Jess Camilla O’Neal & The NeverSweat Players

(a portion of this piece was published by Planet JH Weekly)Born and raised on a dude ranch in Moran while performing in plays at the family-operated Jackson Hole Playhouse, Jess Camilla O’Neal now lives in Dubois where she performs with her band, The NeverSweat Players. O’Neal will be the first featured songwriter of the summer season, performing with her quartet tonight at Songwriter’s Alley—a weekly, songwriter-focused open stage, 8 to 11 p.m. every Wednesday at Haydens Post. The event is open to all musicians and small ensembles interested in signing up to perform a two or three-song set. Original music is supported, though not mandatory.Aaron Davis: How did your upbringing and theatre experience at the Jackson Hole Playhouse contribute to your current musical output?Jess Camilla O’Neal: My first summer stock performance—90 days of shows, nightly—began when I was five years old as Marta in The Sound of Music, so I really did grow up on the stage. I'm accustomed to life there…rehearsals, late nights, large crowds, cast, and community, all very similar. There is, however, a huge difference in performing a musical theater play than doing an intimate singer-songwriter set so that was a transition for me to not be a character but my authentic vulnerable self. I began playing piano at age four, which gave me the foundation to be able to call myself a real musician. I sang professionally with my three sisters from the time I was ten until I was twenty-four, and had seen many realms of the music business having record deals in London and Nashville. Those all made it easy for me to transition to a solo career. Life in the arts is the best.AD: How many albums have you recorded and released?O’Neal: My first solo album Eyes to the Skyline came out in 2009 under name Camilla O'Neal. I released that under my middle name and married name trying to have a career that wasn't hinged upon my career as "The Garnick Girls." Awaken to the Wind was released Feb. 2014; our newest single "I Love Anne" was released Feb. 14th 2015. I have other albums under Saddle Rock Sisters (the group with my sisters) that were all early 2000s, but I think I blocked them out (laughs).AD: How long have the NeverSweat Players been together and how did this ensemble come about?O’Neal: We've been playing together as a group since 2010. I have played with Steve Glenn (mandolin and guitar) since 2008 in a different band that I played bass in. Norman Winter (upright bass) and I were in Wyoming all-state and honor choir together all four years of high school. I knew Chris Sabatka (fiddler/violinist) from around town and that he had been a fiddler and toured with Dean Dillon—a big songwriter/performer in Nashville. I love the camaraderie of being in a band, cast, or group as I have done all my life. We chose the name NeverSweat Players as it was the original town name of Dubois, and also its real meaning to me is akin to…”don't sweat the small stuff!”AD: Tell me about Awaken the Wind. Is there a primary theme in the writing for this album?O’Neal: This album was an awesome experience from day one. There are twelve tracks on the album; six are originals. We knew we wanted a folk/western feel, some of my songs fit that bill and the cover songs really supported the vibe we were going for. Living in Dubois, wind is a theme in your life and as we started to gather songs for the album, unbeknownst to us, almost every song we had picked had the word wind in it, original or not. As a singer-0songwriter, I don't always love just playing my stuff. There are so many beautiful songs out there that are interpreted so differently by each listener, or artist, like "Across the Great Divide," a Kate Wolf song we covered. I think it’s a great road trip album, maybe an emotional road trip, especially a Wyoming road trip!AD: What is your background with songwriting?O’Neal: I had been performing solo for a year in Nashville and landed a publishing contract, but my father had just passed away and I came home to help out with the family businesses. I actually wasn't very inspired in Nashville songwriting circle—getting together with four or five other people in an office building or apartment to "crank out" the next hit. I was excited to be home writing from the banks of the Wind River or under the shadow of the Tetons.AD: Who are some of your greatest influences and why?O’Neal: Sheesh. I have so many influences on a very broad spectrum. As a Western songwriter, I love the stories of Marty Robbins, Dolly Parton Emmylou Harris, Johnny Cash. I love the complexity of Stephen Sondheim, James Taylor, and Carol King. I'm enamored by Reba McIntyre’s career…her ability to own all genres—theatre, film, music. I'm not that up on recent artists, not sure why…hmmm.Upcoming featured songwriters at Songwriter’s Alley also include Isaac Hayden, Beth McIntosh, Michael Batdorf, Wendy Colonna, Mike Hurwitz, Alysia Kraft, Victor Pokorny, and more. More info at Facebook.com/SongwritersAlley.