Devon Cahill travels to Media Now STL
June 23, 2015
Devon Cahill sings, plays ukulele, and plays guitar for indie folk with soul band, Letter to Memphis. Their band name was inspired by the Pixies song title. For this reason, the band named themselves Letter (just one letter) to Memphis.
“Most people say Letters to Memphis,” she said with a laugh.
“I don’t necessarily listen to a lot of indie folk. I listen to a lot of different types of music. when I was in high school, I was really into the Pixies. I thought it was fitting because it has a certain ring to it, and Memphis was fitting since our music is folk and bluesy,” said Cahill.
Recorded in the bass (or bullfiddle) player Paul Niehaus’s basement, the band’s first album Phases displays a heavy but inspiring sound. Cahill proudly captured the picture of a yard in the South City that landed the role of their first album’s cover.
“There’s an old building in the background and an old fence, but there’s sunflowers growing. So, it’s the old and the new together,” said Cahill.
Cahill said, “This photo always spoke to me.”
Devon Cahill sings and plays the ukulele solo in the last song Phases.
“It felt really right.” Cahill said about singing the song named after the album.
The illustration on the band website was drawn by Cahill’s friend Michelle Volansky. Volansky is a crafter and illustrator, so she did the cartoon art displaying Gene Starks and Cahill with her watermelon ukulele.
She said proudly, “It’s gorgeous, colorful, and beautiful.”