Sisters In Song

 We were thrilled to be able to talk with Cristina Vane about her album “Hear My Call,” the gift of co-writing,and the art of patience.  

 Hear My Call is a testament to Vane’s musical prowess, blending the classic sounds of the Delta blues with a contemporary edge. Her slide guitar shines throughout the album, weaving intricate melodies that echo the tradition of the blues greats while establishing her own distinct voice. With tracks that explore themes of longing, resilience, and freedom, Vane's songwritingresonates deeply, showcasing her skill not just as a guitarist but as a compelling storyteller. 

 Her sound reflects and amalgam of experiences; born at the foothills of the alps in Italy and raised between Italy, England and France, Cristina’s half American – half Guatemalan heritageis as unique as her sound. She is a product of a merging of numerous worlds-her classic rock, 90s indie, and heavier roots with her passion for prewarblues, old time fiddle banjo music, country and bluegrass.  

 This is a deeply personal album for Cristina as it is a return to her roots and rediscovering herself as well as being proud of where she's from. Being from Europe and immigrating to thestates, she made efforts to fit into American culture. Throughout the years, she realized she's proud of her European roots and wants everyone to know more about that formative side to her.  

Check her out here:  

 We had such a great time chatting with Griffin William Sherry about his new album, how he rediscovered his voice without his old band, and spending time alone in the Main Wilderness. 

Griffin William Sherry, the Maine-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist, is known for his ability to craft stories that resonate deeply, whether they’re shared around a campfire or at asummer festival. After spending twelve years fronting The Ghost of Paul Revere, Griffin steps into the spotlight as a solo artist with his debut album, Hundred Mile Wilderness. His music,characterized by a powerful vocal delivery and no-frills instrumentation, delves into the joys and challenges of small-town life and the personal journey of self-discovery. Through songs filled with raw honesty and eloquent lyricism, Griffin continues to explore life’s big questions, inviting listeners to pause and appreciate the moment. Now, with a new chapter unfolding, he’s moredetermined than ever to tell his story in his own voice. 

Check him out here: 

 Welcome to Season 4!!!

We’re so excited that we had the opportunity to talk with Valley James abouther upcoming debut album “Star” available everywhere March 4th!! The albumfocuses on transgenerational trauma of growing up in Star, Idaho with a “gothcountry” sound. We visited about Valley’s moves from Idaho to LA to landing inNashville and starting her career in music.  

Check Valley out here: 

We had a great time chatting with Chris and Corey Weber of Clarence Tilton. We picked their brain about how they taught themselves music, birdwatching, the difficulty of choosing a band name, and their most recent releases “Fred’s Colt” (featuring Marty Stuart) and “Flyway Cafe” (featuring Presley Tucker). 

Formed in 2014 from Omaha’s storied rock scene, Clarence Tilton is led by brothers Chris and Corey Weber, who grew up in a small town (1,000 people, 10,000 cows), learning guitar on borrowed instruments and bonding over influences like Neil Young, Son Volt, The Allman Brothers, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and James Gang. The five-piece band featuresco-songwriter Paul Novak (guitar, vocals), Jarron Wayne Storm (drums, vocals),and Craig Meier (bass). Their music, rooted in family legacy and small-town life,balances raw alt-country grit with rich, melodic hooks. 

Clarence Tilton is made up of:  

Chris Weber - guitar, vocals 

Corey Weber - guitar, vocals, pedal steel 

Craig Meier -bass 

Paul Novak -guitar, vocals 

Jarron Wayne Storm - drums, percussion, vocals 

Check them out here— 

 This episode features 15-year-old Mandolin phenom Wyatt Ellis. We talk to him about his debut album “Happy Valley,” doing two Tennessee Folk Life Apprenticeshipsand what’s coming up next for him! 

 Wyatt Ellis has reached more milestones in just 15 years than most musicians achieve in a lifetime. The teen multi-instrumentalist from East Tennessee, is rapidly emerging as one of bluegrass music’s brightest stars. With a fiery passion and a profound respect for the genre’s traditions, he skillfully blends the influences of bluegrass pioneers with youthful energy.Known for his virtuosic mandolin playing, soulful vocals, and original songwriting, Wyatt has built a dedicated fanbase across social media. His band performances, marked by raw energy and tight harmonies, breathe new life into traditional bluegrass, seamlessly fusing the rich traditions of Appalachia with an energetic, modern edge. 

Wyatt’s talent has earned him notable recognition in 2024, including the title ofInternational Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Instrumentalist of the Year.He has collaborated with bluegrass legends like Peter Rowan, Marty Stuart, andBobby Osborne, and his rise to prominence has been featured in Rolling Stone,cementing his place in the spotlight. His innovative approach to traditionalbluegrass has already begun to influence the next generation of musicians,furthering his impact on the genre. 

Check Wyatt out here— 

 In this episode, we had a great time talking with Rebecca Frazier about her latest release “Boarding Windows in Paradise , “ her obsession with flatpicking, and taking care ofyourself in a self-loving way. She also schools us on what flatpicking is! 

Grounded in her roots as a native Virginian, bluegrass trailblazer Rebecca Frazier found herselfreawakening to a whole new journey of inspiration and invention. For the flatpicking luminary, who achieved notoriety in the music world as the first woman ever to appear on the cover of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, that creative rebirth turned into her most captivatingwork yet: BOARDING WINDOWS IN PARADISE, released September 13, 2024 on Compass Records. 

The album title seems appropriate, as Frazier stepped into these last years with more strength and intention than ever before. Like the generations of her ancestors who havelived along Virginia’s coast, she, too, has weathered life’s hurricanes and battering winds — and witnessed its luminous beauty — and she wanted to capture that juxtaposition on this record. 

Check out Rebecca here— 

Avery Hill was full of insightful things to say in this latest episode. As a musician and teacher (both ukelele and songwriting) we had a lot of questions for her. We talked with her about making mix tapes back in the day, drawing inspiration by seeing live music, and the power of the natural world. 

Portland-based singer-songwriter Avery Hill is set to release her sophomore full-length album, The One Who Remembers, on November 1, 2024. This album marks a significant return to her roots as a storyteller and reflects Avery's profound personal journey. "The title is an introduction to myself as an artist," Avery explains. "I am not a flashy performer or a storm chaser; I am the one who remembers." She further elaborates, "Fundamentally, every artist is a 'rememberer,' and the purpose of art is to invite us all to remember what it is to be human." The album title, she adds, is also the title of the opening track and represents "a certain amount of humility" and "a truer picture of myself," emphasizing that her role is to reflect and make sense of experiences rather than seek attention.Avery's music career began in a home filled with the sounds of her parents' favorites. She recalls, "My mother bought me my first guitar and patiently listened to me rave about Joni Mitchell. My father made me mixtapes and taught me to harmonize to The Beach Boys on the radio." Originally aspiring to be a teacher, Avery's life took a creative turn after teaching in classrooms across Germany, Vermont, Washington, and Oregon. 

Avery's passion for teaching remained strong alongside her music career. "Teaching music became as fulfilling as writing and performing," she says. She started teaching ukulele in 2013 and has become a staple in Portland's ukulele community. "I strive to educate everyone's inner musician, elevate their self-knowledge and confidence, and enchant them with insight, presence, and a handful of good jokes." 

Check out Avery here--

We talk with Emily the Band in this episode who Carolyn had the pleasure of meeting at her friends' wedding. (Thanks Tom and Amelia!). We talked about their NPR Tiny Desk Series video submission, their forthcoming EP "Mwah," and the struggle with perfectionism.

Emily the band is a three-piece, queer, girl group based in central Illinois. Although they officially became a band in 2021, the love story between Emily Antonacci, Camryn Proctor, and Abbey Haste began in their teens. After meeting in highschool and becoming musical collaborators, the trio realized they were platonic soulmates. Now they get to spend their early twenties sharing their indie-alt-pop anthems with audiences. 

Check out Emily the Band here--

We really enjoyed our chat with Sophie Gault about writing gut-punching songs and being a vessel for songwriting. Its always a pleasure talking to strong, genre-defying artists! 

Reflecting on everything she had overcome, Sophie Gault found the title Baltic Street Hotel: “I used to hang out in Brooklyn a lot with my old bass player who was from Staten Island. I had returned to New York for the first time in eight, nine, ten years to promote my first album, and the Baltic Hotel is where I stayed. It felt like a homecoming. I was like, wow, I went to Nashville, I made an album. And at that point, I didn’t know I was going to make a second album, but I felt like I had accomplished something and I was proud."

Holler recently named Gault one of 10 New Country and Americana Artists You Need To Know (September 2024) calling the album "a joyfully eclectic mix of alt-country and breezy Tom Petty pop."

Check Sophie out here--

We are thrilled to be putting out our 75th episode with our conversation with Nashville's Devon Beck! We had a fabulous chat about how Devon arrived and stayed in Nashville, and her single "Blame It" and how it came to be.

Lauded as a "musical force" (CelebMix) Devon moved from Pennsylvania to Nashville to pursue her career in music in 2019. Since then, she has released six singles and her debut EP One Sided Expectations. She has quickly built a loyal following and has garnered nearly 370,000 cumulative streams on Spotify, a captivating audience on TikTok and the attention of several artists, songwriters and insiders including a collaboration with Sam Grow. She has previously opened for artists including Ernest, Joe Nichols, Maddie & Tae, Brett Young, Everclear, Nate Barnes, and more. 

Check Devon out here: