About Connie
"When we share our own rhythms, we create one heck of a groove."
Known for saucy lyrics and high caliber performances, Connie was an entertainer out of the gate. Serious sorties began in high school when her band Luke performed throughout the mid-Atlantic—from Philly to Virginia Beach, to the Princeton Club and William & Mary College. She trekked west in the late 70’s, crooning with the Bill Brown Band in Salt Lake City and San Francisco. Back in Utah, she formed another hot tamale group, Connie and the Rhythm Method with David Jette. In demand, they toured Boise, Moab, Missoula, and the Hollywood Palace in Los Angeles.
In 1986 Connie Brannock won the Stroh’s Superstar Talent Search and was signed by MCA Records. Caleb Ruffin, with Sounds of Success (S.O.S.), recruited her to move to Atlanta and work on a single.
Instead, she up and joined the service just before her 35th birthday.
Connie served admirably for 21 years and deployed twice in Operation Iraqi Freedom. A compelling leader, she has been a mentor to many young men and women and believes that leadership is an act of love.
Connie continues to pay tribute to the legendary artists who shaped her sounds throughout her career: Sly and the Family Stone, Laura Nyro, Carole King, Jeff Lorber and Patrice Rushen.
In Connie's Words
Growing up, the songs I heard shaped my ears. They floated off front porches, thumped out from passing cars and frequently spun on my family’s portable record player.
The first 45rpm I ever owned was Soulful Strut, the classic instrumental by Young-Holt Unlimited. I played it constantly and darn near wore the Motorola’s arm off! Then there was my mother playing Aretha’s Spanish Harlem, Donavon’s Mellow Yellow, anything by the Henri Mancini Orchestra and my father’s beloved Chet Atkins.
Myriad events chisel and shape our lives. A pivotal moment for me was my decision to enlist in the US Army. My friends thought I was nuts, yet the military helped me find and nurture my best self. Twenty-two years later, that best self danced into Tucson, Arizona, where I live and play today.
Music is my balm, my elixir, my why. I compose on piano or ukulele. I can pop a beat or two on the cajon and, if absolutely necessary, can shout out a few stabs on the trombone. Acoustic, electric, my joy is grounded in collaborating with others; our world needs each one of us, and connecting is such a gift.
Thanks for sharing the joy of music with me!