Biography:

With what Neal Pond of American Profile calls "...a salvo of ax-slinging crunch, honky-tonk high spirits and soulful swagger," The Velvet Marias come calling from Richmond, Va. Turning heads with their high-energy shows since 2007, the Velvets' songs of "boozers, losers, lovers, leavers and dreamers bear the stamp of Janis Joplin’s ballsy wallop, the Stones’ randy, rowdy, high-voltage hammering, Merle Haggard’s barroom bruises" and the long, lonesome call of Lucinda Williams' enchanting wail.

Fronted by sultry vocalist Sarah Gleason and cowboy raconteur J.R. Smith, the Velvet Marias released their debut cd, "Don't Mind If I Do", in 2010. Propelled by the incendiary guitar work of Paul Pearce and the solid rhythm section of Jorge Santamaria and Michael Skiffington, "Don't Mind If I Do" instantly established the Velvet Marias as a force on the Central Virginia music scene.

The CD features 12 original hook-oriented snapshots that tell a story while everyone sings along. Add to that a deep list of genre-bending covers and a highly anticipated second album scheduled to be released in late 2011, and it's easy to understand why the Velvet Marias are one of the most sought-after bands in Virginia.