Chyna Brackeen — Chyna Brackeen

strangertome-theblacklillies digital cover.jpeg — The Black Lillies

In 2009, The Black Lillies were a local Knoxville band who had just completed their debut album. While musically compelling, the band lacked clear direction and goals, and weren’t sure whether they would ever play outside of their hometown. After seeing them perform live, Brackeen took an immediate interest in the group and reached out to some radio contacts across the country. With national airplay heating up, she turned her attention to booking and landed a 39-date coast-to-coast tour (in a 40 day period … lessons were learned!). The tour kicked off with an opening slot at a sold out show at the venerable Ryman Auditorium.
Upon returning from the tour, the band officially signed with Brackeen for management, booking, marketing and production services. To put it more succinctly, Chyna has been responsible for everything except writing and playing the music (though she did land her first co-writing credit in 2018).

Highlights:

Brokered album distribution deal with industry leader and tastemaker Thirty Tigers for 2015 album Hard to Please and 2018’s Stranger to Me. Because the band felt strongly about remaining independent, no traditional label deals were sought and four albums were released on Brackeen’s Attack Monkey Productions imprint.
Billboard chart positions:
- Stranger to Me (2018): #5 on Billboard Americana / Folk Albums chart, #6 on Heatseekers chart, #9 Top 200 Country Albums chart, #14 Independent Albums chart, #21 Top New Artist chart, #61 Billboard Top 200 Albums
- Hard to Please (2015): #12 on Billboard Heatseekers chart, #30 on Billboard Top 200 Country Albums Chart\
- Runaway Freeway Blues (2013): #21 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and #43 on the Billboard Top 200 Country Albums chart
Media features include Vanity Fair, NPR’s Morning Edition, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Wall Street Journal, Consequence of Sound, Garden & Gun, Huffington Post, Relix Magazine, USA Today, PASTE Magazine, No Depression & Country Weekly, NPR’s Mountain Stage (four times), seven separate PBS concert specials, a GAC featurette, six Circle features and a CMT television episode in addition to worldwide broadcasts of several music videos with airplay on CMT, MTV, Heartland, ZUUS Country, The Country Network, and more.
The first independent artists invited to play the Grand Ole Opry in recent history. They have since been invited back ore the 40 times (debuted June, 2011).
Festival performances include Bonnaroo Music + Arts, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Stagecoach, SXSW, Americana Music Association’s Americana Fest, Country Music Association’s CMA Festival & Fan Fair, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Pickathon, Strawberry Music Festival, Four Corners Folk Festival, MerleFest, Cayamo, and more.
Named one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s “10 Artists You Need to Know”
ADDY Award winner for packaging for three separate albums: Stranger to Me, Hard to Please, and 100 Miles of Wreckage
Cumulatively, Black Lillies albums have received seven first-round GRAMMY nominations, four Independent Music Awards, and two Alternate Root Awards.

Album Packaging

Stranger to Me vinyl gatefold interior packaging (2018)

Hard to Please vinyl gatefold packaging (2015)

Music Videos

Brackeen was responsible for all aspects of music video production including treatments, hiring directors and editors, location scouting, overseeing production and post-production details, distribution and promotion.

Midnight Stranger (2018)

Smokestack Lady (2014)

Two Hearts Down (2011)

The Fall (2013)

Same Mistakes (2012)