Lead singer and saxophone player Opal Fly, bassist Mark Buschkill and drummer Donn Middleton came together as a musical group in 2013. Their eponymous album was the second most-played album of 2015 on WFHB in Bloomington.
They will be bringing their signature sound to The Player’s Pub at 6 p.m. today.
“A lot of my songwriting is to make myself feel better,” Fly said. “I used to sing a lot of the blues, but now I like playing uplifting things.”
Currently based in Bloomington, Fly is a Kentucky native who later got her start on the streets of New Orleans. The main themes in her songs have evolved into “finding ways to like being here while having fun with others,” according to the band’s website.
Fly took poetry classes in college, and she said her favorite place to write is walking out in the woods.
Buschkill and Fly met when she was playing a gig in Evansville, Indiana, and needed a bass player, Buschkill said.
He stepped up to play, and they have been making music together ever since.
As a bassist, Buschkill said that he’s the foundation.
“I provide an integral part of the sound, but I’m not flashy,” he said. “I like being part of the background.”
Buschkill’s groove-based rhythms anchor Fly’s blues-inspired sound, according to the band’s website. Buschkill said he wants a distinct combination of genres to create a sound that people can dance to.
Audiences in Bloomington are very open-minded when it comes to new music, Buschkill said, and this creates the perfect atmosphere for up-and-coming bands.
Fly said she likes how making music gives her the opportunity to connect with her audience.
“It’s easy to stay home, but it’s so much better to go out and be connected with people,” Fly said.
