Chris Stamey

From his tenures with the Sneakers and the dB's to his subsequent solo projects, singer/songwriter Chris Stamey was a towering figure in the Southern jangle pop renaissance. Early in his career, Stamey fused the sensibilities of Big Star to new wave pop with the dB's on 1982's Repercussion, later blending angular melodies with playful melodicism on his 1987 solo effort It's Alright. Stamey detoured into introspective semi-acoustic pop with his former dB's bandmate Peter Holsapple on 1991's Mavericks, and he embraced the sounds of mid-century popular songwriting with the retro style of 2019's New Songs for the 20th Century. With 2023's The Great Escape, he explored new ground, adding country overtones to songs recalling his jangle pop salad days. Regardless of context, Stamey understood the importance of melody while also demonstrating the many ways in which it can be shaped, and he was a sought-after producer and sideman.