Austin & Elliott
- Acoustic
- Folk
- Singer/Songwriter
Their third and most recent record, Cradle and Crow (2017), features two voices, acoustic guitar, bass, and hand drum, resulting in a “timeless quality difficult to achieve” (Greg Grant, Online Folk Festival). Cradle and Crow was written, performed, and produced by Austin & Elliott in their home studio. According to Metronome Magazine, “their voices meld together perfectly.”
With an MFA in poetry from Emerson College and a huge vinyl record collection, upstate NY native Chris strums hard on a distinctive handmade Alan Carruth acoustic guitar, which he won in Boston’s WUMB FM Songwriting Contest in 1996. He delights in penning offbeat rhymes and “witty, smart” (Greenfield Recorder) narratives. His musical inspiration ranges from memories of his father singing “Froggie Went a’ Courtin'” to the latest obscure Italian prog or Swedish metal LP.
In the early aughts Chris met his harmonic other half, Lisa Austin, on the mean streets of Cambridge, MA. Lisa Austin was born on the North Shore, raised in the Pioneer Valley, and marinated in the brine of the Atlantic. She was indoctrinated into the raucous world of folk music in the family home in Arlington where she listened to her family sing countless renditions of “Barnacle Bill the Sailor” and “Charlie on the MTA.” A Lilith Fair semi-finalist, Lisa’s bracing harmonies and powerful hand drum elevate the energy of their live shows, praised as “lively” (Recorder) and “memorable” (CBS Boston).
