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World Cafe Nashville: Liz Cooper And The Stampede

Liz Cooper
Lindsay Patkos
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Courtesy of the artist
Liz Cooper

When Liz Cooper got her first guitar, it didn't help her social life. A high schooler who'd spent her early years as an athlete, Cooper fell in love with the instrument and spent hours in her room teaching herself to play in the intricate, looping fashion she still uses today. Cooper has gained a growing following in Nashville and beyond as one of the rock scene's most distinctive guitarists, with a style few can imitate. In her trio, The Stampede, she builds alluring soundscapes where her gently philosophical, wryly romantic lyrics come to life.

Cooper's distinctive voice — an androgynous, salty, caramel drawl — draws you in, but the interplay with bandmates, Grant Prettyman on bass and Ryan Usher on drums, really captivates. The trio's debut album Window Flowers, recorded on vintage equipment with a millennial sensibility at the helm, is one of the summer's most refreshing listens.

Call it psychedelic, call it classic or call it the sound of new Nashville. Liz Cooper and The Stampede are leading the rock pack in Tennessee right now. Cooper and her bandmates spoke with Ann Powers at Sound Stage Studios in Nashville. Hear the complete session in the player.

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Ann Powers is NPR Music's critic and correspondent. She writes for NPR's music news blog, The Record, and she can be heard on NPR's newsmagazines and music programs.