DIANA KRALL

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COURTESY OF THE ARTIST
Even dogs love what Dana Louise & the Glorious Birds have been up to lately.
Sing it loud,
Louise
Northwest Arkansas artist-turnedmusician
Dana Louise turns heads
across region
Mary Belle Zook
FAYETTVILLE, Ark. – In 2011, Northwest Arkansas
native Dana Louise set out to the Azores
Islands off of Portugal where she taught herself how
to play guitar and forever changed her life.
“I had gone there to paint and make art,” Louise
said. “I just had the perfect people around, an extra
guitar and the right music to want to learn for me to
just do it.”
It’s no wonder Louise was eventually drawn to
writing and performing music. Her father, Ezra
Idlet, is a member of the Grammy-nominated band
Trout Fishing in America. He and his fellow band
member, Keith Grimwood, joined with Adams
Collins to form Louise’s backup band the Glorious
Birds.
“It’s awesome. I love playing with my dad and
Keith,” she said. “I feel very loved and supported on
stage, which is important. Makes me feel comfortable,
and they’re pros. They’ve got so much experience
and connections; it’s been really awesome to
travel together.”
When performing, it’s easy to see the pride and
joy Idlet has for his daughter and the special connection
they share through music.
“I can feel [his smile] searing in the back of my
head,” said Louise. “I love it! I feel very relaxed.”
Louise’s roots run deep in Northwest Arkansas,
and its landscape and people have helped inspire
some of her music and art.
“For the most part I write on my own and with
my aunt; my dad’s sister,” she said. “She’s been a big
part of me writing songs and feeling comfortable
writing songs. She helps me say what I want to say.”
The Fayetteville music scene has also positively
impacted Louise, giving her a great supportive
music community.
“Right whenever I started playing, I was traveling,
and when I came home I didn’t really know any
of the music community in Fayetteville, especially
the people my age,” Louise said. “I knew a lot of my
dad’s generation and those bands that I’ve grown up
being around, but as far as my generation of people,
I was really out of the loop. I started playing music
with a friend who just totally introduced me to all
these local bands and people I just kind of fell in
love with.”
She added that everyone in Fayetteville seems
really generous and supportive.
“That’s been a really cool start and has impacted
the way how I act with musicians,” said Louise.
“I meet lots of people when I travel, and if I really
like the band, I want to invite them to come play in
Fayetteville.”
Right now Louise and the Glorious Birds seem to
be at a great place making vibrant, beautiful one-ofa-kind
music.
“I think just the drive of wanting to do it is really
important, and I want the people around me to have
the same goals,” Louise said. “Right now I feel really
matched up and in that. I know my dad, Keith and
Adams really support this project and believe in it.”
Dana Louise and the Glorious Birds’ performances
are something not to miss. Louise’s music is a
perfect mesh-up of bluegrass, jazz, roots and folk,
and it is sure to leave a lasting impression.
“I really want to connect to the people who show
up,” Louise said. “I want it to be uplifting, and I
think it’s an uplifting show.”
After an extremely busy summer, the band is taking
some time off to regroup, but you can catch them
at the Oxford American in Little Rock on Nov. 18
and the Hill Country Fair in Batesville on Nov. 21.
For more information, go to www.danalouisemusic.com
and ‘Like’ her music page on Facebook.
WWW.NWAMAG.COM | NOVEMBER 2015 | 17