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Paula Frazer
Biography
There aren't many American singers possessed of a fine country twang who are actually from the Deep South, and who would specifically name Australian Nick Cave as the main influence on their work. But such is the case for the talented Paula Frazer, who far from being any sort of clone also brings the same wide range of influences to bear on her own work, from punk and blues to cabaret and gospel, for her own striking musical visions. Raised in both Georgia and Arkansas, her musical influences readily came from both parents. She sang in the church choir, where her father was a preacher, while her mother taught her piano and introduced her to music from George Gershwin and Billie Holiday to the contemporary music of the 1960s and 1970s. After various youthful experiences in local bands, Frazer moved in 1981 to San Francisco to seek her wider fortune.

While initially bopping around in a variety of bands, including a stint with the undeservedly obscure Frightwig, Frazer's big break came with Tarnation, a band that admittedly was essentially Frazer through and through. The initial lineup recorded two albums, coming to wider attention thanks to the excellent Gentle Creatures, appearing in 1995.
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