Tag: Duncan Wickel

BGS 5+5: Maura Shawn Scanlin

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Maura Shawn Scanlin
Hometown: Boone, North Carolina
Latest Album: Rule of Three (released July 22, 2026)

What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?

I love to read and I love visual art. I think storytelling is at the heart of folk music and I see a lot of overlap between written/oral storytelling and music. I find inspiration in folk art styles that are passed down by hands-on apprenticeship, and see some similarity in the aural way of music-learning present in traditional music. I’ve been reading a bunch over the past couple of years, absorbing all sorts of writing – memoirs, short stories, books on learning and teaching, classics, mythology, political writing, history. It’s all connected in some way to finding inspiration and context for the music I create, even if it’s not easily traceable. I’ve also been reminded recently of how much I love author-narrated audio books. There’s something musical in hearing the lilt of an author reading their own writing that I find quite moving.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

Maybe it would be something like, “Try to contribute beauty through the creation of new music, while learning from and honoring tradition and community.” I really value the musical community I am a part of; it’s far-flung, but often creates a sense of belonging wherever I travel, through a shared musical or artistic language. There is so much to learn from all the music and art that has already been made. I hope I can maintain a sense of wonder while learning from others in the arts community, allowing myself to play and create new music that draws from the deep well of the tradition, but does not feel shackled to it.

Genre is dead (long live genre!), but how would you describe the genres and styles your music inhabits?

I think I have two main musical homelands that sometimes remain separate, and sometimes intertwine. I grew up learning Celtic fiddle music alongside western classical music. The classical side of things has led me to complete my B.M. and M.M. in Classical Violin Performance, and to perform in a string quartet called Rasa String Quartet. The Celtic side of things led me to find the thriving Celtic music scene in Boston, and led me to make music and perform with my duo Rakish, and various other projects. The styles of music I perform with each group are becoming more and more fluid as various collaborations take place, and these days my Celtic and classical worlds often mingle, which can be really fulfilling. All the subgenres of both western classical and folk music that I have ever been exposed to are surely present to some extent in my music, though I may not be aware of their presence.

My journey into and love for traditional Irish music is what led me to creating this new album Rule of Three; I was searching for a space to explore the more traditional Irish side of things and was able to do that with John [Doyle] and Duncan [Wickel] on the album.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

I really love food, cooking, and bringing friends and community together in various forms around food. If I didn’t work in music, I might want to work in food! I love the creative nature of cooking and baking, and the ability to nourish myself and others with locally grown and seasonal foods.

What is a genre, album, artist, musician, or song that you adore that would surprise people?

I do really enjoy pop country sometimes, especially on long drives. Artists like Tyler Hubbard, Zach Top, Lainey Wilson. It’s fun music, what can I say! Not everyone will agree — and that’s ok!

Photo Credit: Dan Jentzen

You Gotta Hear This: Ricky Skaggs, Cameron Knowler, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Our weekly roundup of new roots music is here, get into it! You Gotta Hear This…

To begin, Georgia-raised singer-songwriter Sam Burchfield releases “One More Setting Sun” today. You might find this track at the intersection of indie rock and Americana twang, replete with fuzzy guitars and a certainly summery vibe. Burchfield rightly describes “One More Setting Sun” to BGS as a “summer bop.” Staying in Georgia, you’ll also find yourself bopping to the latest from Americana/country duo Surrender Hill. Infused with a touch of Southern rock and including delicious B3 organ, “Not Alone” reflects on the ups and downs of life and how, despite ourselves, those ups and downs can often lead us directly to the right people we need in our lives. The hope in the track oozes out in its tempo and forward-leaning energy.

From bluegrass, country and string band legend, Ricky Skaggs unveils his first new music in over 10 years. “Say A Prayer” isn’t a straight-up-and-down bluegrass number; instead it pulls equally from country and rock, bluegrass and gospel. It’s built on the intense conviction and spirituality for which Skaggs is known, driving his band to the soaring climax of the song’s final chorus and impressing upon his listeners the message of hope and faith in the track. You’ll get another dose of tasty organ with that one! Another set of bluegrass legends, Lonesome River Band, keep us in a seasonal frame of mind with “Summertime,” a new song that’s nostalgic in the way it text paints images of Southern summers. Get a sampling of the twanging electric guitar picking along with one of the most beloved bluegrass lineups in the genre.

LRB’s labelmates, Unspoken Tradition, have released a brand new album today, Heartwood. To celebrate the occasion, we’re offering a sampling of “All the Gold in California,” a bluegrassified cover of the Gatlin Brothers classic that’s properly barn-burning and energetic. The entire LP is great – we’ve premiered more a few numbers from the collection over the weeks and months leading up to release day – and this up-tempo cover song is an excellent addition to the new album. Elsewhere in our roundup, guitarist, archivist, and multimedia artist Cameron Knowler is giving us a sneak peek and early listen of his next single, “El Centro (Cassette Demo),” which releases next week. “I am consistently surprised by how ‘final’ demos sound on these machines,” Knowler tells BGS via email. “Oftentimes, I get so emotionally attached to a preliminary performance that I’ll scrap the idea of taking a given song to the studio.” You’ll get attached to the cozy, artful, and lovely demo, too.

For a Celtic flair, fiddler Maura Shawn Scanlin has brought us a new track, “The Good Ship,” from her upcoming album Rule of Three. Set for release in late July, the project includes Scanlin alongside fabled guitarist/instrumentalist John Doyle and engineer/instrumentalist Duncan Wickel. “The Good Ship” is a set of tunes – a medley – featuring a Scanlin original, “The Good Ship,” followed by familiar Irish favorites “The Dusty Miller” and “Cucanandy.” Get ready to dance to this one, too – that’s what a “hop jig” is made for, isn’t it?

Bluegrass, country, folk, Celtic – there’s something for everyone below. You Gotta Hear This!

Sam Burchfield, “One More Setting Sun”

Artist: Sam Burchfield
Hometown: Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia
Song: “One More Setting Sun”
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Label: Cloverdale Records

In Their Words: “We’re just little eternal beings trapped in bodies trying to love each other and navigate the cosmos. The world is beautiful, we are in it, and we are part of the beauty. I wanna love you forever – that’s what this song is. What else can I say? It’s a summer bop.” – Sam Burchfield

Cameron Knowler, “El Centro (Cassette Demo)”

Artist: Cameron Knowler
Hometown: Yuma, Arizona
Song: “El Centro (Cassette Demo)”
Release Date: July 3, 2026
Label: Castle Dome Records

In Their Words: “This is the newest track from my ongoing cassette demos series. These songs are either made on my Marantz single track field recorder or on one of my Tascam 4-track machines. ‘El Centro’ is one of those that was made on my 4-track, making use of electric guitar, electro-acoustic, and found objects for percussion. I am consistently surprised by how ‘final’ demos sound on these machines; oftentimes, I get so emotionally attached to a preliminary performance that I’ll scrap the idea of taking a given song to the studio. This is an example of that process in effect.” – Cameron Knowler

Video Credit: Cameron Knowler

Lonesome River Band, “Summertime”

Artist: Lonesome River Band
Hometown: Floyd, Virginia
Song: “Summertime”
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Summertime’ was sent to us by our good friend Sherrill Blackman, who has pitched us so many great songs from different writers. It reminded me of my summers as a child and all the things I did growing up during my school vacations in my hometown and spending summers with my grandparents. We hope it brings back memories for our fans!” – Sammy Shelor

Track Credits:
Adam Miller – Mandolin, lead vocal
Sammy Shelor – Banjo, harmony vocal
Jesse Smathers – Acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
Mike Hartgrove – Fiddle
Kameron Keller –Upright bass
Rod Riley – Electric guitar

Maura Shawn Scanlin, “The Good Ship”

Artist: Maura Shawn Scanlin
Hometown: Boone, North Carolina
Song: “The Good Ship”
Album: Rule of Three
Release Date: June 25, 2026 (single); July 22, 2026 (album)

In Their Words: “‘The Good Ship’ is the second single out ahead of my new album Rule of Three, recorded during a rainy week last August in my West Asheville basement with John Doyle and Duncan Wickel. Duncan set up a DIY recording studio with baffles and quilts and all sorts of mics, and we sat down and played some music, tracking all together. It was fun to capture a pretty raw sound, blemishes and all – it was my intent to try to preserve the live feeling of playing music together in the same room. We hadn’t played as a trio all together prior to the session, so there was a spontaneous nature to the recordings that added some palpable energy to the music. ‘The Good Ship’ is a set of three tunes in the Irish style, one of my tunes called ‘The Good Ship’ followed by two traditional Irish tunes called ‘The Dusty Miller’ and ‘Cucanandy.’ I think of them as Hop Jigs, tunes that sit somewhere in the gray area between slip jigs and waltzes.” – Maura Shawn Scanlin

Track Credits:
Maura Shawn Scanlin – Fiddle
John Doyle – Bouzouki
Duncan Wickel – Cello

Ricky Skaggs, “Say A Prayer”

Artist: Ricky Skaggs
Hometown: Cordell, Kentucky
Song: “Say A Prayer”
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Label: Skaggs Family Records (distributed by Virgin Music Group)

In Their Own Words: “I’m incredibly excited to share my new single, ‘Say A Prayer.’ The song addresses a world carrying a lot of grief right now, serving as a universal call for everyone to stop and lean into faith. It’s got a chorus that resonates with faith, country, and rock audiences alike.” – Ricky Skaggs

Surrender Hill, “Not Alone”

Artist: Surrender Hill
Hometown: Ellijay, Georgia
Song: “Not Alone”
Release Date: July 10, 2026 (single); August 7, 2026 (album)
Label: Blue Betty Records

In Their Words: “This song sort of wrote itself; before I knew what it was about, it was done. It’s a reflection of my life and how through all the ups and downs I have somehow managed to hold onto faith that life would lead me to the right place and the right people. And, I think I found my people.” – Afton Seekins Salmon

“I had a pretty clear vision of the sound for this song. Having Dennis Parker in the studio was key. The mandolin and balance of his acoustic and mine was something I had floating around in my head. Matthew Von Doran did a fantastic job with the main solo. When he played that for me, I felt the immediate lift in the song and loved it. I had a hard time finding the right sound and feel for the electric guitar on the front end of the song, then I found a chorus sound that Nirvana used and that hit me right. That also felt appropriate as our son, Wren, has been listening to Nirvana nonstop for months. He even wants us to order him some Teen Spirit deodorant. Overall, the positive nature of this song is what made it a clear choice for the album and a single.” – Robin Dean Salmon

Track Credits:
Afton Seekins Salmon – Lead vocals, songwriter
Robin Dean Salmon – Bass, electric guitar, background vocals
Matt Crouse – Drums
Dennis Parker – Acoustic guitar, mandolin
Eric Fritsch – B3 organ
Matthew Von Doran – Lead guitar

Unspoken Tradition, “All the Gold in California”

Artist: Unspoken Tradition
Hometown: Western North Carolina
Song: “All The Gold In California”
Album: Heartwood
Release Date: June 26, 2026
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “For me this is an interesting song because prior to recording this, I was not familiar with the original version. We all have our knowledge gaps – even within the things we’re passionate about – and Larry Gatlin fell in that gap for me.

“Jeff Collins, who produced the Heartwood album, suggested this song to the band as we were gathering material. We were looking for something up-tempo with a drive to it. The original version isn’t that, so this song was a great candidate for reimagining and putting our creative spin on it. It was a fun track to record. I’m so glad Jeff put this one in our minds, it turned out great.

“Even though it sounds like a fast-paced, trad-leaning song, ‘All the Gold in California’ bears a serious message worth heeding. To me, this song warns of being misled by money and fame. That world is heavily guarded, they don’t let just anybody in the club, so the idea of showing up and immediately making it big isn’t likely. So it’s best to stick to your identity, values, traditions, and work ethic to get where you want to be.” – Audie McGinnis

Track Credits:
Audie McGinnis – Acoustic guitar, lead vocal
Sav Sankaran – Upright bass, harmony vocal
Tim Gardner – Fiddle, harmony vocal
Ty Gilpin – Mandolin
Zane McGinnis – Banjo

Photo Credit: Ricky Skaggs courtesy of Skaggs Family Records; Cameron Knowler by Steven Perlin.

LISTEN: Michael Daves, “Can’t Get There From Here” (R.E.M. Cover)

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Michael Daves
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia (originally); New York, New York and Adams, Massachusetts (currently)
Song: Can’t Get There From Here
Album: Fables (EP)
Release Date: December 19, 2025
Label: Wild Geranium Records

In Their Words: “As a Georgia boy growing up in 1980s, R.E.M. was my first musical obsession and I still love those early albums. The dream logic, the obscure references to Southern culture, the addictive hooks, the ghostly background vocals. I thought it would be interesting to adapt one of them to bluegrass and it happens that Fables of the Reconstruction is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It’s an arty rock album, but there’s a lot of droney stuff in there that sounds like it came from mountain dulcimer, banjo, and mandolin. The quartet I lead with Hargreaves, Jolliff, and Alvar has proven very adept at interpreting music from non-bluegrass sources and though they had no prior knowledge of this music, they were open to it and knocked it out of the park.” – Michael Daves

Track Credits:
Michael Daves – Guitar, vocals
Alex Hargreaves – Fiddle
Jacob Jolliff – Mandolin
Erik Alvar – Bass
Duncan Wickel – Cello
Sean Cahill – Background vocals
Jefferson Hamer – Background vocals

Video Credit: Jason Zucker

Photo Credit: Manish Gosalia

WATCH: Nina de Vitry, “Open”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Nina de Vitry
Hometown: Born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; based in Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Open”
Album: What You Feel Is Real
Release Date: August 25, 2023

In Their Words: “At its core, ‘Open’ is intended to coax listeners out of their shells. My personal experience creating the song and video parallels this message, as I found myself expanding out of my own comfort zone both as a musician and a visual artist in the creation process.

“‘Open’ builds from lonely, sparse verses to layered vocal harmonies and string parts, pleading with listeners to step out of isolation and towards connection. I originally intended to completely hire out the arrangements, but it soon became apparent to me that it was personally meaningful to arrange the harmony violin solo and the vocal harmonies (with background string pads by composer/arranger Duncan Wickel). Using my own voice as a violinist and harmony singer enhanced my creative confidence, and the ensuing world of strings and vocals elevated the expansive openness that I aimed to create.

“In the visual representation of ‘Open,’ a flower opens and the black and white illustration eventually turns into a full watercolor painting. The experience of making the video was cathartic, and reconnected me to a part of myself that I thought I had lost. Though I had always loved to draw as a child, I found that I had closed myself off to this creative outlet as an adult. Producing this song and video has helped me to expand my definition of what I do as an artist, and open myself to new artistic possibilities. It is my hope that pairing the song with this visual can appeal to the childlike wonder in all of us, and that it might inspire viewers to open themselves up to the world in a new way.” — Nina de Vitry

Photo Credit: Joseph Ross Photography

LISTEN: Ben Krakauer, “Brushy”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Ben Krakauer
Hometown: Swannanoa, North Carolina
Song: “Brushy”
Album: Hidden Animals
Release Date: March 22, 2023
Label: Adhyâropa Records

In Their Words: “I was thrilled and honored to have such wonderful companions on this album – Duncan Wickel and Ella Jordan on fiddles, Dan Klingsberg on bass, and Nick Falk on drums – that really brought this music to life. ‘Brushy’ is a burning banjo and fiddle tune that I originally envisioned as slow and moody, but we recorded it at twice the intended speed because Dan, Ella, Nick, and Duncan were all feeling it as a rager! I had a hard time keeping up, but it was fun to do. I wrote it to feature the open tone of the banjo and to explore one of my favorite pentatonic modes (1 2 4 5 b7). A centerpiece of this recording is Nick’s drumming, which is wonderfully nuanced, explosive, and intricate, and is informed by the best of banjo/fiddle/flatfooting tradition; it also echoes further back to the banjo’s African roots and its place within a percussive ensemble. Also listen for the twin fiddling and the traded phrases between Duncan and Ella, like a nouveau old-time ‘Tenor Madness.’” — Ben Krakauer

Photo Credit: Aaron Stone

LISTEN: Stash Wyslouch, “Lord Protect My Soul”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Stash Wyslouch
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Lord Protect My Soul”
Album: Plays and Sings Bluegrass Vol. II
Release Date: April 30, 2021

In Their Words: “Everything on Plays and Sings Bluegrass Vol. II is a product of years of experimentation with traditional bluegrass. Instead of giving this Bill Monroe classic the four-part gospel treatment, I thought it would be fun to contrast the original melody and lyrics with an onslaught of polytonal backup melodies played in unison. In bluegrass I tend to gravitate towards the gospel flavors, and in my own music I tend to gravitate towards the ‘absurd’ and unexpected. This track exemplifies those two worlds colliding. Accompanying me on the unified front of polytonal backup is Duncan Wickel (fiddle), Max Ridley (bass), and Sean Trischka (drums).” — Stash Wyslouch

Photo credit: Mariel Vandersteel

Sam Reider, “Trio Sonata”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

All disbelief suspended, composer and accordionist Sam Reider’s work is essentially string band music. Yes, he’s an accordionist (which shouldn’t really be remarkable, because… Sally Ann Forrester), and yes, Eddie Barbash plays saxophone on the most recent album, The Human Hands EP, but we’ve suspended disbelief here for a reason. Whether the rest of the band were rounded out by Dominick Leslie, Duncan Wickel, Alex Hargreaves, Dave Speranza, and Roy Williams or not, these tunes would feel fiddle-y. They’re folky and down-to-earth and approachable and danceable and they cheekily, defiantly traipse across the borders of bluegrass. 

The truly remarkable thing about this music is not this feat in the face of (gasp) an accordion and a saxophone!? It’s that these folky-feeling tunes are… composed. These melodies and ideas are directly tied to a musical history and tradition often regarded as devoid of any idea rootsy or vernacular. “Trio Sonata,” a two-part composition on the new The Human Hands video EP, draws from the Baroque trio sonata, a 400-year-old musical form that derived from popular dances of the day. The three parts of Reider’s “Trio Sonata” are I. Reel, II. Jig, and III. Breakdown, amounting to an unlikely, four-century-old parallel to modern fiddle contest song selections. 

In this way, there’s a satisfying sense of symmetry to Reider’s idiosyncratic approach to fiddle-oriented instrumental music. It defies any so-called logic we might try to use to justify certain genre designations, it mocks the idea that we ought try to delineate between “classical” versus “folky” approaches to writing and creating music, and perhaps above all else, the music centers dance. Movement is certainly a unifier, and in this case, it unifies all of these musical eccentricities — from squeezebox to Bill Monroe to Baroque compositions to sax — in a perfectly digestible package.

LISTEN: Ben Krakauer, “Heart Lake”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Ben Krakauer
Hometown: Black Mountain, North Carolina
Song: “Heart Lake”
Album: Heart Lake
Release Date: December 17, 2019
Label: Blue Hens Music

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Heart Lake,’ along with the rest of the tunes on this album, with these particular musicians in mind. ‘Heart Lake’ was my attempt at a fiddle tune, which morphed into something different by the time I finished writing it. Like John Hartford’s string band records, it shifts in texture every 16 or 32 bars. It’s named for one of my favorite places, near Mt. Shasta, California. Featuring Duncan Wickel on fiddle, Nick Falk on drums, and Dan Klingsberg on bass.” — Ben Krakauer

Photo credit: Laura Ogburn

Rising Appalachia Tie Worlds Together with ‘Leylines’

Posted on by Editor

Just weeks ago Leah Smith of Rising Appalachia, the harmonizing duo with her sister Chloe, stood on a high peak and sang the old traditional tune “Across the Blue Ridge Mountains.” She was at the end of a stay in a remote village, and some local women surrounded her for a send-off.

“They circled us up and did traditional music with drums and flute,” she says.

Smith’s song was in appreciative answer, a thank-you for their hospitality. It was a perfect encapsulation of Rising Appalachia, connecting through music with people and the land that nourishes them.

This mountaintop, though, was in the Andes, not the Appalachians, perched above Peru’s Sacred Valley. Leah, Chloe and the four musicians of their band had just finished a six-week concert tour in South America. The others had gone back to the U.S., but Leah stayed behind for a little extra experience. And what an experience it was.

“To close my eyes and receive this absolutely magnificent mountain range in front of me, and these women who are community weavers and medicine keepers around me, and singing this song from my mountains to them in their mountains was a deep offering,” she says, speaking from the Atlanta house in which she and Chloe grew up.

This chat comes on the eve of the release of Rising Appalachia’s seventh album, Leylines. The title is a word for perceived connections and alignments of natural features around the globe, often used in a mystical sense. And that’s exactly what the album, and Rising Appalachia itself, are about.

Here they illuminate lines connecting gospel, fiddle tunes (some learned from their mom, Jan), African and Irish roots and interpolations of contemporary urban folk and soul. Joining the sisters are their regular colleagues David Brown (stand-up bass) and Biko Cassini (percussion and the West African stringed n’goni), plus two new members, West African native Arouna Diarra (also n’goni) and Irish musician Duncan Wickel (fiddle, cello).

The South America jaunt has already sparked “Agua de la Madre,” a new song that Leah wrote in Spanish, inspired by water-rights concerns of the region. But the focus now is on Leylines, made in a seaside studio in Northern California with producer Joe Henry. Leylines marks the first time the sisters have put their art in the trust of an outside producer, but it resulted in mutual appreciation.

“Leah and Chloe are fearless artists, as well as fierce activists,” he says. “They arrived with a sharp and committed point-of-view, yet were wildly open to what might otherwise transpire. I felt the same when I worked with Baez and [Harry] Belafonte — as well as when I produced their hero, Ani DiFranco, many years ago.”

In this BGS interview, Leah Smith explores a multitude of musical influences from around the globe and close to home.

BGS: Before we talk about the new album, tell us about South America.

Leah Smith: It was the band’s first time touring there. We’ve always preferred that our music is a vehicle of cultural exchanges. That’s the primary goal of Rising Appalachia. We’re building bridges and learning other people’s traditions and showcasing ours, and using that as a language. I lived for six years in Latin America — not consecutively. I moved to Mexico when I was 18. We have a really amazing fan base in South America and went to some places none of us had been. We learned about the music traditions and farming traditions, a lot of sustainability practices. We did our due diligence of what we think of as troubadours — musical ambassadors and students of the world.

Leylines was made before this trip, but will certainly impact your music to come, as other travels have before.

The name of the band really indicates what we do. It’s called Rising Appalachia. Appalachia is the foundations roots and culture we were born into. Rising out of it, using that foundation to grow wide branches. I always say about our work that we will never run out of material to study, to learn, to be influenced by. It’s impossible to run out. Every conversation on every trip adds to the fabric of our songwriting and goes into the lens that we view music through.

You start the album with traditional gospel in “I Believe in Being Ready.” Was that a big part of your musical life?

We grew up with so much of the Southern music in our home. Everything from jazz to gospel to old-time Appalachian roots music — and everything in between. This album is such a journey and departs in so many directions from the real simplicity that started our project 15 years ago. But we felt it was important for us to get the first breath of the album in the foundation of where our music came from. It’s got that old, archaic sound, very simple sister harmonies and a bit of the apocalyptic sense of the world coming to the end, in the gospel sense.

That’s a thread that runs through the rest of the album?

That’s what we wanted to do. I feel like every album is a chapter in our story, in a book of our lives. This to me is really exciting. Whether you’re remotely interested in the roots of music or not, this album holds all the roots of Appalachian music. We’ve always been influenced by that — the African roots of it, the Irish roots, the urban presence of Southern music, all the ways a very diverse and broad community has influenced Southern music. But we’ve never really presented it like this.

There are a couple of fiddle-tune pieces on this one, drawing on some of your first music experiences.

“Cuckoo” is one of my favorite songs on the album. We learned it from our mother and I just love that. Her version of this old traditional Appalachian song. I feel like we’ve probably known versions of “Cuckoo” since we were little kids. She has a beautiful trio, the Rosin Sisters. They recorded this version a few years ago and we said, “We’re gonna learn that version.”

Your dad is a musician too?

He’s primarily a [visual] folk artist, but also plays blues guitar.

Do you all still play and sing as a family?

We do all the time! Every now and then we get them up on stage, but they are reluctant. I don’t know why. I would love for them to join us more often. I think they don’t want to be assuming that it’s okay.

On the song “Sadjuna” you explore African sounds.

That’s a song that Arouna Diarra brought to us, a traditional West African song. We do several different songs that are Arouna’s. This one had an incredible surreal dreamlike state to it. The song in its origin is very much about people that leave the world too young — when families lose young people in war or strife, or when parents see the passing of their children. So Chloe and I wanted to write two verses to accompany it that held the same space. I don’t like to be over-literal. But we wanted to bring that to people, a balm for people who had that passing in their lives.

For “Make Magic” you cite Erykah Badu and André 3000 of Outkast as influences. It still sounds like folk music, though with some different aspects. How does their impact figure into it?

That is our folk tradition, as young women growing up in the ‘90s in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. That’s where the genre [labels] don’t serve us. Hip-hop and soul are urban folk music, storytelling music.

More expected is the influence of Ani DiFranco, particularly on “Speak Out,” on which she guests.

Ani had such a potent influence on me as a young woman from the urban South. My folk traditions were a lot of underground hip-hop and blues and soul, and the folk music our parents were playing felt very distant to me. Ani was a bridge, this young, folk-rock, righteous babe, but she was playing Woody Guthrie songs and had a banjo in her hands. I was so inspired to see a radical young woman carrying these traditions that I did not have access to. And to top that off, using the stage, using her platform to be talking about really important issues — voting, women’s rights — with no apologies. Wasn’t polite, wasn’t tidy, was in your face and made you think.

What would you consider your mission?

What’s our signature mission? We don’t have one, really. We believe our roles are as public servants. It’s a public service job. We are collecting the joys and sorrows and struggles of ours and of our community. We want to know what the community is talking about and that has to be part of our show. Different every night. Water rights and human rights. Our role is to provide the stage for the people who show up night after night. We have to listen. That is an important thing.

Photo credit: Chad Hess