 Courtesy of the Artist
Nestled in the mountains of central Idaho, the picturesque town of Challis bustles every August when it plays host to the Braun Brothers Reunion Festival. Regarded as one of the state’s premier musical gatherings by both attendees and artists alike, the BBR is a family-friendly event that draws thousands of visitors from across the globe, bringing artists and fans together in an unparalleled setting for three unforgettable days.
This year, the BBR will be held from August 9th-11th and will feature fifteen plus Americana, Texas, and Red Dirt artists including the "Chick with a Pick", esteemed guitarist Rosie Flores who makes her first appearance in Challis. Ahead of the Reunion, Flores graciously took the time to chat about playing the BBR, her friendship with the Brauns, exploring her creativity, and what's ahead. You tour all over the U.S. and in August, you’ll head to Challis for the BBR. Have you made the trip before? I have always wanted to go, so when I got invited this year I was completely thrilled. It’s something that the guys and I have been talking about for a long time, and I guess my time is now. My plan is to fly in and do the whole shebang and treat this as a little bit of a party and a vacation. Everybody is working and on their own train, but every once in a while you get to cross paths and be on the same bill with someone you really like, so this makes for a great event for that reason. Plus, I’m excited to get to listen to some great musicians and bands I hardly ever get to see and be pleasantly surprised by some bands I have never seen. I look forward to making new friends and hanging out with old ones. And the other thing I am excited about is that Reckless Kelly will be my band! I’m thinking maybe we can be called Reckless Rosie (laughing)! That has a nice ring to it! You have known those guys for a long time, so how do y’all prepare to play together…or do you even need to? They are so good that we can get up there and play, which we do a lot if we happen to be in the same town. But, I’m actually going to put some effort into preparing this time since we are doing a whole set together. Maybe we will get together and rehearse once, but they don’t need more than one rehearsal. Willy is such an amazing singer, I cannot wait to get up and do some harmony with him and sing “Wild Horses,” and I’m excited to play with Dave [Abeyta] who is one of my favorite guitar players. Over the years, we’ve formed a mutual admiration society with one another. When we get up there, it’ll rock. No doubt. Both you and Reckless have been around for over 20 years, did you become fast friends early on? I’ve known Cody and Willy since the very first version of Reckless Kelly. My drummer, who helped produce Millican, told me all about them. I went to see them on 6th Street and immediately knew they were playing my kind of music. They were so young and so cool and sounded like a cross between Tom Petty and Steve Early with Dylan’s songwriting. We started writing together, supporting one another’s shows, and sitting in with one another. They used to have this hangout in Austin where they’d get together with their friends to hang out and jam and whenever they’d come to L.A. when I was living there, I would go see them and we’d have jam parties too. We’ve been pals a long time and I just adore them to pieces. 
Watching musicians jam on stage is something that is just so exciting and interesting to so many of us in the crowd. It’s something you enjoy as an artist.
It’s very freeing as a musician to come in and let it fly. The improvisational aspect to jamming is what I live for. I like to have songs that everybody knows so there’s less chance for train wrecks (laughing), but with jamming, you never know what’s going to happen or what song someone will bring to the table. When you get around people who know how to play their instruments, it’s always going to sound good and be super-duper fun. The setting of the BBR with its beautiful open space and mountains in the background, will be new for you, but you have played everywhere from small clubs to festivals to cruises. The cruises are such a great time. This will be my 4th Outlaw Cruise in a row and I was so happy they asked me back. It’s a great hang for us and the fans with great music everywhere; you get spoon fed the best from Lucinda Williams to Steve Earle to the Mavericks, Blackberry Smoke, and Nikki Lane. But I am pretty spread out as far as a lot of things go. I have an affinity for jazz, so I’ve been working with a jazz group that I take to certain venues like the Continental Club and Parker Jazz Club. I’m also going to be doing a residency with a seven or eight-piece band with a horn section at C-Boys Heart and Soul every Friday night. Then on the weekends, I will get out of town. I am heading to L.A. and around Texas, and I just played New York. What’s great about playing different cities is that I have made so many friends over the years, all over the country, who are also talented musicians, and when I travel I can just have them play with me, which is a rare and wonderful thing ...and so much fun. What’s also fun is jumping in on other people’s gigs. I have played guitar for the legendary Wanda Jackson so I can hop in her gigs at a moment’s notice. But other than that, I don’t get to do a lot of side guitar work. Maybe people think ‘Oh, she won’t play with us because she’s Rosie Flores.” And I am over here saying, ‘No, I will.' I love playing guitar and am open to getting out there and playing with other people. Maybe through the years, it'll happen. Well, now it's out there, so people may come knocking. You've been working on a blues record, Simple Case of The Blues, which was produced by Charlie Sexton and features you trading licks with Kenny Vaughn [The Fabulous Superlatives] on originals as well as tunes by Wilson Pickett, Heath Wilson, and others. When can we expect that? It’s supposed to be coming out hopefully end of summer or fall, but we’re taking our time trying to find the right label. People see me as coming from country and rockabilly and now I’m blues and jazz and when you switch gears like that, you have to make sure people take you seriously. Blues is really how I started out as a 15-year-old learning to play guitar in high school, and I think when people hear the record, they'll get it. Named one of the Top 75 Greatest Female Guitarists of All Time by Venuszine magazine, your music has encompassed 70’s punk, the Nashville and Bakersfield sounds, rockabilly, singer-songwriter, and alt-country all of which really showcase your versatility and creativity. I’m not one of these artists who stick to one style. I grew up on jazz and blues and surf. If you listen to Working Girl’s Guitar, I highlighted different eras and that’s what makes that record so appealing. My idea of being an artist is to work with different colors in your palate like Van Gogh and Picasso did, and I can relate to that analogy because I do paint. It’s lovely to be able to reach out in different directions and see how it feels whether it is singing jazz, playing surf guitar, or singing and playing western swing. I love going into different genres, but I have found through the years that the stuff that feels most natural for me as a singer is jazz and blues. With such an incredibly full and creatively fulfilling schedule, is there anything yet to want to do? Even at my age, I’m still checking stuff off for sure. I have so many aspirations my manager has to slow me down when I get talking (laughing). I have this candy collection - Willy and Cody send me stuff in the mail that they find which is so sweet (laughing) - so I’m writing a book, Wacky Truck Stop Candy and Road Stories. I also have an idea for a children’s book and record that I would like to do as well. And I would love to do a show or festival, maybe a Rosie Flores Presents, where we highlight some up and coming Texas women songwriters. I keep coming up with great ideas and as soon as I get one thing done I’m onto the next. I’m a non-stop creator and now with the great team I have around me, it makes it easier to make things a reality and cross things off on the bucket list. I’m having a ball. To keep up with Rosie Flores: Website/Facebook/Twitter/Insta/Purchase 2018 Braun Brothers Reunion Challis, Idaho August 9-11th Purchase: 3 Day Pass $124.30 Purchase: 2 Day Pass Friday and Saturday ONLY The BBR is held rain or shine. Tickets purchased online will be picked up at will call at the venue. Tickets are Non-refundable. Kids age 5 and under are free. Kids age 6-12 are $15 a day and can ONLY be purchased at the front gate even if its sold out. Kids age 13 and up pay full adult price. Website/Facebook/Twitter
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