Gretchen is a female-fronted alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 band from Bristol, Tennessee

Bristol, Tennessee

Bristol is a city in Sullivan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 26,702 at the 2010 census. It is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundaries of both cities run parallel to each other along State...

 featuring heavy guitar tones and emotional, ethereal melodies led by husband and wife team of Dave and Mia Richards. Mia took on bassist duties after the "Mouth Full of Nails" album due to the difficulty of keeping a regular bass player.

Music

According to their website, the band describes their music as "Heavy-Melodic-Happy-Gothic-Chick-Rock" or "female-fronted rock." Gretchen's sound has a somewhat ethereal but upbeat rock sound described as a cross between several different artists. However, they excel with a style all their own by balancing heavy guitar tones and ethereal melodic melodies with radio-friendly song writing and catchy hooks. The band's name was partly taken from an album titled Gretchen Goes to Nebraska

Gretchen Goes to Nebraska

-Critical reception:Gretchen Goes to Nebraska received virtually universal critical praise for its uniquely progressive musical approach and varied styles...

by King's X

King's X

King's X is an American hard rock band that combines progressive metal, funk and soul with vocal arrangements influenced by gospel, blues, and British Invasion rock groups. The band's lyrics are largely based on the members' struggles with religion and self-acceptance...

.

Biography

Gretchen has shared the stage with Crossbreed

Crossbreed (band)

Crossbreed was a six member industrial metal band from Clearwater, Florida, formed in 1996. They were signed with Artemis Records before being dropped from the label in 2003.-Early years:...

, Ever Clear, Copper, Flyleaf

Flyleaf

Flyleaf is an American alternative metal band, formed in the Belton and Temple, Texas regions in 2000. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop and Christian metal genres. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005....

, The Showdown

The Showdown (band)

The Showdown is a southern metal/metalcore band based in Elizabethton, Tennessee. While the members of the band are Christian and the band is signed to a Christian record label, the band does not consider itself a Christian act, according to guitarist Josh Childers...

, Thousand Foot Krutch

Thousand Foot Krutch

Thousand Foot Krutch is a Canadian Christian rock band formed in 1995. They have released five major studio albums: Set It Off , Phenomenon , The Art of Breaking , The Flame In All of Us , and Welcome to the Masquerade . They also have one live album, Live at the Masquerade...

, Disciple

Disciple (band)

Disciple is a Christian metal / rock band from Knoxville, Tennessee, formed in 1992.-History:Disciple was formed in 1992 by high school friends Kevin Young, Brad Noah, and Tim Barrett. The band released their first CD, What Was I Thinking in 1995...

, Pillar

Pillar (band)

Pillar is a Christian rock band currently located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Their sixth studio album, Confessions, was released in 2009.- Formation and independent albums :...

, and Stryper

Stryper

Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...

.

Both of the first two singles "Fading" and "Passion" (from the CD In the Mean Time) were top 20 hits on Christian rock

Christian rock

Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...

 charts.

In the Mean Time was produced by three time Dove Award winner Travis Wyrick

Travis Wyrick

Travis Wyrick is a Dove Award-winning, Grammy-nominated music producer and owner of Lakeside Studios in Knoxville, Tennessee. He is particularly known for his work with bands such as P.O.D., Pillar, 10 Years, and Disciple, and artists such as TobyMac and Dolly Parton...

. Wyrick is highly acclaimed for his production with the bands P.O.D., Pillar, Disciple, and 10 years.

Four songs from Gretchen's first CD Mouth Full of Nails have also received national recognition. The song "Star" was used in a Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...

 Ford Ranger promotion and three other songs have received an honorable mention in the 12th annual Billboard International Songwriting Contest (in the rock/alternative category).

Gretchen was featured on the cover of Heaven's Metal Magazine's January/February 2005 issue.

Gretchen was one of six finalist winners (out of 1000 entries) who competed in the 2005 IMWS Competition sponsored by Billboard Magazine.

Equipment

Mia's Basses:
Two ESP (not LTD) 4 String B2's (one black tuned DADG and one white tuned BEAD)

Mia's Rig:
SKB Rack, two Ampeg

Ampeg

Ampeg is primarily a musical instrument amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Woodinville, Washington, though they also manufacture guitars to a small extent...

 Pro 4x10 2000w cabs, Gallien-Krueger

Gallien-Krueger

Gallien-Krueger, also referred to as 'GK' , is an instrument amplifier manufacturer. The company is based in Stockton, California, and was founded in 1968....

 1000w head, Korg

Korg

is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...

 strobe tuner, Bass Balls pedal, Boss Bass Distortion Pedal, Boss Chorus Pedal, Boss Tuner Pedal

Dave's Guitars:
Ibanez

Ibanez

is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...

 7-String in purple, Dean 7-String in black, Gibson Studio LesPaul 6-String in black, PRS 6-String sunburst

Dave's Rig:
Mesa 18 Space Shock Rack, Mesa 90/90 Tube Amp (Grove Tubes), Mesa Triaxis Preamp (also Grove Tubes), Rocktron All-Access Pedalboard,
two Ernie Ball

Ernie Ball

Ernie Ball was an American entrepreneur, musician, and innovator, widely acclaimed as a revolutionary in the development of guitar-related products. He began as a club and local television musician and small business entrepreneur, building an international business in guitars and accessories that...

 volume pedals (used for midi controls with All-Access), Dunlop Cry-Baby Rack mounted WAH, Samson power conditioner with custom Gretchen logo, Korg

Korg

is a Japanese multinational corporation that manufactures electronic musical instruments, audio processors and guitar pedals, recording equipment, and electronic tuners...

 strobe tuner, Rocktron rack mounted stereo mixer, Line 6 Echo Pro, Line 6 Filter Pro, Line 6 Mod Pro, Decimator Noice Gate, GCX Patch Switcher, DigiTech Midi Whammy Pedal, Boss Acoustic Simulator.

Discography

• Mouth Full of Nails (2002)
• In the Mean Time (2004)
• Ritual (2009)

External links

• gretchenland.com
• Gretchen at MySpace
• Buzz Cutz interview