Artist Category: Americana | Page 15

Giulia Millanta

Singer-songwriter, Giulia (Julia) Millanta, is a native-born Italian from Florence who now calls Austin, Texas home. A creative and prolific artist, she has released six albums touring regionally, nationally throughout the USA and internationally. An accomplished guitarist, Giulia also plays ukulele and sings in four languages. She has been called smart, pensive and cool and credited with psychedelic grooveability whilst “baring her clairvoyant soul” to “deliver musical mojo.”

Giulia began her life in music as a child of eight years when taught to play guitar by her father she began to perform traditional folk songs. She continued to sing and began writing songs and making records. Performing at the Acoustic Guitar Meeting in Sarzana in the spring of 2010 her accomplished guitar style and songs earned her the “New Sounds Of Acoustic Music” award. This led to an endorsement by the renowned guitar makers Eko, choice of the most famous 60’s-80’s era singer-songwriters throughout Italy.

In 2018 Giulia releases “Conversation with a Ghost” produced by herself and Gabriel Rhodes. The record is recorded live with some of the best musicians in Austin like Glenn Fukunaga on bass and Dony Wynn on drums who in the past two years have also become her steady band members. It also features talents like Marc Ribot (Tom Waits) on electric guitar, Joel Guzman (Paul Simon) on accordion, John Mills (David Byrne) on horns, David Pulkingham on guitar and Kimmie Rhodes on background vocals.

The Rough & Tumble

The Rough & Tumble aren’t casual road dogs, but they aren’t letting on, either. From their upbeat, commanding stage presence and sharp banter, to their earworm-inducing melodies and heartstring lyrics, this dumpster-folk/thriftstore Americana duo refuses to bring the haggard road-worn stereotype to their audience– even though they’ve earned it. In fact, The Rough & Tumble have been elbowing out of most stereotypes.

Writing and performing together since 2007, Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler inevitably formed The Rough & Tumble in 2011 as the friends turned into bandmates. In 2015, after a bad Nashville landlord left them without heat for 12 days during an ice storm, the bandmates turning spouses decided to hit the road. They sold everything they could, bought a 16’ camper (despite the warning of their families and the lot salesman), packed up their instruments, their dog, and a couple of small trinkets shaped like elephants and mice that they couldn’t part with, and hit the road. They’ve been touring relentlessly since with their two 100lb rescue dogs, Mud Puddle and Magpie Mae, in spite of multiple burnt up axles, busted tires, and consistent water leaks.

On February 19, 2021 The Rough & Tumble dug into the severed branch of their family tree, bringing their newest work, We’re Only Family If You Say So, a full length record about what it takes to be family– and what it means to lose it. As with their previous two albums, it was recorded in East Nashville, TN with producer/engineer Dave Coleman. With its release, fans are Saying So. The raw, emotive nature intersects with the sweet, nearly upbeat tone that touches a nerve unfortunately familiar to listeners, particularly in the aftermath of division in both nation and families alike.

We’re Only Family If You Say So follows on the 2019 release Howling Back at the Wounded Dog, a 10-song album wherein response was audible, with audiences literally howling back at performances coast-to-coast. The opening track “The Hardest Part” won the Independent Music Award’s Best Americana Song of 2019.

In 2022, the duo is tackling less defined matters of the heart– love. When the 2020 pandemic hit, The Rough & Tumble were dependent on the loyalty of fans to keep them afloat through song commissions. The latest EP, Love is Gross (but it looks good on you) is a compilation of the sweeter songs Graham & Tyler were asked to write, with a couple of nearly-love songs the couple wrote for themselves. The February 11th release is welcomed levity on the heels of the harder matters of their previous release– the balance feeling not unlike their live performances.

Amy Speace

Heralded by Rolling Stone and Billboard Magazine, Amy Speace is one of contemporary folk and Americana music’s leading voices of the new generation. Lauded by mentors Judy Collins, Tom Paxton and Janis Ian, as well as the songwriting community in Nashville, her songs have been recorded by Judy Collins, Red Molly, Sid Selvidge among others.

After 20 years of touring, she has played concerts all across the US and Europe and has graced stages from Glastonbury Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival in the UK to Rocky Mountain Folks Festival and Mountain Stage. She began her career in the iconic folk venues of New York City where she was discovered by Judy Collins and signed to her Wildflower Records label. Relocating to Nashville in 2009, she quickly became embraced by the songwriting community, with regular shows at The Bluebird Café as well as her international touring. In 2020, her song “Me and the Ghost of Charlemagne” was named International Song of the Year by the Americana Music Association UK. Her 2021 release, “There Used To Be Horses Here” received widespread critical acclaim from Rolling Stone to Billboard. Performing Songwriter gave it 5 out of 5 stars and named it as the #4 release of 2021.

Her latest album, “Tucson” (Windbone/Proper Records) sets Speace’s majestic voice to symphonic arrangments, wrapped around her most intimate and emotional record yet. It landed #1 on the Folk Radio Charts in April, 2022 and was widely lauded as one of Speace’s finest work. This year, her 2013 record, “How To Sleep In A Stormy Boat,” which was featured on NPR’s All Things Considered was named to the Top 10 Albums of the century. A “writer’s writer”, she is a published poet, with pieces appearing in 2022’s Spring edition of 2River Review and Euphoia. Her essays have been published in The New York Times, American Songwriter, The Blue Rock Review.

Mattie & Debbie

Irreverent, bold and inventive, Boston duo Mattie & Debbie (Sean Trischka and Stash Wyslouch) straddle the lines of bluegrass, performance art, punk, funk and pop .

The partnership of Sean Trischka (drum set, vox, other) and Stash Wyslouch (guitar, vox, other) manifested in the form of Mattie & Debbie in 2017, in an effort to streamline their musical collaboration. Whether re-imagining a classic cover or churning out one of their many original songs, Mattie & Debbie combine a love for the unknown and unexpected with detail, craft, and a telepathic communication nurtured in years of playing and learning together.

The Home Fires

The Home Fires is a new Americana duo from Minneapolis comprised of acclaimed singer/songwriters Sarah Morris and Vicky Emerson. While both women continue to pursue successful solo careers and tour on a national basis, they have joined forces to launch this new project. In 2016, Sarah and Vicky became friends and tour mates. On their first Midwest tour, it was undeniable after a few shows that they had discovered a brand new sound. The combination of Sarah’s clear, melodic voice and Vicky’s warm, weathered tone created a completely unique harmony combination that continues to resonate with audiences and has propelled them into the forefront of their local music scene.

Sarah and Vicky chose the name The Home Fires because ‘Home’ represents their love for their children and families, and ‘Fire’ represents their continued passion for music and songwriting. They both have accepted the challenge and support each other in the intricate balancing act of being a mother while pursuing a career in music.

The duo has gained traction in the Midwest through touring, residencies and opening slots for Frankie Lee and Ben Rector. Their live show includes piano, guitars and often hilarious stage banter. They are currently co-writing songs in the car when they tour on the weekends in anticipation of a full length Americana album.

Jess Clinton

Jess is a California-born, New York City-based musician and artist. She is one of three powerful singer-songwriters fronting the Americana band Bellehouse. A professional vocalist for over 14 years, Jess brings both her serious expertise and jocular personality to stage and studio – making her both a captivating performer to watch, and a pleasure to work with.

The Bakers

Emily Haviland Baker is a locally-grown, up-and-coming performer & music therapist in the Greater-Boston area. She was raised in Essex County in Massachusetts, and was born into a family of musicians. With her parents being a classical pianist and a classical trumpet-player, and her Aunt being a professional violinist in New York City, Emily chose to play the violin at the age of five. She started with the Suzuki method and moved onto a more vigorous path of studying viola at New England Conservatory Preparatory School from 2002 – 2006. There she studied with Gillian Rogel in her final year, and was in Benjamin Zander’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra for her last two. (Some of her other accomplishments during this time: In 2005, Emily received first chair in Massachusetts All-States Orchestra, and also went on a 3 week-long tour of Brazil and Venezuela in 2005 with NEC’s YPO.) Emily studied classical viola for one final year in from 2006-2007 with New England Conservatory’s James Buswell.

After a life-evaluation at the age of 18, Emily decided to step away from music and two years later, entered the corporate-world in an administrative role. Her final two and-a-half years were served as the Administrative Assistant to the SVP of Product at Sperry, a men’s & women’s footwear brand. Another life evaluation was due after year five in her corporate-gig, which is when Emily decided to return to music, newly inspired by the folk and bluegrass scene. After receiving a scholarship to Berklee College of Music and shortly after becoming a full-time student again, she realized that not only was performing in her future, but so was serving her community, and that would be through the channel of music therapy.

The Bakers are:
Emily Baker on fiddle & vocals
Ben Baker on cello

McKain Lakey

McKain Lakey is a musician whose work investigates themes of oppression and empowerment through the richness of American folk traditions.

An instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter, McKain performs as a solo artist, as part of the duo Woolly Breeches, and with other bands by invitation. She is an educator and facilitator who works with groups of all ages and backgrounds to deepen their understanding of the historical and technical foundations of music and to encourage personal exploration of voice and creative power. She holds a degree from Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA.

McKain is also an experienced audio engineer who has produced countless live music events, as a front-of-house engineer, monitor engineer, and stage/production manager, in addition to her work as a studio engineer/producer. Recent projects include international tours with acclaimed band MarchFourth of Portland, OR, and mixing work on “The Gods Are Made of Mud”, the latest studio album by Hot Damn Scandal (Bellingham, WA).

Lula Wiles

Lula Wiles is a band deeply rooted in traditional folk music, but equally deep is their devotion to modern songcraft. Their songs span from heartbreak-drenched acoustic ballads to honky-tonk swagger to contemporary grit and back again, all anchored by powerful three-part vocal harmonies.

Their lyrics are fiercely honest, littered with reinvented folk tropes and evocative images – a rainy field of daisies, a dusty bar lit by Christmas lights, an unmade bed. They deliver love songs that are at once defiant and heartsick, as well as new contributions to the folk ballad canon and timely explorations of what it means to live in America today. Drawing from the deep wells of traditional old-time music, classic country, and contemporary indie-folk-rock songwriting and arranging, Lula Wiles melds diverse influences to create a sound all their own. The three band members deftly swap instruments and frontwoman duties, with Ellie Buckland (vocals/guitar/fiddle), Isa Burke (vocals/guitar/fiddle), and Mali Obomsawin (vocals/bass) each contributing their own singularly expressive vocals, instrumental lines, and songwriting. Onstage, the band gathers tightly around a single microphone for a spirited and emotionally resonant live show.

The Honey Dewdrops

Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish are celebrating their 9th year of touring full time as The Honey Dewdrops, having played stages and festivals far and wide in North America and Europe. With tight harmonies and an musical ensemble that includes clawhammer banjo, mandolin and guitars, the effect is to leave listeners with only what matters: the heart of the song and clarity over ornamentation.

After leaving their home base of Virginia and living on the road for 2 years, Laura and Kagey now call Baltimore, Maryland home and it’s where they wrote and recorded their fourth full-length album, Tangled Country, released May 2015. Acoustic Guitar Magazine describes the set of songs as “a handcrafted sound centered on swarming harmonies and acoustic guitars that churn like a paddlewheel and shimmer like heat waves on the highway.” And like their stage performance, these songs rock and reel, and then they console you when you come back down.

The Honey Dewdrops have a busy year ahead of them with festival appearances across the country and a new record on the horizon (slated for release Spring of 2019) along with their first UK tour in Jan/Feb 2019.