Eleyet McConnell

Not a single artist but a duo, Eleyet McConnell is the moniker spouses Chris and Angie (nee Eleyet) McConnell use to describe their vehicle for delivering music to their appreciative audiences.

They met in 2013 and immediately clicked musically. Both hailing from rural Ohio, they ended up together in a cover band based in Urbana (OH). “…She might go from Adele to Led Zeppelin to AC-DC…” Chris recalls. “…She could throw every genre out there…There was just something I felt on stage with her.” Angie adds, “It was tangible.” Later, they would add marriage vows to seal their bond.

The pair’s musical chemistry was strong from the start, but their songwriting collaboration took a bit longer to rev up. While Chris had been playing bass in bands since 1970 and writing for decades, Angie hadn’t found her muse at that point.

But Chris patiently encouraged her to unleash her creativity. “It took about two years but then one day…I actually captured the moment…” he remembers. (They tend to have a phone recording all the time to capture whatever ideas come out.)

In December 2023, they finally managed to get 12 of those songs released on their debut album, Crazy World. It showcases their unique blend of styles, which has connected with audiences in unexpected ways. “At the beginning, they were trying to put us into a box,” Chris says. “‘Are you a country band, or are you a rock band?’” To defy rigid categorization, he says, about the album, “We picked a variety…a little country, a little blues, a little rock…”

With their 2023 “New Discovery Artist” award from the Independent Music Network, as an acknowledgment of what their audiences already know, Angie and Chris are tuned up and ready to go where their musical road leads them to next.

Listen to the full interview here!