Josh T. Pearson
Encyclopedia
Josh T. Pearson is a musician from Texas
. In 1996 he formed the short-lived but now critically acclaimed band Lift to Experience
, who released one double album, 2001's The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
, before splitting up soon after. Lift To Experience played live shows and became a favorite of the Denton, TX music scene. They also were played many times on the radio show The Adventure Club with Josh in Dallas on KDGE The Edge. Bella Union saw the band at South By Southwest and they were signed shortly after.
Pearson is currently pursuing a solo career, which so far has consisted of a number of tours, both headlining and supporting. Pearson no longer plays any Lift to Experience songs live.
Pearson has sold a variety of self-produced live recordings at recent gigs, including a bootleg album To Hull And Back and a DVD single Live In Paris. He featured on a guitar and backing vocals on two songs, "Seal Jubilee" and "Trophy" on the Bat for Lashes
album Fur and Gold
.
The only solo studio-recorded song to be released for almost ten years was a cover of Hank Williams' song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
", which was released as one half of a split 7" single also featuring Dirty Three
. Pearson has notably performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties
festival several times over the last few years.
Pearson's current solo output falls into two categories - rock songs performed on electric guitar, more reminiscent of his output with Lift to Experience and quiet, acoustic country songs. He has performed the former material live with Robert B. Weaver III of The Paper Chase
on bass, and former Lift To Experience drummer Andy Young on drums, most notably when supporting the reformed My Bloody Valentine in Austin and Dallas, Texas in April 2009. In June 2009, Pearson moved to Paris where he joined a group of musicians, including Bosque Brown
and H-Burns, in playing regular gigs at Paris crêperie West Country Girl with his final appearance in June 2010. An album of sessions performed there will be released in 2011.
In January 2010, Pearson recorded an album of epic acoustic ballads in Berlin
. He has also recorded two songs with pianist Dustin O'Halloran while in Berlin, "Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ" and "Country Dumb". "Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ" can currently be exclusively heard on his SoundCloud page http://soundcloud.com/joshtpearson. In August 2010, Pearson signed a worldwide record deal with Mute Records
. In November 2010, Mute announced the signing of Josh T. Pearson and his debut solo album release. Last Of The Country Gentlemen
was released in the spring of 2011. In September 2011 a limited (1,000 copies) "unofficial Bootleg" of Josh T. Pearson recorded live at London's Union Chapel entitled "The King Is Dead" was released to coincide with Pearson's UK summer festival appearances.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. In 1996 he formed the short-lived but now critically acclaimed band Lift to Experience
Lift to Experience
Lift to Experience was a band from Denton, Texas that formed in 1996 with vocalist and guitarist Josh T. Pearson, drummer Andy "The Boy" Young and bassist Josh "The Bear" Browning...
, who released one double album, 2001's The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads
The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads is a double-disc, concept album from Lift to Experience, an indie rock trio from Denton, Texas.The recording, which saw release in 2001, was the first and only full-length recording from the band...
, before splitting up soon after. Lift To Experience played live shows and became a favorite of the Denton, TX music scene. They also were played many times on the radio show The Adventure Club with Josh in Dallas on KDGE The Edge. Bella Union saw the band at South By Southwest and they were signed shortly after.
Pearson is currently pursuing a solo career, which so far has consisted of a number of tours, both headlining and supporting. Pearson no longer plays any Lift to Experience songs live.
Pearson has sold a variety of self-produced live recordings at recent gigs, including a bootleg album To Hull And Back and a DVD single Live In Paris. He featured on a guitar and backing vocals on two songs, "Seal Jubilee" and "Trophy" on the Bat for Lashes
Bat for Lashes
Natasha Khan , also known by her stage name Bat for Lashes, is an English musician. She sings and plays the piano, bass, guitar, harpsichord and the autoharp....
album Fur and Gold
Fur and Gold
Fur and Gold is the debut album by English solo artist Bat for Lashes, released in 2006. It was released to critical acclaim and was nominated for the 2007 Mercury Prize. In 2007, the album was re-released through Parlophone with the addition of a cover of the Bruce Springsteen song "I'm on Fire"...
.
The only solo studio-recorded song to be released for almost ten years was a cover of Hank Williams' song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" is a song written and recorded by American country music singer-songwriter Hank Williams in 1949. The song about loneliness was largely inspired by his troubled relationship with wife Audrey Sheppard...
", which was released as one half of a split 7" single also featuring Dirty Three
Dirty Three
Dirty Three are an instrumental trio consisting of Warren Ellis , Mick Turner and Jim White , originating from Melbourne, Australia. Since the Dirty Three formed in 1992, they have spent a lot of time overseas...
. Pearson has notably performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival several times over the last few years.
Pearson's current solo output falls into two categories - rock songs performed on electric guitar, more reminiscent of his output with Lift to Experience and quiet, acoustic country songs. He has performed the former material live with Robert B. Weaver III of The Paper Chase
The Paper Chase (band)
The Paper Chase was an alternative rock band formed in 1998 by well known producer/engineer John Congleton in Dallas, Texas, signed to Kill Rock Stars and Southern Records. Their Albums "God Bless Your Black Heart" and "Now You Are One Of Us" have been released on vinyl by the Austrian label Trost...
on bass, and former Lift To Experience drummer Andy Young on drums, most notably when supporting the reformed My Bloody Valentine in Austin and Dallas, Texas in April 2009. In June 2009, Pearson moved to Paris where he joined a group of musicians, including Bosque Brown
Bosque Brown
Bosque Brown is an American indie band from the music town of Denton, Texas.While attending college there, singer-songwriter Mara Lee Miller chose "Bosque Brown" for her music, named after a river that runs through Stephenville, Texas, her childhood home. She recorded a handful of demos and had her...
and H-Burns, in playing regular gigs at Paris crêperie West Country Girl with his final appearance in June 2010. An album of sessions performed there will be released in 2011.
In January 2010, Pearson recorded an album of epic acoustic ballads in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He has also recorded two songs with pianist Dustin O'Halloran while in Berlin, "Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ" and "Country Dumb". "Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ" can currently be exclusively heard on his SoundCloud page http://soundcloud.com/joshtpearson. In August 2010, Pearson signed a worldwide record deal with Mute Records
Mute Records
Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:...
. In November 2010, Mute announced the signing of Josh T. Pearson and his debut solo album release. Last Of The Country Gentlemen
Last of the Country Gentlemen
Last of the Country Gentlemen is a single disc album release from Texan musician Josh T. Pearson.The album was recorded in Berlin in two nights, freshly written and committed to tape after Pearson saw how the songs affected audiences when he played them live.The recording, which was released in...
was released in the spring of 2011. In September 2011 a limited (1,000 copies) "unofficial Bootleg" of Josh T. Pearson recorded live at London's Union Chapel entitled "The King Is Dead" was released to coincide with Pearson's UK summer festival appearances.
Albums
| Title | Details | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Country | ||
| The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads is a double-disc, concept album from Lift to Experience, an indie rock trio from Denton, Texas.The recording, which saw release in 2001, was the first and only full-length recording from the band... (with Lift to Experience Lift to Experience Lift to Experience was a band from Denton, Texas that formed in 1996 with vocalist and guitarist Josh T. Pearson, drummer Andy "The Boy" Young and bassist Josh "The Bear" Browning... ) |
|
— |
| Last Of The Country Gentlemen Last of the Country Gentlemen Last of the Country Gentlemen is a single disc album release from Texan musician Josh T. Pearson.The album was recorded in Berlin in two nights, freshly written and committed to tape after Pearson saw how the songs affected audiences when he played them live.The recording, which was released in... |
Mute Records Mute is an independent record label based in the UK. It was founded in 1978 by Daniel Miller and featured several prominent musical acts on its roster such as Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Erasure and Fad Gadget.-Beginnings:... |
74 |
Singles
- Lift To Experience EP (1997) - with Lift to Experience
- These Are The Days (2001) - with Lift to Experience
- I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry (2006) - split 7" also featuring Dirty ThreeDirty ThreeDirty Three are an instrumental trio consisting of Warren Ellis , Mick Turner and Jim White , originating from Melbourne, Australia. Since the Dirty Three formed in 1992, they have spent a lot of time overseas...
(who play Doris) - Country Dumb (piano version) (20 February 2011) - with Dustin O'Halloran
- Woman, When I’ve Raised Hell (9 May 2011)
Bootlegs
- To Hull and Back (2005) CD-R Album. Live recording. Self released.
- The King Is Dead (2011) Vinyl Album. Live recording of London Union Chapel show May 11th 2011. Mute Czechoslovakia.
External links
- Official Page
- Mute
- Peter Sasala Management blog
- What A Wonderful Life by Stevie Chick, Loose Lips Sink Ships (Summer 2004)
- Josh T. Pearson Interviews Warren Ellis Of Dirty Three (September 2009)
- The Top 125 Peel Sessions Of All Time - 15/04/2001 Lift To Experience
- Uncut's Top 150 Albums Of The '00s - No64 Lift To Experience - The Texas-Jerasulem Crossroads
- Drowned In Sound Meets Josh T. Pearson - The Nottingham-Berlin Crossroads (May 22, 2007)
- Cloud 9 And Rising (May 31, 2002)
- A Minute Seen with Josh T. Pearson, a short film portrait.