Cleopatra Degher

Leucadia-based recording artist Cleopatra Degher released her debut EP Restrung on April 21st. She played a record release show that night at her home venue, the E Street Café in Encinitas, which was filled to capacity. Restrung is a little gem of postmodern Americana, bubbling over with folk, country, rock, and pop charm. Some folks say her voice sounds like Emmy Lou Harris, and that may be true. But Cleopatra is also a natural and unique songwriter who crafts soaring melodies and wistful words. Cleopatra is not your typical young So Cal singer/songwriter. It's true that she just turned twenty, and she was born in L.A., but she spent the years in between in Sweden, raised by her Swedish mom and American dad. She returned to California only about a year and a half ago. She says, "I called the record Restrung, because that's how I felt when I got back to California, just like a guitar with brand new strings." In Sweden she attended a music high school and played in a power trio. Since then she has become dedicated to folk and country music, especially the kind that springs from traditional American sources. Cleopatra comes by her love of music honestly. Her father Darius is a singer-songwriter, too, and Cleopatra grew up surrounded by music of all styles. Restrung was produced by Darius and features the drums of Phil Leavitt (7Horse and Dada) as well as the fiddle, mandolin, and lap steel of Don Teschner (late of Rod Stewart's touring bands). The EP was mixed and mastered by Denis Degher, who has worked with the likes of Donovan and Brian Setzer. .