(Session originally published in 2017)

As Woody Guthrie's granddaughter, Sarah Lee Guthrie's lineage is undeniable. But if you close your eyes and forget that her last name is synonymous with the river-legacy of a widening current of American folk music, you'd still be drawn to the clarity and soul behind her voice. There is a gentle urgency to her interpretations of the songs she sings and the classic music of her heritage.

Over the last two decades on the road and in the studio, she and her husband Johnny Irion have created a signature pop-fused folk-rock sound that is appealing and engaging. Now, she's out solo for the first time, giving full and glorious attention to the folk music that is her birthright, and traveling with the Hoping Machine, singing the songs that have empowered people during trying times.

Sarah Lee sat down with Folk Alley at the 2017 30A Songwriters Festival to play some songs and talk about this exciting new turn in her life.

When you combine the transcendent poetry of Bob Dylan with the gritty, real-world rock-n-roll storytelling that Bruce Springsteen made so famous, and then add a dash of the political activism embodied by Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, you’ll have Irish singer-songwriter Pat Byrne. Known for creating a rootsy, Americana sound that has a unique Irish twist, Byrne now lives part-time in the US (he calls Austin, Texas home) and his newest recording, Rituals, reflects his multiple geographical identities. In January of 2019, Folk Alley caught up with Pat Byrne at the 30AFest in Florida.

When you combine the transcendent poetry of Bob Dylan with the gritty, real-world rock-n-roll storytelling that Bruce Springsteen made so famous, and then add a dash of the political activism embodied by Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, you’ll have Irish singer-songwriter Pat Byrne. Known for creating a rootsy, Americana sound that has a unique Irish twist, Byrne now lives part-time in the US (he calls Austin, Texas home) and his newest recording, Rituals, reflects his multiple geographical identities. Recorded half in Austin and half in Dublin, Rituals is filled to the brim with the kind of storytelling that everyone can identify with, no matter where you live. In January of 2019, Folk Alley caught up with Pat Byrne at the 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida for this exclusive session.

When you combine the transcendent poetry of Bob Dylan with the gritty, real-world rock-n-roll storytelling that Bruce Springsteen made so famous, and then add a dash of the political activism embodied by Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, you’ll have Irish singer-songwriter Pat Byrne. Known for creating a rootsy, Americana sound that has a unique Irish twist, Byrne now lives part-time in the US (he calls Austin, Texas home) and his newest recording, Rituals, reflects his multiple geographical identities. Recorded half in Austin and half in Dublin, Rituals is filled to the brim with the kind of storytelling that everyone can identify with, no matter where you live. In January of 2019, Folk Alley caught up with Pat Byrne at the 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida for this exclusive session.

The rain was coming down hard one day in April in Upper Jay, New York. And that’s the day Ana Egge, along with Alec Spiegelman (keyboards, bass clarinet) and Dave Cole (drums) showed up to play songs from her album, White Tiger, at the pop-up studio our friends at Beehive Productions Studio set up at The Recovery Lounge.

(Originally published June 2018)

The rain was coming down hard one day in April in Upper Jay, New York. And that’s the day Ana Egge, along with Alec Spiegelman (keyboards, bass clarinet) and Dave Cole (drums) showed up at the pop-up studio our friends at Beehive Productions Studio set up at The Recovery Lounge.

Egge, whose husky voice floats between a true-blue alto and the lowest possible soprano, was there to share some thoughts about her new album, White Tiger. She also shared some songs from it: the title track, a song she says she loves to sing; “Girls, Girls, Girls,” which is all about being young and single and free to live your life as you see fit, and the apocalyptic love song she wrote with her partner of 15 years in mind, “Be With You.”

(Originally published June 2018)

The rain was coming down hard one day in April in Upper Jay, New York. And that’s the day Ana Egge, along with Alec Spiegelman (keyboards, bass clarinet) and Dave Cole (drums) showed up at the pop-up studio our friends at Beehive Productions Studio set up at The Recovery Lounge.

Egge, whose husky voice floats between a true-blue alto and the lowest possible soprano, was there to share some thoughts about her new album, White Tiger. She also shared some songs from it: the title track, a song she says she loves to sing; “Girls, Girls, Girls,” which is all about being young and single and free to live your life as you see fit, and the apocalyptic love song she wrote with her partner of 15 years in mind, “Be With You.”

During an exclusive session at the 2019 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida, Courtney Marie Andrews shared some thoughts about her work ethic, about her background, and, of course, about the music she makes.

Musician Courtney Marie Andrews has lived, she says, at least 40 lives. And one thing she’s learned over the course of those 40 lives? How to distill the experiences into compelling stories about equally as compelling characters.

The Phoenix, Arizona native has been singing on stages since she was a teenager – really, not THAT long ago, given that she isn’t 30 yet – and to say that her career has been “interesting” isn’t quite enough. She was a back-up singer and keyboardist with Jimmy Eat World for a while, electric guitarist and back-up singer for a few other bands and musicians, a bartender, a busker in cafes and on street corners – the list goes on.

One thing that has remained consistent in her career, though, is her commitment to excellence and quality when it comes to recording music. Andrews is definitely not in this musical game just to make and sell records as fast as she can. Instead, she’s a craftswoman, taking her time and tweaking the music she makes until it’s just right.

During an exclusive session at the 2019 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida, Andrews shared some thoughts about her work ethic, about her background, and, of course, about the music she makes.

Musician Courtney Marie Andrews has lived, she says, at least 40 lives. And one thing she’s learned over the course of those 40 lives? How to distill the experiences into compelling stories about equally as compelling characters.

The Phoenix, Arizona native has been singing on stages since she was a teenager – really, not THAT long ago, given that she isn’t 30 yet – and to say that her career has been “interesting” isn’t quite enough. She was a back-up singer and keyboardist with Jimmy Eat World for a while, electric guitarist and back-up singer for a few other bands and musicians, a bartender, a busker in cafes and on street corners – the list goes on.

One thing that has remained consistent in her career, though, is her commitment to excellence and quality when it comes to recording music. Andrews is definitely not in this musical game just to make and sell records as fast as she can. Instead, she’s a craftswoman, taking her time and tweaking the music she makes until it’s just right.

During an exclusive session at the 2019 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida, Andrews shared some thoughts about her work ethic, about her background, and, of course, about the music she makes.