year Title Label Type Producer 2016 Six by Three Sally Ann Records CD John Sangster

Other contributions Year Artist Title Label Christy's Contributions 2013 Jasper T The Sweet Dark, Pt. 1 N/A Track 4, "Long for You" 2011 Maggie Björklund Coming Home Bloodshot BS 174 Composer, lyricist 2011 Dave Alvin Eleven Eleven Yep Rock YEP 2246 Piano & vocals on track 9, "Manzanita" 2010 Various Artists Through a Faraway Window: A Tribute to Jimmy Silva SteadyBoy SB-0030 Track 9, "Man of the Cloth" 2010 Various Artists Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Concert: Live Vancouver Black Hen BHCD 0066 Duet with Dave Alvin on track 13, "Who's Been Here" 2009 Michael Shuler Edge of the World Brave Feet BF 12 Vocals 2009 Various Artists It Crawled from the Basement: Green Monkey Records Anthology Green Monkey PWGM 10012CD Background Vocals 2007 Jesse Sykes Like, Love, Lust and the Open Halls of the Soul Barsuk BARK-62 Background Vocals 2006 Mudhoney Under a Billion Suns Sub Pop SP 700 Vocals 2006 Dave Alvin West of the West Yep Roc YEP 2118 Vocals 2005 Rick Shea Bound for Trouble Tres Pescadores 6 Vocals, duet 2005 Various Artists Lowe Profile: A Tribute to Nick Lowe Brewery 0942 Duet with Rick Shea on track 11, "Never Been in Love" 2004 Various Artists This One's for the Fellows BlueDisguise 6 Duet with John Ramberg on track 10, "Celebration" 2003 Minus 5 Down with Wilco Yep Roc 2052 Guest artist 2003 The Minus 5 I Don't Know Who I Am (Let the War Against Music Begin, Vol. 2) Return To Sender 43 Musician 2003 Model Rockets Pilot County Suite Book Records 6 Assistant 2002 Various Artists This Is Where I Belong: The Songs Of Ray Davies & The Kinks Rykodisc VACK 1232 With The Minus 5 on track 12, "Get Back in Line" 1998 The Squirrels Scrapin' for Hits Popllama 81296 Vocals 1997 The Minus 5 The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy Hollywood HT-62115-2 Performer 1996 Various Artists Bite Back: Live at the Crocodile Cafe Popllama 2200 Vocals, composer 1994 The Squirrels Harsh Toke of Reality Popllama 91293 Background vocals 1994 Various Artists Love Is My Only Crime: Part 2 Veracity IRS CD 973.402 With the Picketts on track 2, "Ring or a Prayer" 1994 Larry Barrett Beyond The Mississippi GlitterhouseGRCD 342 Vocals on track 2 "Like A Ring" and track 4, "Take My Troubles Back" 1991 Fastbacks Never Fails, Never Works Blaster! BLATLP3 Background vocals 1990 The Squirrels What Gives? Popllama 2523 Background vocals 1985 The Young Fresh Fellows Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest East Side Digital Vocals 1989 Scott McCaughey My Chartreuse Opinion East Side Digital 80382 Vocals, harmonies 1989 The Young Fresh Fellows This One's for the Ladies Frontier FRO 31034CD Background vocals 1987 The Young Fresh Fellows The Men Who Loved Music Frontier 4611-2-L13 Vocals 1985 The Young Fresh Fellows Fabulous Sounds of the Pacific Northwest East Side Digital Vocals 1984 The Young Fresh Fellows Topsy Turvy East Side Digital Vocals 1984 Various Artists The Girls Can't Help It – A Modern Girl Group Compilation Rhino RNLP 024 With the Dynette Set on Track 6, "Seed of Love" 1983 Various Artists Seattle Syndrome Two EngramENG 012 With the Dynette Set on track 4, "Tell Me What You Want"