OF ALL THE NAMES mercilessly slung about when attempting to describe
the pitch and character of Sallie Ford’s wondrously unique
voice—Joanna Newsom, Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, and bafflingly
enough, Amy Winehouse—none of them come close to her true vocal
equal: Olive Oyl. Not necessarily the cartoon beanpole muse of a
certain spinach-craving sailor, but more the Shelley Duvall character
from the ill-fated 1980 Popeye film and her contribution to the
underappreciated Harry Nilsson-penned soundtrack. In numbers like the
bubbly pop song “He Needs Me”—which remained in the pop culture
spotlight long after the bloated film from which it derived faded from
memory—Duvall’s childlike squeal and swaying melody enter a vocal
stratosphere that few can match; with the exception of Ford, of
course.
The product of Asheville, North Carolina, Ford packed her bags and
headed west to Portland, destination unseen. “People in Portland don’t
know about Asheville, but people in Asheville definitely know about
Portland,” she explains. Ford’s cross-country relocation was not
musically driven, but following the change of scenery, she found her
rightful place behind the mic. “I mostly grew up playing classical
violin, singing, and doing musical theater, but when I moved here, it
just brought it out in me.”
Via the open mic scene, Ford’s unique voice found willing ears, and
soon a pair of Alaskan bandmates, Ford Tennis (drums) and Tyler
Tornfelt (upright bass), joined the ranks, followed by one more member,
Jeffrey Munger, plucked off the street while busking at Last Thursday.
Thus, the Southern gal with the inimitable set of pipes found herself
sharing a stage with the Sound Outside.
The band quickly crafted the warm, rural-tinged Americana-pop sound
that resonates on their Not an Animal EP, which despite
its first recording jitters, was more than enough to capture the
attention of fellow North Carolinians the Avett Brothers. The wildly
popular Avetts extended an invite to Ford & Co. to join them on the
road, a whirlwind tour of large venues that they just wrapped up. Yet
instead of resting on their laurels, Ford and the Sound Outside are
staying as active as possible, at one time having nearly a dozen
upcoming local shows on the docket. “We really just want to play enough
as possible. We’re willing to put in the work.”