Biography
Edie Brickell helped bring back the loose, awkward spirit of hippie folk-rock toward the end of the 1980s, just ahead of its broader revival. Joining forces with New Bohemians, she landed an unforeseen Top Ten single in 1988 titled "What I Am," a dreamy and relaxed track that offered a quiet contrast to the decade's emphasis on material excess. Although the group never matched the sales of that release, the song endured as a defining piece of its time, and Brickell used its lasting appeal to build a long, varied path across multiple decades. Once New Bohemians disbanded in the early 1990s, she explored solo work before finding fresh momentum in the 2010s, first through the Gaddabouts and later via several projects with Steve Martin that led to New Bohemians reuniting for the albums Rocket (2018) and Hunter and the Dog Star (2021).
Born and raised in Oak Cliff, a Dallas suburb, Brickell attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts during her teenage years. She first stepped into music while enrolled at Southern Methodist University, after agreeing to perform with New Bohemians, whose members included other Booker T. Washington graduates. Bassist Brad Houser, drummer Brandon Aly, and guitarist Eric Presswood had already been performing as New Bohemians since the early 1980s, well before Brickell joined them for one evening in early 1985. The fit proved strong enough that the arrangement turned permanent soon afterward. New Bohemians then played across various Dallas suburbs, bringing in guitarist Kenny Withrow to replace Presswood and adding percussionist John Bush.
The band quickly established itself on the college rock scene around Dallas, issuing the self-released cassette album It's Like This… in 1986 and attracting interest from major labels. They signed with Geffen, changed their official name to Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, and traveled to Rockfield Studios in Wales to cut their debut. During those sessions the label removed Aly, and Chris Whitten handled most of the drumming. The finished album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars arrived in 1988, reaching number four on the Billboard Top 200 on the strength of the Top Ten hit "What I Am."
After hiring Matt Chamberlain on drums, New Bohemians recorded Ghost of a Dog, which came out in October 1990. Without another single on the scale of "What I Am," Ghost of a Dog lost momentum, and the band dissolved soon after its release.
Brickell married Paul Simon on May 30, 1992; the pair had first met when New Bohemians appeared on Saturday Night Live in November 1988, and they later had three children. She moved into solo work with the 1994 release of Picture Perfect Morning. That album debuted at number 68 on the Billboard Top 200, produced the modest adult contemporary hit "Good Times," and received limited notice amid the height of alternative rock. Brickell remained largely inactive through the rest of the 1990s before returning in 2003 with Volcano, a Charlie Sexton-produced set that peaked at number 188 on the Billboard 200.
The original New Bohemians lineup, including drummer Brandon Aly, reconvened to make 2006's Stranger Things under producer Bryce Goggin. The record featured keyboardist Carter Albrecht, another figure from the Dallas alt-rock community, who died on September 3, 2007 after being shot by his girlfriend's neighbor.
In 2008 Brickell formed the Heavy Circles, an indie pop band with Harper Simon, Paul's son from his first marriage; the group issued a self-titled album on Dynamite Child that year. Her following endeavor was the Gaddabouts, which also included guitarist Andy Fairweather Low and bassist Pino Palladino. The Gaddabouts put out a self-titled album in 2011 and Look Out Now! in 2012 before disbanding. Brickell then collaborated with Steve Martin on the 2013 Americana album Love Has Come for You, released by Rounder Records. The project prompted the pair to create the musical Bright Star, which received workshop performances in 2013 and its world premiere at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre on September 28, 2014. By then Brickell and Martin had finished a tour supporting Love Has Come for You alongside Martin's bluegrass outfit the Steep Canyon Rangers; the 2014 live album Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell captured those shows. Brickell and Martin quickly followed their debut studio effort with So Familiar in 2015.
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians came back together in 2017 for concerts benefiting La Rondalla, the Oak Cliff school. Those performances encouraged the group to write and record Rocket, issued in October 2018. Three years later they delivered their fifth studio album, Hunter and the Dog Star. Bassist and co-founder Brad Houser passed away on July 24, 2023, at the age of 62.
Born and raised in Oak Cliff, a Dallas suburb, Brickell attended Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts during her teenage years. She first stepped into music while enrolled at Southern Methodist University, after agreeing to perform with New Bohemians, whose members included other Booker T. Washington graduates. Bassist Brad Houser, drummer Brandon Aly, and guitarist Eric Presswood had already been performing as New Bohemians since the early 1980s, well before Brickell joined them for one evening in early 1985. The fit proved strong enough that the arrangement turned permanent soon afterward. New Bohemians then played across various Dallas suburbs, bringing in guitarist Kenny Withrow to replace Presswood and adding percussionist John Bush.
The band quickly established itself on the college rock scene around Dallas, issuing the self-released cassette album It's Like This… in 1986 and attracting interest from major labels. They signed with Geffen, changed their official name to Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, and traveled to Rockfield Studios in Wales to cut their debut. During those sessions the label removed Aly, and Chris Whitten handled most of the drumming. The finished album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars arrived in 1988, reaching number four on the Billboard Top 200 on the strength of the Top Ten hit "What I Am."
After hiring Matt Chamberlain on drums, New Bohemians recorded Ghost of a Dog, which came out in October 1990. Without another single on the scale of "What I Am," Ghost of a Dog lost momentum, and the band dissolved soon after its release.
Brickell married Paul Simon on May 30, 1992; the pair had first met when New Bohemians appeared on Saturday Night Live in November 1988, and they later had three children. She moved into solo work with the 1994 release of Picture Perfect Morning. That album debuted at number 68 on the Billboard Top 200, produced the modest adult contemporary hit "Good Times," and received limited notice amid the height of alternative rock. Brickell remained largely inactive through the rest of the 1990s before returning in 2003 with Volcano, a Charlie Sexton-produced set that peaked at number 188 on the Billboard 200.
The original New Bohemians lineup, including drummer Brandon Aly, reconvened to make 2006's Stranger Things under producer Bryce Goggin. The record featured keyboardist Carter Albrecht, another figure from the Dallas alt-rock community, who died on September 3, 2007 after being shot by his girlfriend's neighbor.
In 2008 Brickell formed the Heavy Circles, an indie pop band with Harper Simon, Paul's son from his first marriage; the group issued a self-titled album on Dynamite Child that year. Her following endeavor was the Gaddabouts, which also included guitarist Andy Fairweather Low and bassist Pino Palladino. The Gaddabouts put out a self-titled album in 2011 and Look Out Now! in 2012 before disbanding. Brickell then collaborated with Steve Martin on the 2013 Americana album Love Has Come for You, released by Rounder Records. The project prompted the pair to create the musical Bright Star, which received workshop performances in 2013 and its world premiere at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre on September 28, 2014. By then Brickell and Martin had finished a tour supporting Love Has Come for You alongside Martin's bluegrass outfit the Steep Canyon Rangers; the 2014 live album Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers featuring Edie Brickell captured those shows. Brickell and Martin quickly followed their debut studio effort with So Familiar in 2015.
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians came back together in 2017 for concerts benefiting La Rondalla, the Oak Cliff school. Those performances encouraged the group to write and record Rocket, issued in October 2018. Three years later they delivered their fifth studio album, Hunter and the Dog Star. Bassist and co-founder Brad Houser passed away on July 24, 2023, at the age of 62.
Albums
Singles
