Flagship romance duo returns, Sept. 29

Fiddlers Crossing will celebrate Autumn on Friday, Sept. 29, with the return of Flagship Romance from Jacksonville Beach, Florida. The couple, Jordyn and Shawn Fisher, call their music, "harmonic alternative folk" but it is much more. They are part of a resurgence in popular music of well-crafted songs and solid, soaring harmonies. They display a passion and intensity in their performance reminiscent of a young Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac.

When she was 3 years old, Jordyn was obsessed with Whitney Houston. She danced and sang to all of her songs and knew every nuance. As she grew up, she emulated Whitney's voice, along with other divas like Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. "That's how I taught myself how to sing in my bedroom," she says, "with a hairbrush for a microphone and a sold-out arena in my head."

In 8th grade, a friend's father heard her singing and gave her recording studio time for a gift. "When I walked into the recording studio, I knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," she says.

After high school, she immersed herself in music, working in a recording studio, co-writing and singing harmony for other artists. She joined a heavy rock band called Veronica's Veil and the band released two CDs. In 2009, her Dad suggested her voice would be better suited to jazz/pop music. She self-released a CD and was invited to play the Jacksonville Jazz Festival.

A London-based record label discovered the album and flew her over the Atlantic for a UK radio-tour. She had the opportunity to sing her rendition of Beatles' "If I Fell," live. "That was one of the scariest things I've ever done, but they were so gracious and truly enjoyed my version," she says.

For Shawn, growing up included going with his Dad to see classic rock bands such as Aerosmith, Moody Blues, and Motley Crüe. His Mom liked country artists Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, and Alan Jackson. "This instilled an appreciation for showmanship and storytelling," he says.

As a teenager he taught himself guitar and songwriting. "I quickly learned how many bad songs you have to write before a good one comes around. To me, writing a great song is 10% muscle and 90% magic." His parents funded his first six-song record when he was 16. After that studio experience, he was hooked.

In 2008, he and his band signed with EMI Music Publishing. It was not a good experience; their CD was never released. "We felt like we were engaged in a tug of war battle when it came to our artistic integrity," says Shawn.

When they met, both Jordyn and Shawn were disenchanted with the music industry. They'd also both just gotten out of bad relationships. "We were individually at very trying times in our lives," says Jordyn.

A mutual friend invited Shawn to come see Jordyn sing at a gig in Jacksonville, FL. "Jordyn was onstage in a beautiful blue sparkling dress, singing Patsy Cline's version of 'Crazy," says Shawn. "My heart was like The Grinch's, but when I saw her, it grew 3 sizes."

They connected on Facebook after Jordyn learned that Shawn had come to see her perform. "I had seen Shawn's YouTube videos, and knew what an incredible voice he had. We decided to go out to dinner at a nice Thai restaurant. He thought it was a date, but I didn't realize it was a date until he picked up the whole bill at the end of the meal," says Jordyn. Shawn says, "It's the best investment my mom ever made in my career."

They were inseparable from that night on. Shawn started writing some original "jazzy" songs with Jordyn for her solo career. They booked a show at The Florida Theatre, and Shawn played guitar and sang harmonies with her. "After the show, the feedback from the audience was all about our chemistry and harmonies," says Jordyn. They realized they had something very special together. Flagship Romance's tour was in 2013 and they have never looked back.

For more about Flagship Romance, go to http://www.flagshipromance.com

The concert on Sept. 29 starts at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30. Tickets are $20, available at Tehachapi Treasure Trove, Tehachapi Furniture, Lucky's Barbershop, or at the Fiddler's Crossing Wednesday Open Mics and First Fridays. Tickets are also available online at Fiddlers Crossing.com, and may be reserved by calling (661) 823-9994. Fiddlers Crossing is at 206 East F Street, Downtown Tehachapi at Robinson St. Buying tickets early is strongly suggested.

On the horizon at Fiddlers Crossing: The Mountain and The Moon, Wendy Waldman, Molly's Revenge and "Winterdance".