My Fifty-Five started in the hot August summer of 2003. Joti Marra had just moved back to Asheville after spending 3 years in New York City studying fashion design, living, and just generally bumming around Williamsburg. She met Ashley Gupton, hit it off, and started playing music with her right away. Ashley had a beat up old drum kit and Joti had a guitar and 10 years of half finished songs. sung mostly to her white walls and down pillows.
The band was all fun and games until a mutual friend set them up to open for one of their idols, Jonathan Richman. Needless to say, that put the fire underneath. Five songs were chosen, and t-shirts were spray painted with golden unicorns. After that they spent the winter working on new material and playing up to 3 times a week at Vincent's Ear, a small influential club which was located downtown Asheville.
By the Spring, Ashley and Joti went separate ways. Since then dozens of songs have been written, many shows have been played, a new band has been assembeled and an E.P. has been recorded. The self titled E.P. is a mix of rock and roll and post folk, hard and soft. The juxtaposition of these elements helps give the five songs diversity while adding dimension to this thin silver circle called My Fifty-Five.
"Marra is blessed with a smoldering, dynamic set of pipes that are equally suited to singing soft wispy ballads, or in-your-face, vicious rock n' roll."
-Laura Blackely, Asheville Citizen Times
"Alternately pensive, abrasive, romantic, quiet, melancholy, and raucous, My Fifty-Five delivers a gorgeous debut. Joti Marra's writing, guitar playing, and singing are mesmerizing, while Tyler Ramsey (bass, keyboard, lap steel, piano) and Brian Landrum (drums, etc.) expertly offer simpatico sounds. This is smart music of emotional depth."
-A-tone Music
