The Womack Sisters: L.A. daughters and R&B’s future
I love it when the opening act steals the show.
When the summer concert season was announced a few months back, I excitedly snagged tickets for the legendary Al Green at the Hollywood Bowl. I’d never seen the Reverend and wasn’t going to miss my chance. I counted the days down to the August gig, eager to finally see the Memphis legend do his thing at the best venue in the western hemisphere. I practically rushed the gates that night, securing for our group the best picnic table that I’ve ever snagged in all my years of Bowl shows.
I was ready.
My nephew Max joined us. He had mentioned that he’d been listening to the opener, The Womack Sisters, and was eager to see them. I somehow had missed the singles they’d put out this year, so I was going in fresh.
What a revelation!
THE STYLISH Womack Sisters.
Photo by Rosie Cohe
For those like me just arriving to the party, The Womack Sisters are actual sisters. And if their surname sounds familiar, it should. They are the children of Linda and Cecil of the ‘80s R&B duo Womack & Womack. (Cecil was married to Mary Wells before Linda and had a hand in some of her signature songs. He also penned “Love TKO” for Teddy Pendergrass.) They are the nieces of Bobby Womack, who, in turn, was the protégé of the singular Sam Cooke. And if that weren’t enough, Sam Cooke is their grandfather.
These native daughters of Los Angeles—BG, Zeimani and Kucha, in order of birth —took the Bowl stage that night with the assurance of a group that has been at it for decades. No doubt, some of that comes from all that family history. But nothing has been given to them. They’ve had to work to get to this point, plying their skills and their songs for years in an effort to get signed. When you hear them, it’s shocking to think that anyone in their right mind would pass them up, but that’s just show business. Sometimes it takes time.
In this case, it’s right on time.
Their set that night served as the record release party for their debut Daptone Records full-length “The Womack Sisters.” And with 12 songs that sound both classic and current they may just have given us the best album of the year.
Each of the sisters exudes genuine star power in her own right. Big sis BG takes a slight edge in lead chores, her buttery tone ringing out on songs like “I Just Don’t Want You.” Zeimani’s velvety inflection shines through on the moving “My Sisters and Me,” an ode to the deep family bond they embody. (You can hear the structural and melodic similarities to their grandfather’s “Under the Boardwalk.”) That song’s lyrics make it abundantly clear that they aren’t out to show one another up. They share the spotlight, trading leads on verses, their close three-part harmonies ringing out as one voice. They’re a true unit.
Like the stunning album, their live show was an epiphany, the trio backed by a muscular ensemble of Daptone regulars. When they closed the set with their playful rhumba hit “If I Let You,” it felt like it was all over too soon. But like all openers, they had to make way for the headliner. Rev. Green was in fine form that night; at 80, he still has a lot of tricks in his bag. His show offered up a nostalgic sing-along into the Hollywood night.
But The Womack Sisters are R&B’s future. And that future is here.
The Womack Sisters are touring the U.S. throughout the rest of the year, including December dates at L.A.’s Peppermint Club. They’re also among the openers named for Harry Styles’ 2027 stadium tour.
Category: Entertainment
