Sherri Harding urges you to walk a mile in her shoes in her soulfully bluesy new single and video Don’t Tell Me How I Feel — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The first single from her debut album A Million Pieces — recorded with an all-star cast in Muscle Shoals — the song and the accompanying video make it clear the Ottawa singer has paid her dues. After years on the road in various bands, playing everything from juke joints in the Northwest Territories to Armed Forces shows in Bosnia and the Middle East, home beckoned, and she finally returned to Ottawa. Eventually, like many in a government town, she ended up in the public service, but lived a double life, often having her guitar under her desk, ready to head out to a gig directly after the 9-to-5 grind.
Sherri is thrilled to showcase her debut album A Million Pieces with a CD release party at Ottawa’s Gladstone Theatre on Saturday, March 25 at 7:30 p.m. with special guest Jeff Rogers. For this special performance, Sherri has assembled a powerhouse 10-piece band with some of Ottawa’s finest musicians and singers, including several members of The Cooper Brothers. Sherri will perform her new album in its entirety, as well as some classics inspired by her Muscle Shoals experience.
In 2016, she got the chance to join hometown heroes The Cooper Brothers. “I remember feeling so proud singing The Dream Never Dies for the first time on stage with them,” says Sherri. After falling in love with her voice and realizing that, with all that talent, Sherri really deserved a serious shot — not as a backup singer, but out front — Dick Cooper started writing an album of songs for her during COVID.
From Day 1, Dick wanted to record in the same place as renowned female singers from Aretha Franklin and Etta James to Linda Ronstadt and Mavis Staples: Muscle Shoals, Alabama. So, in August 2022, with Dick producing, they headed down to the iconic recording mecca, where they assembled a stellar lineup for the project including bassist David Hood (of the legendary Swampers), guitarist Kelvin Holly (Little Richard, Bobby Bland), drummer Lynn Williams (Delbert McClinton, Wallflowers), keyboardists Clayton Ivey (Staple Singers, Thelma Houston) and Spooner Oldham (Wilson Pickett, Neil Young) and the Muscle Shoals Horns.
With so many legendary musicians, the result is a killer mix of musical styles. The songs range from flat-out, hook-laden rock (The System) to beautiful soul ballads (Lady of the House) and the up-tempo horn-infused pop of Don’t Tell Me How To Feel.
Watch the video for Don’t Tell Me How To Feel above, check out the track below, and find Sherri Harding at her website and Facebook.
