Robyn Spangler: Robyn Spangler

Award-winning vocal stylist, songwriter, and actress Robyn Spangler is a fourth-generation performer whose deep musical roots trace back to an Indiana childhood of circus musicians, military band players, and a mother who sang in big bands. After taking piano lessons from former Steve Miller Band keyboardist Jim Peterman and fronting professional cover bands at age 17, Spangler moved to Los Angeles to study theater and music. She quickly built a diverse bi-coastal career working both behind the scenes and in front of the camera, appearing in independent films and hosting regional television alongside starring in over 150 commercials. On stage, her versatile command of the Great American Songbook, jazz, cabaret, and adult contemporary genres has taken her to prestigious venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, London clubs, and Los Angeles' Royce Hall. Her live presence has earned her a BroadwayWorld Los Angeles Award for Best Female Cabaret Artist and multiple Eddon Awards, while her philanthropic efforts include co-producing the annual Billy Barnes' BASH fundraisers.

Spangler's recording career, released primarily through O.P. Records, captures her evolution from an expressive story-song cabaret performer into a sophisticated jazz vocal stylist. She stepped into the recording spotlight with her 2009 debut, On a Liquid Afternoon (CD Baby), followed by her 2011 tribute album, Why I Love Linda Ronstadt (Self Produced), which celebrated the eclectic legacy of one of her primary musical influences. Her critical breakthrough came with 2017's Something Cool: The Billy Barnes Sessions (O.P. Records), an Eddon Award-winning project honoring the satirical mid-century composer, which many writers considered one of the year's best CDs. She followed this success with the 2018 holiday release Christmas Is (O.P. Records), earning a second consecutive Eddon Award for its theatrical, offbeat seasonal tracks. Her 2023 album Last Call (O.P. Records) showcased a smoky, late-night saloon vibe, featuring sparse, intimate piano-and-vocal standard collaborations with longtime musical director Todd Schroeder. Supported by chart-topping indie singles like her self-penned "Second Wind" and Kevin Fisher's "Consider Reconsidering Me," Spangler's rich discography serves as the artistic foundation for her latest musical chapter.

It is this exact trajectory—from theatrical storyteller to late-night minimalist—that sets the stage for her captivating self-titled recording, Robyn Spangler. The album, which operates within a sophisticated adult contemporary framework, expands her sonic palette by cleverly reimagining familiar pop, rock, and traditional structures. A standout centerpiece of the collection is Spangler's reading of Blondie's 1980 soundtrack teaser "Call Me." In a masterclass of genre-bending interpretation, she decouples the track from its original high-energy, new wave roots and steers it into a dry reggae fusion laced with adult contemporary jazz.

This progressive arrangement breathes entirely new life into the song, trading rock urgency for cool, syncopated sophistication. Spangler's vocals anchor the track, but she provides ample room for her world-class studio ensemble to shine. John Beasley's steady, rhythmic hand at the piano establishes a pristine harmonic foundation, while Bob Sheppard's smoky saxophone contributions inject an elegant warmth into the groove. Elevating the arrangement to its peak is a piquant, sharp solo from trumpeter John Michael Bradford, whose brass punctuation provides the perfect contrast to the track's laid-back pulse. It is a special, transformative version of a famous song, proving that a fourth-generation performer still has plenty of new creative ground left to break.

Spangler and Beasley keep up their tradition of stylishly reimagining songs by covering Todd Rundgren's "Hello It's Me." They update the 1968 song, skillfully bringing its old melody into the present with a new, modern sound. This cross-generational dialogue is further explored on the album's bonus track, a stunning recasting of "Tennessee Waltz." Delivered as a contemporary ballad, the performance honors the song's provocative history, reflecting the distinct stylistic lineages of both Patti Page's foundational pop-country melancholy and Anita O'Day's jazz sensibilities. Beasley's piano support here shifts toward the neo-impressionistic, beautifully texturing the background and boldly pushing the stylistic boundaries of the timeless song.

Ultimately, Robyn Spangler is a triumphant, self-titled milestone that cements the artist's reputation as a premier interpreter of modern song. By treating pop relics and traditional standards not as rigid museum pieces, but as living, breathing foundations for progressive adult contemporary jazz, Spangler and her world-class collaborators have crafted a record that is both intellectually stimulating and deeply accessible. Backed by Beasley's brilliant, boundary-pushing arrangements and a stellar cast of musicians, Spangler delivers some of the most nuanced and confident vocal work of her career.