Kelly Hogan

Equally comfortable with indie rock, traditional country, and jazz pop, Atlanta native singer/songwriter Kelly Hogan explored all of those directions and more in her career. As the singer for The Jody Grind in the late 80's and early '90s, Hogan made a name for herself and the band with her lovely, versatile voice. The group released two albums -- 1990's One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure and 1992's Lefty's Deceiver -- before a car accident killed two of its members. After this loss, Hogan joined the arty garage rock revivalists The Rock*A*Teens, on guitar, appearing on their 1996 self-titled debut EP and their follow-up, Cry. In 1996 she also released her first solo album, The Whistle Only Dogs Can Hear, which featured her own material alongside covers of Palace and Vic Chesnutt songs. In 1997 she relocated to Chicago and in 2000 released her second solo album and Bloodshot Records' debut, Beneath the Country Underdog, which featured Jon Langford's Pine Valley Cosmonauts as her backing band and guest vocals by Edith Frost. A year later, she returned with Because It Feel Good, another eclectic set featuring performers like Andrew Bird and covers of songs by the Statler Brothers, Smog, Charlie Rich, and Randy Newman. Hogan has appeared on records and collaborated with the aforementioned Bird, Mavis Staples, The Decemberists, The Mekons, The New Pornographers, Alejandro Escovedo, Amy Ray, Tortoise, Jim Lauderdale, The Sadies, Silkworm, John Wesley Harding, The Minus 5, Drive-By Truckers, Jakob Dylan, and others -- and has recorded and performed as a full-time member of Neko Case's backing band since 1998. Her second solo outing, I Like to Keep Myself in Pain, featuring an all-star band led by Booker T. Jones and James Gadson, was released through ANTI in 2012. She is currently a member of Chicago's twisted sunshine pop quintet The Flat Five, and tours with Neko Case and The Decemberists.