We were lucky enough to sit down with Cooper and her sister-in -arms, Brianne, just after they exited the Main Stage at the Waterfront Blues Festival. Buzzing with post-performance exuberance and ready to charge ahead as her career takes off, Cooper was a delight.
Mr. Plank, paging Mr. Plank. Does anyone know where I can find Mr. Plank?
Watch our video interview above to find out why Mr. Plank had all of us laughing so hard (about 30 seconds into the video).
Need More Convincing? Ok, check out a little piece of the Blues Festival action on that Sunday afternoon and a rehearsal earlier in the week at our very own Mountain Air Studios.
On the big Miller Stage at Waterfront Park, and in the cozy confines of Mountain Air Studios in Brooklyn-Portland.
From Bridge to Nashville
Cooper is a fiery performer with a rich and soulful sound. She grew up on a tiny cattle ranch in the coastal Oregon mountains where she could see the stars and learned to reach for them. A gifted writer at an early age, she published her first poem at eleven-years-old. Cooper studied theater, dance, and music throughout her childhood and ultimately received a degree in Theater Arts from Portland State University.
Cooper left her beloved Northwest home and moved to Nashville in the spring of 2011 to chase her lifetime dream. After typical Nashville hard luck and heavy dues, (including breaking down in the desert, a massive bone infection, no job, no car, and no cash) Cooper finally got someone to pay attention to her music and her talent.
You can’t lose if you never stop trying. so that’s where we’re at right now. We’re just going to keep on trying. ~ Cooper
She was introduced to producer David Norris, and they began writing the record Cooper has always wanted to make, a soulful assortment of Motown style ballads and funky upbeat dance tunes sprinkled with rock and roll guitars and rich harmonies.
Her first gig in Nashville was opening for the Queen of Rock and Roll herself, Wanda Jackson, at a birthday bash held for fashion icon Manuel. Her music caught the ear of music industry notables and she recorded her full length album at The Tracking Room (as seen on ABC’s new drama Nashville), one of Nashville’s top recording studios.
Cooper’s live shows are packed with energy and fire. She has formed two 11-piece soul bands on each side of the country complete with horn sections, and back up singer/dancers. Her music is big and bold, and her performances rock the house.
She has written a fervid kaleidoscope of colorful songs that pour from her heart, onto a turntable and spill over onto the dance floor. This passionate artist draws from the past and paints the future with a fresh and unique style.
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- July is BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month (Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color) - July 14, 2022
My favorite memories are from spending summers in Bridge, OR up at the swimming hole and singing around the campfire. Good for you Cooper.
I live in Myrtle Point, graduated here in 1968, just returned August 2011. Just saw and listened to this link. Wow – you go, girl. People in “Podinky” Oregon are VERY proud of you!
My mother (Mildred Anderson) was one of seven graduates of the 1930 class of Bridge High School!
[…] Studios. Here’s a trip down memory lane or if you are new to the dynamo that is Cooper, an interview we did during last year’s amazing show from Cooper, caught in a post performance sit […]