The Iveys

With this CD of Christmas songs, The Iveys Showed us their diversity and succeded in their approach to make a refreshing and quality Christmas CD. - Keys and Chords

Sibling group The Iveys wrapped up a busy 2012- one that included the release of its second album, Days & Nights, as well as two national tours- by issuing its first Christmas EP, The Iveys Christmas. - Decoy Music

Written by Ellen Marie Hawkins

"...inspirational listening perfect for year round plays. It wasn’t one of the last albums in my rotation for 2012. Instead, it was one of the first for 2013, and I couldn’t have started off the year any better." - Relate Magazine

Austin // 24 July, 2012

PRESENTED BY STEPHANIE ROBALINO

The Iveys are a young, breakout, acoustic rock band from El Paso, Texas, consisting of siblings Arlen, Jessica & Jillian Ivey. Constantly on the road with over three hundred live shows and five national tours in the past two and a half years, (and harmonies that only siblings can boast) The Iveys are out to conquer 2012 with their energy, music, and fun stage presence. Their highly anticipated second studio album "Days & Nights" is now available.

www.theiveysmusic.com

Tune in again to BalconyTV //

Audio and video production by Capital Media Corp. Austin, TX
Producer - Joe Lynch. Sound Engineers - Nick Smith and Doug Dewey - BalconyTV Austin 7-24-2012

http://www.ktsm.com/news/nc9-first-friday-showcase-iveys - News Channel 9 - KTSM (7/06/2012)

RETURN OF THE IVEYS

El Paso sibling rock trio The Iveys will perform at noon Sunday at the Chilitos on Foothills Road. Enjoy brunch and a bucket of Coronitos at the Mexican restaurant while listening to the sounds of the indie pop-rock group.

I've interviewed the Iveys — lead singer Arlen and sisters Jillian and Jessica — on multiple occasions, and they are among the nicest people you could ever talk to. I also really enjoy their sensible, heartfelt tunes.

They are touring in support of their new album, "Days & Nights," which I have not yet heard, but am excited to get a taste of on Sunday.

By Lucas Peerman/lpeerman@lcsun-news.comlcsun-news.com
Posted: 06/22/2012 - Las Cruces Sun-News (June 22nd, 2012)

The Iveys video review by David Kosloski of Music2Rise

El Paso, Texas brings us an Indie Rock act called The Iveys. The Iveys have performed over 300 shows and have had 5 national tours in the past two years. The band has been featured on Fuse T.V. as Unsigned Band of the Month as well as features on Fox, ABC, and CBS. The Iveys recently recorded with Justin J Leeah (Conor Oberst, Yeah Yeah Yeahs).

Key Tracks: Lady Made Of Stone & Falling

http://theiveysmusic.com/
Contact- booking@theiveysmusic.com

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Check out Vocal Eze:
http://vocaleze.com/ - Music2Rise 5/30/2012

"The Iveys definitely stand out on their latest release "Days & Nights." The vocals of Arlen Ivey and the backing vocals of his sisters Jessica and Jillian are excellent. The music on each song is superb and the songwriting was exceptional. I don't know how far The Iveys will go in the music world. But I'd guess that with the talent that they show on this album, The Iveys will soon be a name that many music lovers will know. -Bruce Von Stiers - BVS Reviews (April 3rd, 2012)

"Their songwriting is as strong as their vocals; neither talent is better than the other: an accomplishment that is obvious through every song and such a rarity to everyone but them. Sometimes it’s a lyric that captures my attention, sometimes a background vocal that surprises me, sometimes a piano that makes me take pause and want to listen again. Days & Nights is the type of music that I simply define as my comfort food. Without fail, it’s always good. They may have gone through some dark days, but the light still shines on their talent and spirit. So glad they’re back and already looking forward to the next one.”
- Ellen Marie Hawkins, Relate Magazine (Feb 14, 2012) - Relate Magazine 2-14-2012

"With a lot of touring, and singer-songwriter Arlen Ivey’s vocal problems behind them, the trio returns with a six-song collection that deepens their sound. Arlen (the main writer and singer) has a gift for compelling melodies, which lend themselves well to his restrained, lyrical vocal style on songs like “Falling,” which local pop and public radio should be playing, as well as first single “Lady Made of Stone.” - Jillian Ivey makes a solid lead vocal debut on the lilting “Keeping Me Strong.” Makes you want to hear what pianist Jessica Ivey can do."
- Doug Pullen, El Paso Times(Apr 03, 2012) - El Paso Times (Apr 03, 2012)

"Days & Nights simply offers well-crafted songs with sneaky-good hooks. Fans of quality vocal work will certainly gravitate to The Iveys sound."
- Nick Senior, Decoy Music (Feb 21, 2012)
- Decoy Music (Feb 21st, 2012)

Lovely harmonies from El Paso siblings Arlen, Jessica and Jillian Ivey float through the six songs on the trio’s second recorded effort, following 2009’s self-titled debut. The Iveys sound can be best described as folk-pop with some rock edge and synthesized wizardry. But mostly, it’s just refreshing.
Listening to “Falling,” “Lady Made of Stone” and “In the Dark” brings to mind the breezy attraction of Southern California pop merged with some of that Texas heartland rock. These are songs ready-made for driving top down across a freedom highway. - Dallas Morning News 2/25/2012

"They may be from the country stronghold of El Paso, Texas, but the one brother, two sisters act the Iveys operates in the soft-rock category Fleetwood Mac once owned and expanded. “In The Dark” is clear evidence of the musical debt owed Lindsey Buckingham by brother Arlen Ivey, who wrote all of the album’s material. The tune is pushed by Arlen’s aggressive acoustic and features guitarist Jethro Gaglione dashing in between lyric lines like a picador with quick electric slashes. Thanks to the increasingly evident influence of Mac and others on modern country, it’s easy to hear something like “Shadows” as sounding like the result of a very good day in the studio for a band like Lady Antebellum! – RA"
- Rick Allen, Vintage Guitar Magazine(Jun 05, 2012) - Vintage Guitar Magazine(Jun 05, 2012)

"This was my second time seeing The Iveys, I had previously seen their set at IPO Detroit, and I came away impressed on both occasions. Their acoustic set at IPO was crisp and tight, they have the feel of a veteran touring group and a wonderful stage presence as well as an innate awareness of the crowd. This is an immensely talented band with big ambitions and the talent to achieve their goals."

Michael Canter, Milwaukee (Jivewired) May 8th, 2012 - Jivewired 5/8/2012

Lovely harmonies from El Paso siblings Arlen, Jessica and Jillian Ivey float through the six songs on the trio’s second recorded effort, following 2009’s self-titled debut. The Iveys sound can be best described as folk-pop with some rock edge and synthesized wizardry. But mostly, it’s just refreshing.
Listening to “Falling,” “Lady Made of Stone” and “In the Dark” brings to mind the breezy attraction of Southern California pop merged with some of that Texas heartland rock. These are songs ready-made for driving top down across a freedom highway. - Dallas Morning News

"The Iveys, three siblings from El Paso, Texas, have released their second studio EP, Days and Nights and it is a treat to the ears. The group, made up of frontman Arlen Ivey and backed by his sisters, Jessica and Jillian, have come up with an album pleasurably reminiscent of The Dream Academy’s “Life In A Northern Town” with their matched harmonies and soft rock /folk sound.

On their website, The Iveys claim to be a rock band. I disagree with locking them into just one genre like that because they are much more. The new EP crosses boundaries into several different areas while melding them all into a continuous harmonic and ethereal feel throughout. That’s a good word for this EP… ethereal. It’s breathy, light, airy and filled with emotion in the well-written songs, all penned by Arlen.

The EP is well-produced, with strong musicianship and good mastering. The sister’s vocals, whether background or up front as on Keeping Me Strong, are a delight to listen to as is their brother’s melodic soft tones. I enjoyed listening to this CD and will be keeping it in rotation in my player. I look forward to what comes next from this family band, and I’m betting they are on a musical journey that will take them many places through the years. I definitely want to be around to hear it."
- Dan Harr, Music News Nashville (Feb 4, 2012) - Music News Nashville

The Iveys – Days and Nights

Posted on February 4, 2012 by Dan Harr


by Dan Harr

The Iveys, three siblings from El Paso, Texas, have released their second studio EP, Days and Nights and it is a treat to the ears. The group, made up of frontman Arlen Ivey and backed by his sisters, Jessica and Jillian, have come up with an album pleasurably reminiscent of The Dream Academy’s “Life In A Northern Town” with their matched harmonies and soft rock /folk sound.

On their website, The Iveys claim to be a rock band. I disagree with locking them into just one genre like that because they are much more. The new EP crosses boundaries into several different areas while melding them all into a continuous harmonic and ethereal feel throughout. That’s a good word for this EP… ethereal. It’s breathy, light, airy and filled with emotion in the well-written songs, all penned by Arlen.

The EP is well-produced, with strong musicianship and good mastering. The sister’s vocals, whether background or up front as on Keeping Me Strong, are a delight to listen to as is their brother’s melodic soft tones. I enjoyed listening to this CD and will be keeping it in rotation in my player. I look forward to what comes next from this family band, and I’m betting they are on a musical journey that will take them many places through the years. I definitely want to be around to hear it.

For more, visit their website at www.theiveysmusic.com - Music News Nashville

• The Iveys, who have a new album coming out in February (great harmonies), will be among the area bands playing a Dec. 3 benefit for Red Thread, the anti-human trafficking campaign.

It's also a fundraiser for organizer Josh Rivera, who is raising money for a planned trip to the Calvary Chapel Bible College in Budapest.

The show runs from 5:30-10:30 p.m. at UTEP's Baptist Student Ministries Building, 101 University.

Acoustic sister duo Poema goes on at 9:45 p.m. The Iveys go on at 8:50.

Also performing: JustJosh (Rivera); Lunar Elastic; Cam & Emi; Brannon Rush; Faith Brown; Israel Hall; and Jon Roman.

There's no admission charge. Donations will be accepted at the door. - El Paso Times - By Music Editor, Doug Pullen

Aug. 27–One of the most pleasant sounds coming out of El Paso these days is that of The Iveys, a brother and two sisters folk/pop act hailing from the farmlands southeast of the Sun City.

Harmonizing with hope-filled lyrics over simple guitar/keyboard chords, you can imagine a Hollywood sound editor falling in love with this band and choosing any one of the tracks off their self-titled debut album to pair with a montage of two people building a relationship, a friendship blossoming or a person picking themselves up after falling on hard times.

Luckily, for us here in the Southwest, we get to experience The Iveys’ gratifying shows live and insert our own images. Their next concert is tonight at El Patio. The trio performs twice in El Paso on Wednesday and will be back in Las Cruces on Oct. 2 to open for the Eli Young Band as part of the Southern New Mexico State Fair.

Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Arlen Ivey said area venues and fans have been supportive of the band since its first CD was released in February.

"We’ve had a really, really good response to our album," he said, noting that regional shows are easier to book, radio stations in every corner of the world (from Germany to Australia to the Caribbean) have started putting their songs on rotation and random texts of kindness are becoming common.

"I got a text from a girl that had heard about us through one of our friends and she just wanted to say she could really relate to our music," he said. "That’s the best feeling when someone tells you that."

While Arlen mans the mic and the strings, his younger sisters, Jessica and Jillian, each tickle the ivories and provide backup vocals. Middle brother Cameron is the roadie, taking care of the band’s equipment, managing finances and doing the majority of driving from show to show.

The Iveys come from a prominent ranching and farming family near Tornillo, Texas. There are seven siblings in all.

"All three of us wanted to do something different," Arlen said about the band members. "We’re all artists at heart. Our father told us, "Always do what you love to do.’ And this is what we love to do."

Growing up, the Ivey household was filled with many genres of music, from classical to classic rock, Arlen remembers. The Beatles, Queen, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Mozart, Beethoven all inspired the young Iveys to pick up an instrument.

By 2008, Arlen, Jessica and Jillian began writing their own tunes and jamming together. They developed a folksy pop sound similar to Fleetwood Mac or the Eagles and recorded their album at the famed Sonic Ranch Recording Studios in Tornillo.

Arlen said the siblings get along most of the time, but do have their disagreements. "It’s not like in other bands, where if you walk away, you walk away and you don’t come back. We’re family, so if we walk away, we always come back."

He also said he’s thrilled every time he takes the stage with his sisters. "I look to my right, and there’s Jillian and to my left, and there’s Jessica and I say, "Wow, we’re really doing this.’"

Lucas Peerman can be reached at lpeerman@lcsun-news.com; (575) 541-5446. - Las Cruces Sun News

Tough Enough rock concert to benefit cancer treatment and awareness

The concert will feature El Paso's fine sibling band The Iveys, as well as Las Cruces acoustic rock stars Daniel Park, Ty Elwin and Rein Garcia.

Most of the musicians are appearing at no coast and all proceeds from the $3 cover will be donated to cancer treatment and awareness campaigns.

The Iveys, Arlen, Jessica and Jillian --a brother and two sisters folk/pop act out of El Paso --are more than happy to contribute to the cause. "The Iveys have been involved in cancer awareness for many years, usually as entertainment for special events and fundraisers such as "Tough Enough to Rock Pink,' said Arlen, the lead singer.

He noted the band members' grandmother is a six-year survivor of breast cancer. "It is hard for families to go through, I know it was for mine. The more people who get involved and spread the word to get check-ups, mammograms, etc., the better we can beat breast cancer," he said.

--By Lucas Peerman, Las Cruces Sun-News - Oct 07, 2010 (Las Cruces Sun-News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX)

Trio of musical siblings harmonize naturally
Annika Larson/The Daily
Friday, September 3, 2010

This Saturday, El Paso band The Iveys hopes to get feet tapping at the Brewhouse.

“[The show] will be a good time no matter what,” guitarist and singer Arlen Ivey said. “We’ve got a few cover songs we’ll bring the crowd in with, and I think you’ll really get into our original music as well.”

The Iveys sound a little like Matchbox 20, mainly because Arlen’s voice is uncannily similar to that of Rob Thomas. He claims Ryan Adams and Fleetwood Mac as influences for their Americana rock sound, also crediting The Eagles for inspiring some of the band’s harmonies.

Though some shows are acoustic, featuring only Ivey siblings, the Iveys will be a 6-piece group at this show. Jethro Gaglione provides lead guitar, with Frank Delgado on drums and Eli Chanson on bass. Arlen’s sisters Jessica and Jillian both play keyboard and sing. This makes for what Ivey said is an auspicious sound.

“We’re lucky that we’re siblings,” Ivey said. “We already have vocals that kind of fit together.”

Though Ivey said they started playing professionally only recently, after he spent years playing in hard rock and metal bands, the siblings have been singing together since childhood, getting their start in the church choir. Now the group is focused on original music, and have been touring “pretty much nonstop” to promote their self-titled album since its release in 2008.

Ivey said the group usually plays at coffee shops and bars, and has started building up its reputation by touring nationwide and playing “better” clubs in Austin. He said he and his bandmates are excited to be returning to the Brewhouse.

The show begins at 9 p.m. Saturday. The Iveys are joined by Kyle Reid and Laura Wiederhoeft. Ivey promises free stickers to anyone who attends, so there’s really no reason to skip it.

-By Annika Larson/The Daily - The Oklahoma Daily

"The Iveys Perform live, with interview on AM NorthWest, KATU Portland ABC 7-19-2010 - KATU - Portland ABC

"The Iveys Perform their song "Running Out" LIVE on ABC Portland, KATU 7-19-2010 - KATU - Portland ABC

"August 9, 2010- If I had a talk show that aired on television, I would hire The Iveys as my house band (making no assumptions they'd accept because their light shines bright enough to do whatever they wish!) and if they were orphaned, I would snatch them up and adopt them (probably all seven if they assuming they are as fantastic as the original four I met)! The Iveys are back for a catch up tonight to hear about their current tour, their new music video and our overdue meeting last Friday night." - Bob Merrick - BaubShow Productions

The pop and rock music world is full of good bands that are breaking through, but occasionally a new band comes to you with an outstanding debut album that catches you completely off guard and sweeps you right off your feet. For me, that debut album is the one that crossed my desk from The Iveys. The Texas based trio grew up surrounded by music of all types from the Beatles and Stones to Eagles and Queen. Needless to say, they were introduced at a young age to melody, harmony, and solid music that has stuck with them throughout their lives eventually leading to their self-titled debut album. The harmonies are an obvious focus of the album from the early stages of it as "Sometimes" introduces you to their rich harmony blend that only siblings can offer. Throughout the 8-track release you are treated to mid to slow tempo cuts that lean heavy on the vocals. The passion in Arlen's leads on cuts like "Going The Right Way" and "The Promise" pull you into the songs and engulf you as you listen and it is easy to see why they've earned comparisons to the likes of Rob Thomas. When blending voices together in harmony, both Jessica and Jillian accent Arlen perfectly and when swapping leads with him their delivery brings a certain degree of vulnerability to the songs as is heard on "Whispered Words." This is a very solid debut effort that leaves me yearning for more and with TV spots already on E! and Fuse TV, and an album that sounds as good as this one does, I have no doubt in my mind that this is a band to keep watch on.
- The Guestlist Magazine

The Texas based trio The Iveys has done a well crafted debut album, it's a family band featuring Arlen whose voice remind of Rob Thomas and his sisters Jessica and Jillian.
The music is built on their beautiful harmony vocals which bring thoughts to The Corrs and Hanson, you will also hear traces of The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles in their sound.
I really like their mix of pop, country and soft modern rock - several songs on their 8 track album should do well on radio in the states and I won't be too surprised if we get to see them perform on the Country Music Awards in a near future.
Highlights: Going the right way, Leave it to love, Your love now - melodic.net

In a west Texas family filled with music lovers, The Iveys are in a wholesome musical class all their own. Gentle instrumentals with harmonizing vocals is not revolutionary but these guys do stand out in their genre. The brother and sisters combo of Arlen, Jillian, and Jessica mesh the keyboards and melodic guitar in support of uplifting verses and hopeful choruses.


Check out The Iveys interview with Art Star below and enjoy the jams above!


AS: How has the last year been for the band? How has touring been? Can you give us a recap? Any memorable stories that pop out?


Iveys: “The last year has been absolutely insane in the best way possible! We went from singing cover songs outside our local Starbucks coffee shop to writing and recording our album, to filming a music video that was featured on Fuse TVs On Demand Programming, to touring across the country in support of it. This last year has been filled with amazing experiences and has just given us great memories all around.

Of course there are high moments and low moments on the road, but overall there were a lot more of the classic moments that make you smile when you remember them than there were bad. To walk into a bar a thousand miles away from home that is filled with people who have never heard of your music and have no idea who you are is a little overwhelming at times. But at the end of the night having those same people buy CDs and t-shirts, offer you a place to stay and go out of their way to try and help you in any way they can is absolutely amazing!
This tour we were on the road for about a month and a half, we started out in Ruidoso, New Mexico went up into Oklahoma and then made our way across the Southern States going all the way to Florida before looping up into Georgia and then making our way back to Texas through Tennessee.

We have a lot of memorable stories from the road! One of them was in Albuquerque, NM. We performed at a house party and it was right around Albuquerque’s “Annual Wine Festival”. There was a guy who had been outside at the Wine Fest all day and he had ended up really badly sunburned. By the time he got to the party he’d also had a little too much to drink and didn’t seem to understand why his face hurt. He kept walking up to us after we had finished playing asking us to touch his face and figure out what was wrong. We told him he was sunburned but he wouldn’t believe us. He was very persistent until we finally told him, “Look, dude. We’re not going to touch your face”.




AS: How does the song writing process work for the trio? Is someone a lyricist, while someone else works on the instrumentals?


Iveys: A lot of the time we will write the base of a song individually, and then come together to finish it. Track four on our CD “The Promise” is a great example of that and was definitely one of the most difficult songs to complete on our album. After going over it together, we decided it wasn’t the direction we wanted to take with the song, therefore we rewrote the chorus and spent days going over each lyric as well as the harmony/melody lines. Arlen is definitely the lyricist of the band, he is the one we turn to when we need a great lyric, we will sit in a group and he will toss ideas at us, when you hear the right lyric you know that it’s the one. We all put a lot of focus into our instruments, but again, it’s something that after we have the basics of what we want down we will come together to complete the idea.




AS: How do you think your music has evolved over the past year? How do you think your sound will change over the next year or so?


Iveys: Being in the studio really opened us up to a whole new world, we were surrounded by a lot of amazing musicians who really inspired us both vocally and musically. In this past year we have learned to make our music the best it can be even if it’s just played with a guitar and keys. We want to pull people in by the three of us singing, and we think we’re getting closer to that. Over the next year we would love to have even more of a rock sound, along the lines of a band like Fleetwood Mac. Our new songs are definitely leaning in that direction, and it’s something that we think our fans will really enjoy.




AS: What do you like about your debut, self titled album? What would you change or improve about the album?


Iveys: We love the touch producer Ettore Grenci gave to the album as well as the emotion that runs across the tracks. We had a blast recording the CD and that’s apparent when you listen to it, for us that’s very cool! There’s nothing we would change on the album, our only regret is that we were limited on time so we ended up leaving a couple of songs off that will have to wait until the next album.




AS: What are the band's plans for the holidays? Any special gigs? Odd traditions? (Sorry, dated question - should have gotten this posted sooner!)
Iveys: We’re going to be spending the holidays with our family which is something we’re really looking forward to. Last year was really hectic and the holidays went by in a blur, we ended up working right until Christmas Eve and got right back to it the day after Christmas. This year is going to be a lot of fun!
We’re going to be playing a number of number of shows in our area including being a part of a Christmas radio program during the holidays, but a special gig that’s coming up is going to be held by our cousin Ed Ivey (formerly of the Rhythm Pigs, currently of the Faraway Brothers). He holds an annual get together around Christmas time where everyone brings their instruments, sing and jam out. We have an extremely musical family and it’s a great way to get to see relatives you haven’t seen in a long time and just play music.
When we were kids we weren’t really supposed to drink coffee, but one of our traditions was that when Christmas day rolled around we were all allowed to drink a small cup. Even though we are all now avid coffee drinkers you’ll still see a “cup of Joe” in our hands on that special day in honor of our tradition!




AS: How was working with Ettore Grenci? Do you have a particular anecdote? How did he differ from Stephen Short and Tony Rancich? What did each person bring to the production table?


Iveys: We absolutely loved working with Ettore, not only is he an amazing producer but he’s a great guy as well. He asked for our input and got us very involved in the recording process when he could have just run with it, he worked with us in keeping the songs true to who we are which was something we really appreciated.
When we first began recording, Ettore thought Arlen’s name was Henson, it soon became the inside joke and was used whenever he wanted Arlen to do another vocal take. “One more time, Henson,” he would say with his amazing Italian accent, “From the beginning.” We all got a big kick out of it!
Ettore put his focus into the music we brought to him while Stephen Short and Tony Rancich really helped us on the technical side of things. Tony helped us narrow our songs down to the top eight and then pushed us to make them the best songs they could be, while Stephen gave us guidance and helped us prepare our minds for the road ahead. Our album would not have been what it is without all of their help.


AS: Is there anything that you would like to tell the ArtStar audience?


Iveys: We love talking with fans, and there are multiple ways to contact/follow us, be it on MySpace, Facebook, or Twitter just to name a few. Let us know what you think! We love to hear from you! Our music is also available on iTunes as well as our MySpace page. We are planning touring all next year from coast to coast so we’re really looking forward to meeting you! Finally, we wanted to send a special “thank you” to everyone who made this interview possible. You ROCK!!:)
----
I leave you as always saying, enjoy the songs, but if they are in your town, check 'em out, buy their album and get a decal. Keep their music flowing like vines on a brick wall. Cheers. - Art Star Magazine

The Iveys climb the music world's wall By Travis Leeper

Travelling across the South with a trailer full of PAs and microphones behind them, The Iveys are one of those magical families that somehow all grew up wanting the same thing: to share some music with everyone they come across.

The Iveys are Arlen, Jessica, and Jillian Ivey (along with bassist Jethro Gaglione and Angel Peraza on tour). Growing up in El Paso, Texas, the three siblings were surrounded with all the inspiration they needed.

"Everyone in my family loved music and we grew up listening to a lot of records," said Arlen in an interview with Tiger Weekly. "Stuff like The Rolling Stones, The Beetles, Queen, Fleetwood Mac, The Eagles, Aerosmith... I think that association with music was the only thing we had around. We all grew up playing music with my dad, and I've been writing songs since I was real young, so things just went from there."

"We played in churches, coffee shops, venues in El Paso, wherever we could find," continued Arlen. "And now, we've started to venture outside of that with our own original songs."

The Ivey's self-titled debut is out now, featuring songs rich with harmonies and sublime lyrics. If you're looking for something distinctly Southern yet rife with the intricacies of classic rock and pop, the Iveys will be sure to please.

"It's very uplifting," said Arlen of the album. "It immediately catches your ear. When writing the songs, we focused very much on the harmonies and the usage of vocals to create something really catchy. And recording the album was amazing; the place is called Sonic Ranch, and it's about forty minutes out of El Paso. It was great since we lived so close, but a ton of great artists have come through and we had a great opportunity since it was right next door. We were so prepared that it only took eight days to record the album, but we're really happy with the result."

The Iveys are currently on their third tour, with a Wednesday, February 10 stop at Northgate Tavern here in Baton Rouge. Though it'll be their first stop in this city, the Iveys are no freshmen to touring.

"This year alone we've already got eighteen shows lined up. Touring is crazy and a lot of fun, but what I like most is introducing our music to new people. I want people to hear it on a regular basis, get it on radio, whatever it takes. Getting our music out there is what we really care about."

Check out The Iveys online at myspace.com/theiveys, and make sure to check out their show at the Northgate Tavern tonight.
- Tiger Weekly

Iveys add bass, drums to signature harmonies
By Carl Hoover Tribune-Herald entertainment editor

Thursday January 14, 2010


For Arlen Ivey, lead singer and founder of The Iveys, the band’s current tour means more than family.

The El Paso-based trio — Arlen and sisters Jessica and Jillian — has added bass player Jethro Gaglioneand drummer Angel Peraza for their current tour in Texas and Oklahoma.

The band opens for tonight’s David Ramirez show at Common Grounds, and Arlen, 27, is loving the expanded sound. “We’ve got a full band. It’s a great experience for us . . . We want to keep these guys,” he said in a recent phone interview.

The bass and drums extends the Iveys’ guitar-keyboard sound: Arlen, the second of seven Ivey siblings, on acoustic and electric guitar; Jessica and Jillian on piano and Roland keyboards, respectively.

The Iveys grew up on a farm near Tornillo in the El Paso area, raising cotton, alfalfa and ostriches, though now the family farm grows pecans. Arlen said. Their father played guitar and passed on his music skills to his children, who grew up listening to their parents’ Fleetwood Mac, Paul Simon, Queen and the Rolling Stones albums. “As we grew up, we added Maroon 5 and Goo Goo Dolls,” Arlen explained. Arlen caught the music bug early and knew he wanted to be a musician, bypassing college for professional experience. His sisters, however, didn’t come aboard until about two years ago. “With their harmonies I knew I’d sound pretty good,” Arlen said.

What’s it like fronting a band with two younger, twentysomething sisters? “There’s a lot of fun, a lot of laughs — and a lot of teasing,” he said.

The Iveys released their first CD, the self-named The Iveys, last February and they’ve been busy spreading their melodic pop and vocal harmonies since then, leaning heavily on their Web site and their MySpace and Facebook pages to grow audiences and to keep in touch with fans. The threesome tries to respond to every fan’s e-mail and the time it takes to do that is worth the effort, Arlen said.

“On our last two tours, there was not one show I regretted playing,” he said. “Even the New Orleans show where three people showed up. There’s always that one person you connect to.”

The Iveys will open for tonight’s headliner, Austin singer-songwriter David Ramirez. Ramirez is touring in support of his Birmingham: An Acoustic EP and last year’s American Soil. Rounding out tonight’s concert are Dallas singer-songwriters Summer Ames and Becky Middleton.

* * *

David Ramirez with Summer Ames, Becky Middleton and the Iveys

Performance: 8 tonight at Common Grounds, 1123 S. Eighth Ave.

Tickets: $7 at the door.
- Waco Tribune