Sadie and the Hotheads

Sadie and the Hotheads are a folk and acoustic singer-songwriter project centred on actress Elizabeth McGovern, who joins with the Nelson Brothers and other musicians. The group develops around original lyrics and a personal, idiosyncratic sound, with “Sadie” described as the distinctive part within each person.

Formation and members

The line-up includes Elizabeth McGovern, Simon Nelson, Steve Nelson, Ron Knights and Rowan Oliver. McGovern brings an acting background across film, theatre, television and radio. She makes her professional debut in Robert Redford’s Ordinary People, which wins the Academy Award for Best Picture, and is later nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Milos Forman’s Ragtime.

Simon Nelson plays guitar and dobro, works as half of the songwriting duo Nelson Brothers, holds a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology, and has session credits at venues including the Albert Hall and the O2 Arena with artists such as Joss Stone, Ms. Dynamite, Heather Small, Beverley Knight and Paul Jones. Steve Nelson, the other half of Nelson Brothers, also plays guitar; his debut album Hometown appears in 1993 and is re-mastered and re-released in 2007. His song “Stranger To My Heart” appears in the British thriller The Innocent Sleep, and he is previously signed to Windswept Pacific in Los Angeles. Ron Knights handles bass and production and works across cruise ships, West End theatre, rock festivals and jazz clubs. Rowan Oliver plays drums and percussion and has worked with Goldfrapp and Paul Oakenfold.

Releases and reception

The band’s first album is I Can Wait. It receives descriptions including “beautiful”, “lyrical”, “gorgeous”, “honest” and “unpretentious”. The album is also noted for its semi-acoustic rootsy pop sound and for bringing together two different musical worlds. Smokey Hormel describes the playing and arrangements as beautiful and says some of it recalls Beck and Tom Waits. Nick Dalton of Maverick magazine calls it a mesmerising debut and later describes the group as a rocking band with finely structured, semi-acoustic rootsy pop that is hard to compare with anyone else.

Context

Elizabeth McGovern’s acting credits beyond Ordinary People and Ragtime include Once Upon a Time in America, The Bedroom Window, She’s Having a Baby and Buffalo Soldiers.