From a childhood scrapyard to five Grammy Awards
In short: Before she was a rock icon, Brittany Howard lived in a family home made of junk. Her journey from Alabama to the global stage is a powerful story of resilience, shaped by early loss, partial blindness, and an unmistakable musical soul.
Born in Athens, Alabama, in 1988, Brittany Howard’s early life was marked by profound hardship. Raised in a junkyard home that once succumbed to a lightning strike, she faced significant personal loss when her older sister, Jaime, passed away from retinoblastoma in 1998. Howard herself survived the same disease, though it left her with partial blindness in one eye.
Her musical foundation was built on the influence of her sister, who taught her piano and poetry, and the classic sounds of artists like Elvis Presley and Dionne Warwick. By age 13, she had picked up the guitar. Her sound would later expand through a deep immersion in 1970s rock, finding inspiration in the psychedelic textures of Pink Floyd and the heavy riffs of Black Sabbath.
Howard rose to international fame as the frontwoman of Alabama Shakes. After working for the US Postal Service, she transitioned to a full-time music career, leading the band to massive success with albums like 2012's Boys & Girls and the chart-topping Sound & Color in 2015. Her solo career has been equally decorated, with her 2019 debut Jaime earning seven Grammy nominations and a win for 'Stay High'.
Beyond Alabama Shakes, Howard has explored diverse musical landscapes, from the side project Thunderbitch to the trio Bermuda Triangle. Her versatility has even led to acting roles in films like Thelma the Unicorn and collaborations with composers like Ludwig Göransson. Today, she remains a vital force in rock, recently recognized by Rolling Stone as one of the 250 greatest guitarists of all time.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Brittany Howard
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