Press

Jam Band Balks at National Fame: Good Night Gracie prefers being 'Little Fish in Big Pond.'

By Steve Penhollow - Journal Gazette

In interviews, members of rock and pop bands like to talk about what good friends they all are.
But their definition of friendship is usually something along these lines: They might consider driving another member to the airport as long as it doesn’t interfere with an audition for a competing band.
The members of Good Night Gracie truly are friends.
They can’t get enough of one another. It’s almost absurd.
Here’s something else that’s almost absurd: The quick escalation of the band’s popularity.
Since forming a year and a half ago, Good Night Gracie has built up a following that could be described as rabid if only there were more actual frothing at the mouth involved.
One absurdity might have something to do with the other: The band members’ palpable joy in spending time with each other easily translates into audiences’ palpable joy in spending time with the band.
Guitarist Rob Ruppert says nobody in the band knew anybody else in the band prior to forming. But it didn’t take long for everyone to realize that they shared an allegorical strain of DNA.
“A couple of practices in, I looked around and everyone had this huge smile on their face,” he says.
Good Night Gracie is a funky jam band that is neither so funk-addicted nor so jam-besotted that songwriting becomes a secondary consideration.
They play lots of crowd-pleasing covers, but they play them on their own terms, often taking a familiar song and resetting it in an unfamiliar genre.
“We’d love to be an all original band, but if we can’t be an all original band, at least we can rewrite our covers,” Ruppert says.
The band does a dance floor workout that starts with a revolutionary rendition of U2’s “Desire,” wends its way through Stevie Wonder and the Bee Gees and finishes with The Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water,” affixing an a capella chaser.
The quality of the band’s original songs is such that they can be sprinkled amid established hits without coming across like they crashed the party.
The band’s originals are fairly bursting with joie de vivre.
Everybody dances at a Good Night Gracie show. The audience dances. The band dances. The bartender dances. The guy holding the bottle of nitroglycerin dances.
They can’t help it.
Most of all, keyboardist Danny Robertson dances.
“The long and short of it is, we’re all idiots,” he says. “We aim to please anyone with ADD. People tend to be tired after watching me on stage.”
“I try not to look over at him,” Ruppert says.
And now, without further ado: the completion of the trifecta of absurdity.
The band doesn’t want to be discovered.
It doesn’t want national fame.
It doesn’t want a corporate record contract.
“The reality is, we have our own lives,” vocalist Jen Fisher says.
“We’re not in it to be rock stars,” Ruppert says. “We just like to see people having fun and dancing. We’re content to be big fish in a little pond.”

Say 'Good Night Gracie' and Hear Something Entirely New

By Dan Austin - Fort Wayne Magazine

If you've ever heard some say, "Good Night Gracie," then you just might be a child of the old radio show days. Husband and wife team George Burns and Gracie Allen's "Burns and Allen" comedy show used to end with Allen saying those exact words, in response to Burns' request: "Say good night, Gracie."

If you don't remember that show because you are a tad younger, then you might have recognized it because you've been entertained by one of Fort Wayne's newest and most unique sounding bands.

"Good Night Gracie" is the brainchild of vocalist and lead guitarist Rob Ruppert and began two years ago. He acknowledges the former version of "Gracie" but insists the name's origin has nothing to do with it.

"That was a name I had several years ago," Ruppert said. "When we first got together, it's like trying to name your kid. We tried a few different names and didn't find anything that really stuck."

He first recruited Jen Fisher, who does vocals, guitar, and percussion; and John Foxworthy, who handles drums and percussion.

To round out the quintet, Fisher remembered having to dig a little deeper for bass player and vocalist Cale Reese and keyboard player and vocalist Danny Robertson.

"Cale was found on Fortwaynemusic.com. Danny was discovered singing karaoke doing a Celine Dion song ("My Heart Will Go On"), and we were so impressed we had to have him." Fisher laughed.

"I wanted something with a lot of harmonies and was hoping to find a group where everyone could sing. Just something that was originally a fusion of power folk. As Danny brought the keyboards in, it started taking more of a pop funk angle," said Ruppert.

The group seems to be a perfect fit.

"The thing that really makes this band work is the chemistry that we all have, not only professionally, but personally," Ruppert said.

"We all love each other," Fisher said.

Good Night Gracie has something for everyone.

"Anything from Jackson 5 to Nine Inch Nails," said Ruppert. "What we try to do is tailor something to fit every crowd that we play. Even if we're doing a classic rock song, we'll do it in a hip-hop way, so it appeals to a wide variety of people and ages."

"We kind of do a funk version of 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson and a ska version of 'Take it Easy' by the Eagles," he added.

They even do some a capella Stevie Wonder and a reggae version of a Steve Miller tune.

"Whatever gets people up and dancing, that's our goal," Fisher said.

"We really try to put our own spin on it. If you can't sound like an original recording, people are going to notice," said Ruppert. " We would love to be an all-original band, but it's a tough thing to do in this town. If we're gonna play covers, we want to do them our own way. I think people walk away kind of respecting that."

In the upcoming year, 'Gracie' looks to expand it's horizons.

"We'd really like to get into the private and corporate parties. I think we'd fit into just about any setting," Ruppert said.

Watch for the group's next album. For more information, visit graciesmusic.com.

It's a F*ing Naked Hot Tub Party with Good Night Gracie

By Marie Junk - Fortwaynemusic.com

A while back I was fortunate to interview a band I had only heard of on fortwaynemusic.com. I had never seen them perform, checked out their web site, or read anything about them. I'm new to the whole Fort Wayne music scene so I figured I'd throw caution to the wind, and give it a whirl. What I got was the interview, and performance of a lifetime.

My first impression of the band was instantly positive. The chemistry and camaraderie these guys have is inspiration alone considering Rob and John are the only ones that knew each other before the band. And they approached Jen, then found Danny at a Karaoke singing "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion, and Cale was located using the very useful fortwaynemusic.com. One would think that there would be some awkwardness for a band that's only been on the scene for a year. This is not the case.

Good Night Gracie is Jen Fisher on vocals, guitar and percussion, Rob Ruppert on lead guitar and vocals, Danny Robertson on keyboard and vocals, Cale Reese on bass and vocals, and finally John Foxworthy on drums and percussion. These five cats definitely have experience and musical talent. Being inspired by family members, baby sisters, or the cute girl in band class, whatever it may be, it’s working for them.

Originally they were going to be named Jen Fisher and the Rectal Thermometers, but they didn't think that would really jive with their band's sound. I asked the band to describe their sound (since I had never heard them) and I about fell off my chair. Most musicians would list another band they sound just like. I ended up with answers like "MC Hammer on Crack" and "Hey, if your ass is shaking, then you got the idea." Say what?! Since I had never heard them before, I was just another note taker hoping at some point I'd get the idea. They came to the name Good Night Gracie not just for the maximum crowd appeal but it totally fit their sound-Classy, Classic and Sexy. Let me tell you, it definitely delivers. With kick ass covers such as Baby-Got-Back and Bust-A-Move, including originals you would think were on the radio--and SHOULD BE, one cannot keep their feet, among other things, from dancing and groovin' to the beat. Trust me. I know.

Yes. Ms. InDaTrunk fell victim to the ass-shaking contest. Truth be told, it was New Year's Eve, the libations flowed freely, and I was in the wrong (right) place at the wrong (right) time. So what, I lost to the Ozzfest guy who took his shirt off? Why would I reduce myself to such an activity? Again, if I speak the truth the thought HAD crossed my mind, but at the time I figured I HAD already ripped the seam of my pants, but I digress...

With the dream gig being at Shang-ri-lah, I completely understood why. You can't help but shake your ass. Good Night Gracie is downright FUNKY! I believe they said they put the FUN in FUNKY. There I was a single girl, partying on New Year's Eve with my girlfriends. Innocent enough right? The band is playing, the drinks are flowing, we're having a grand 'ol time. I'll tell you one thing; this band will make ordinary people get up in dance. You may get dragged up there by your friends, but you’ll stay up there because you just can’t help it. Hell, you may just find yourself dancing with perfect strangers. Watch out, though, because the next thing you know you're up there on your own, singing the lyrics with the band— oblivious to the rest of the crowd—which is doing the exact same thing.

These guys (and lovely lady) seriously know how to have fun. My friend Hollie is now a huge fan because Good Night Gracie puts their own spin on cover songs. Can you play the keyboard while jumping around and singing? Can you play the bongos while rockin' the microphone? What about bass, drums or guitar while dancing around on stage---and looking GOOD?! No, we can't, that's why there is a band like Good Night Gracie that we can watch, learn from, and be entertained by. And as an average music appreciator, I was blown away.

What to expect you see Good Night Gracie:
• A bare chest of someone--at some point
• Lots of Ass Shakin'
• A wide range of ages in the crowd
• Dance contests
• A band that knows how to move and shake with the best of them
• A bassist that is known for changing the bass line to a song to coincide with the rhythm of the hottest girl dancing
• A Canadian you can buy for $75 (CAN) or $0.75 (US) depending on the exchange rate
• And five cool cats with a ton of musical experience, inspiration and passion

For upcoming gigs, booking info, and an all around good time, check them out at www.graciesmusic.com or www.myspace.com/goodnightgracie