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Vicki Loveland

As a singer, songwriter, producer and performer, Vicki Loveland’s life has always been about music.  Her mother was a big band singer touring in the 1940’s and 50’s; her father was a radio DJ in Jacksonville, Florida.  By the time Vicki was four years old, she was absorbing country, blues, and gospel music from her grandfather’s radio and became immersed in four-part harmonies with her mom and older siblings on the family front porch in Memphis. Vicki’s professional singing career began when she was 14: “I graduated from high school early and went straight to ‘the road’,” she says. “I never really wanted to do anything but music.” Her live performance and studio work as a singer and percussionist has included shows and sessions with legendary blues artists such as Albert Collins, Isaac Hayes, Albert King and Rufus Thomas, as well as Philadelphia’s Low Cut Connie, Alex Chilton, Tav Falco, The Box Tops, The Funk Brothers, The Hi Rhythm Section, Keith Sykes, and many more. Vicki also found time to graduate magna cum laude from the University of Memphis with a degree in music and recording technology (she worked as a recording engineer and producer at several Memphis studios). 

Photo by Harry Corcoran at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney

 
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Van Duren

Vocalist/bassist/guitarist/pianist Van Duren has written and recorded more than a dozen albums in his long career, including 4 solo albums and collaborations with Jody Stephens, Chris Bell, Tommy Hoehn, and Tim Horrigan.  Born in Memphis to blue collar parents who both sang around the house, Van felt the pull of music as a kid seeing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan’s show in 1964. Managed by Andrew Loog Oldham in the mid-1970’s, Duren moved from Memphis to New York City and cut his first album, Are You Serious? in 1977.  The album was a surprise cult hit and garnered radio airplay on more than 100 US FM stations.  After a finished second album was shelved by the record label, Van returned to Memphis and started over. He formed the quartet Good Question in 1982, quickly becoming one of the top live and recording acts in the South for 17 years.  Along the way, Van sang and/or played on tracks with Ringo Starr, Billy Swan, The Scruffs, and Rufus Thomas.  The Australian documentary film about his early career, Waiting:  The Van Duren Story (2019) produced a soundtrack album, released by Omnivore Recordings.  This led Omnivore to reissue Are You Serious? and Duren’s second album, Idiot Optimism, in 2020 to rave reviews and some closure.      A long-lost live Good Question performance, Cartwheeling: Van Duren & Good Question Live 1992 was finally released by Omnivore in December 2023. (https://omnivorerecordings.com/?post_type=product&s=Van+Duren) Photo by Harry Corcoran at Oxford Art Factory, Sydney.

Any Such Thing

Memphis, Tennessee — Veteran recording artists Vicki Loveland and Van Duren are cradling dynamite once again with their latest album release, Any Such Thing (Edgewood Recordings, 2021)  Following the duo’s first two albums Bloody Cupid (2013) and Next (2016), Any Such Thing reflects the sum of their experiences through the past 13 years of performing together in the Mid-South and in faraway locales. Traveling the indie film circuit in 2019 to LA, London, Australia, and Tasmania in support of the documentary Waiting: The Van Duren Story, Loveland Duren performed for ecstatic crowds who fell in love with their music, moving Vicki and Van deeply.  Any Such Thing swings from rock & soul to power pop to orchestral to rhythm & blues to eclectic improvisation in the most adventurous and wily ways.  Loveland Duren’s music is about life and love well lived, with a soundtrack to match every amazing turn. And as Hemingway said, “Ain’t it pretty to think so?”

Order Any Such Thing below or by clicking here!

  • Tuesday December 31, 2024

    Vicki Loveland & Van Duren

    New Year’s Eve @ Bosco’s

    8-11 pm

    Overton Square, Memphis

  • Saturday April 12, 2025

    Memphis Harvest Band Tribute to Neil Young featuring Vicki Loveland & Van Duren

    Wiseacre Brewery

    7-9 PM

    Broad Street, Memphis

  • Every Thursday

    Van Duren Solo

    Mortimer's

    6:29-8:31 pm

    N. Perkins @ DB Cooper Blvd, Memphis

*Prices Include Shipping

Loveland Duren - Next
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Loveland Duren - Next
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Loveland Duren - Bloody Cupid
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