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Ruthie Bram’s “Will She” Named February “Best Song Of The
Month”
By Dale Kawashima
Ruthie Bram, 19, a promising funk/pop/rock singer/songwriter
& guitarist based in Amarillo, Texas, has won the SongwriterUniverse “Best
Song Of The Month” Contest for February, for her song “Will She” (lyrics
co-written by her brother, Isaac Bram). This song is included on her six-song
EP Ruthie Bram, which she released independently last month (Jan. 2008).
Ruthie Bram
“Will She” is a heartfelt, midtempo pop/rock ballad, which
starts with an intimate, acoustic guitar intro, then gradually builds into a
soaring, full-band arrangement. This song features an appealing pop melody,
plus a hooky chorus which is bolstered by Bram’s expressive lead and harmony
vocals. Also noteworthy is Bram’s electric guitar solo following the second
chorus, which helps drive the song’s momentum and energy.
Bram was born in Lebanon in 1988 during the Lebanese civil
war, and she was adopted as an infant by American parents. She was then raised
in Amarillo, TX, where she learned to play violin, and then piano.
Interestingly, it was just last year (2007) that she also started playing
electric lead guitar, and she quickly became skilled at it. As a guitarist, she
has been inspired by some of her favorite artists, such as Prince, Stevie Ray
Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. Impressively, Bram now has a sponsorship deal with
Daisy Rock Guitars.
When she was 15, Bram wrote and recorded a 3-song EP, which
subsequently was named one of the Top 25 Demos (of 2004) by Music Connection
magazine. The magazine also named her as one its Top 100 Unsigned performing
artists for that year. When she was 16, she met funk/R&B artist/musician
John Wilson, who played with James Brown. “John introduced me to a lot of great
funk musicians,” she said. “I love this music.”
Ruthie Bram
Since then, Bram has built a solid live following, by
touring steadily in several U.S. regions. “I now play between 150-200 shows per
year,” said Bram. “ I play a lot of shows in Texas, Los Angeles (she’s playing
the Key Club this month), New York, Tennessee, and I play casino gigs in Rhode
Island. And I am looking to get on a more commercial tour, like a House Of
Blues tour.” Notably, Bram has opened shows for major artists Sting and Natalie
Cole.
All of this touring has helped give Bram a high internet
profile – her MySpace page has now attracted over 115,000 visitors. “Thing are
going well,” she added. “I’ve had some interest from a music licensing company
in New York. Currently, I’m working on songs for my next EP and touring. I’d
also like to mention that I’m looking for a heavy-duty manager, to help take my
career to the next level.”
Here are the Top Five Songs which were submitted for this month's contest, with the songwriter credits, plus their e-mail and website links. You can listen to the winning songs by double-clicking the music players below.
"Best Song Of The Month" Winner
"Will She." Music written by Ruthie Bram of Amarillo, TX. Lyrics by Ruthie Bram and Isaac Bram. Performed by Ruthie Bram.