Tag: Folk

Instrumental Storyteller — David Barrett Captures Defining Moments and Memories on “Guitar Stories From the Midwest” Album

David Barrett. Courtesy photo.

David Barrett prefers to tell stories instrumentally.

The composer-guitarist captures defining moments and memories on his latest instrumental folk album, Guitar Stories From the Midwest.

“It’s not a coincidence I call it Guitar Stories because most of them for me have a plot to the story,” said Barrett, who’s based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “Most of them grew out of a baby being born, a forlorn moment, or a whimsical time. They start from a place and go somewhere.”

The album’s 14 songs celebrate going to the circus, attending a family wedding, traveling on a train to Chicago, enjoying a sunrise, playing soccer in a park, and relishing notable places in Michigan.

“For me, whether it be a song or a composition, I always say, ‘A good song is one you want to hear again,’” said Barrett, who also composes on the piano. “If you’re not taken somewhere, then you’re playing a typewriter.”

Barrett’s cinematic and inspirational guitarwork invites listeners to embark on past and present adventures in their mind’s eye.

“It starts with a heartbeat, and hopefully, you carry that heartbeat and take people somewhere,” he said. “If I do that, it’s a good day in the neighborhood.”

To learn more, I spoke with Barrett about his background and latest album.

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Everything Will Be OK — Blockhouse Valley Learns From Life’s Disappointments on “It’s Alright” Album

Blockhouse Valley’s Danny Steinkopf, Cody Cooper, Ashleigh Glass-Cooper, and Jon Howard. Photo – Kyla Preissner

Blockhouse Valley finds a silver lining in life’s disappointments.

The Americana band embraces the growth and wisdom that comes from personal and professional challenges on It’s Alright.

“A lot of it was the decompression of our days and things that were weighing on us,” said Ashleigh Glass-Cooper, Blockhouse Valley’s vocalist, about the Metro Detroit band’s latest album.

“It also was thoughts we were having and things that were racing through our minds that we were able to capture in those times and hold onto for moments where we could make something better out of them.”

Glass-Cooper traded those thoughts and feelings with husband, musical partner, and mandolinist-guitarist Cody Cooper during their daily commutes home from work.

“It wasn’t that we sat down and said, ‘Let’s write songs about this,’” she said. “We tend to talk about [things] on our commutes, and our brains get a chance to decompress in ways that we don’t always set time apart for otherwise.”

Those conversations laid the groundwork for It’s Alright, which features eight tracks filled with soulful vocals, clever lyrics, and infectious instrumentation.

“We gave them a structure, a context, a musical home that we could potentially share with other people,” Glass-Cooper said. “And we think [the songs] are really relatable because we don’t want to dwell on all of the negativity. We don’t want to give it more power through what we’ve done, but we do want to provide that release.”

To learn more, I spoke with Glass-Cooper and Cooper about the album, its themes, and the creative process behind it.

Continue reading “Everything Will Be OK — Blockhouse Valley Learns From Life’s Disappointments on “It’s Alright” Album” →

Begin Again — Anne Domini Processes Growth and Independence on “Summer Snows” Album

Anne Domini. Photo – Aaron Glen

Anne Domini embraces a growth mindset on Summer Snows.

The Metro Detroit singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist confronts past struggles and rediscovers a sense of purpose on her latest folk album.

“Summer Snows is the story of me growing up,” Domini said. “The first song, ‘Jello,’ starts with how the world feels like Jello, how everything is terrible, and I’m scared. It’s [about] that first year of growing up and what does that look like and me processing that.”

On her second full-length album, Domini processes the growth that comes from tackling mental health challenges and gaining independence.

“There was a lot that happened that was big and heavy, and I couldn’t process it on my own,” she said. “My goal is to write [music] in a way that other people can listen to the songs and see themselves in it. They can see it address their situation, they can gain comfort, and they can gain wisdom through the songs and interpret them in their own way.”

Domini’s poetic lyrics, warm vocals, and emotive instrumentation quickly invite listeners into Summer Snows. The album’s 11 tracks elicit a wealth of emotions while exploring existential and spiritual themes.

“I do think God gave me the love of music, or he just made me in a way that I loved music,” she said. “That is definitely an outlet that I have found.”

I recently spoke with Domini about the inspiration behind her album.

Continue reading “Begin Again — Anne Domini Processes Growth and Independence on “Summer Snows” Album” →

From Lyric to Lore — Metro Detroit’s Nick Juno Finds His Folk Through Timeless Stories and Songs

Nick Juno stands in front of a Wayne Kramer mural at Detroit’s Lager House. Mural by Eric Patrick Kelly. 

Nick Juno knows how to tell a powerful story.

The folk singer-songwriter, historian, and storyteller is driven by curiosity and a desire to understand, express, and connect with listeners.

“I want to know something,” said Juno, who lives in Metro Detroit. “I want to say something; I want to feel something. And I want the listener to feel something, too.”

Whether he’s writing and singing about women working in cigar factories or calling for the release of a wrongly imprisoned activist, Juno’s songs hit an emotional and thoughtful mark.

“I’m a topical folk singer with songs often inspired by front-page headlines, historical events, museums, or personal stories shared by everyday people,” he said.

“My music, whether personal or historical, aims to honor the power of storytelling and connect people to both the past and present.”

His engaging stories and songs are best heard in intimate settings, like coffeehouses, taverns, small theaters, and house concerts.

“House concerts are a favorite setting at this stage of my career,” said Juno, who hails from Flint and has been writing and performing since the early ‘80s.

“Intimate and conversational spaces allow me to set up songs, tell their stories, and create memorable, meaningful events with listeners up close.”

I recently spoke with Juno about select songs from his catalog and his upcoming plans.

Continue reading “From Lyric to Lore — Metro Detroit’s Nick Juno Finds His Folk Through Timeless Stories and Songs” →

From Now On — Detroit’s Mike Ward Looks to the Future on “The Time That Remains” Album

Mike Ward embraces the future on “The Time That Remains” album. Photo – Steven Glynn

Mike Ward lives each day to the fullest.

The Detroit singer-songwriter and guitarist reconciles the past and embraces the future on The Time That Remains.

“I feel like I know these songs the best,” said Ward about his new folk album. “When I released The Darkness and The Light, most of those songs I knew as well as these. I feel like these songs are a lot closer to me than anything I’ve done.”

For his seventh release, Ward gets up close and personal about love, loss, and wisdom across the album’s dozen tracks. He spent considerable time fine-tuning the album’s evocative lyrics, heartfelt vocals, and earnest instrumentation before going into the studio last fall.

“This is unlike any album I’ve done because the songs have been performed out more than any of my other albums,” Ward said.

“When we recorded it, we produced 15 songs, but we trimmed it back because we felt these were the songs that hung together [the best]. At one point, we had a working title called Prayers, Parables, and Pet Peeves, and those are the buckets [the songs] fell into.”

I recently spoke with Ward about The Time That Remains ahead of an August 3 album release show in Ferndale, Michigan.

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Folk Storytellers — Kate Hinote Trio Shares Vivid and Emotional Tales on “Stowaways” Album

Kate Hinote, Matthew Parmenter, and David Johnson of the Kate Hinote Trio. Photo – Greg Aubry of Aubry Photo

Whether fact or fiction, the Kate Hinote Trio uncovers buried emotions on Stowaways.

The Metro Detroit group explores everything from longing to disappointment to grief on its latest indie-folk album.

“These songs came out less like poetry than my typical lyrics because I was very focused on telling a story each time,” said Hinote, the trio’s vocalist and one of its songwriters.

“We wanted each one of these songs to be like a window into another world. We wanted the stories to be clear, and I didn’t want to be too vague about what I was saying.”

The 10 new original tracks featured on Stowaways are anything but vague. Many of the tracks include a vivid storyline about a protagonist examining the purpose of a relationship and the intense feelings that accompany it.

“One of the big differences in writing this record with Matthew is that he’s also a songwriter who’s been composing his own songs on his own for decades,” said Hinote, who co-wrote six of the album’s tracks with violinist Matthew Parmenter and one with guitarist David Johnson.

“The lyrics and story are very important to him, and we always talk about ‘What’s the story here? What does the song mean? What will it mean to others when they hear it?’”

The trio’s lyrics range from fictional to personal and encourage listeners to process their relationships alongside them. Those sonic experiences are further heightened by Hinote’s enchanting vocals and Parmenter and Johnson’s vibrant acoustic instrumentation.

To learn more, I spoke with Hinote about the inspiration behind the trio’s latest album.

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Songbird — Dave & Kristi Embrace the Spirit of the Chickadee on Their New Folk Album

Dave Boutette and Kristi Davis in the studio at Ann Arbor’s Big Sky Recording. Photo by Misty Lyn Photography.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

Dave & Kristi feel a special connection to the chickadee.

The Dexter duo embraces the songbird as a symbol of joy and hope on their new folk album, The Chickadees.

“The chickadee reference is about the spiritual part of you that lives on,” said Kristi Davis about her latest release with husband and musical partner Dave Boutette.

“That’s the hopeful part, and they represent good luck, happiness, knowledge, truth, and adaptability. That’s exactly the stuff that we need right now.”

Davis and Boutette channel the chickadee’s positive spirit as they reflect on love, loss, and aging across the album’s 13 tracks.

“As far as things that are on the record, we’ve experienced a lot of loss in the last two or three years,” Boutette said. “And also this summer we’re both turning 60. It’s everything from family members and friends passing.”

The duo unexpectedly lost three family members and a pet during the last few years.

“Our dog passed very unexpectedly and a week later my dad passed,” said Davis, who sings and plays percussion on the album. “Dave lost his mom and his brother. There’s a little memorial to them on [the album], but it’s been an inspiration for the music.”

Some songs from The Chickadees also reference Dave & Kristi’s growing concerns about the nation’s changing political climate and its impact on our future.

“There are different parts of our foundation that we’ve been walking on for a long time and counting on for a long time that have shifted and are slipping,” said Boutette, the duo’s co-lead vocalist and guitarist.

“We’re OK, we have a roof over our head, and there’s food in the cupboard. It’s just that we’re older now—things are different underneath us now. We’re in uncharted territory, and we’re just trying to make our way through it.”

Dave & Kristi explore those themes and reflections through singable lyrics, rich harmonies, and emotive instrumentation.

To learn more, I spoke with the duo ahead of their June 1 album release show at Ann Arbor’s Old Town Tavern.

Continue reading “Songbird — Dave & Kristi Embrace the Spirit of the Chickadee on Their New Folk Album” →

Inside Story — Jess Merritt Displays a Bold and Transformative Mindset on “Wild in Me” EP

Jess Merritt sings about self-discovery, growth, and freedom on Wild in Me. Photo – c

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared on the Ann Arbor District Library’s Pulp blog.

Jess Merritt no longer silences her inner voice.

The Ann Arbor singer-songwriter follows her instincts and unleashes her authentic self on Wild in Me.

“It’s been a big journey,” said Merritt, aka Jess Oberholtzer, about her new folk-rock-soul EP.

“Over the past five years or so … I went through a divorce, the pandemic, and coming out. It’s been a real transformative time. I look back, and I’m so grateful that I took those steps because I feel so much closer to my true self now. Even though things are a little bit scary as far as what the future holds, I just feel solid in myself.”

Merritt embraces that bold mindset through an honest and inspirational collection of songs about self-discovery, growth, and freedom. The four tracks on Wild in Me come to life through soulful vocals, cathartic lyrics, and soaring instrumentation.

“I tend to write about things that are closely held and deeply felt,” said Merritt, who previously performed as Jess McCumons.

“I feel happier after I feel something intensely, even if it’s challenging. To me, revisiting and sitting in those feelings, even if they’re not sunshiny all the time, actually does feel very healing, cleansing, and empowering.”

Continue reading “Inside Story — Jess Merritt Displays a Bold and Transformative Mindset on “Wild in Me” EP” →

All “Heart” — Ann Arbor’s Bill Edwards Finds Hope and Purpose on New Country Album

Bill Edwards has a positive outlook on “A Home in My Heart.” Photo – Chasing Light Photos

Bill Edwards isn’t afraid to follow his heart.

The Ann Arbor, Michigan singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist searches for clarity and purpose on his new country album, A Home in My Heart.

“It’s not all autobiographical, but I like to think that it’s all feelings I have had,” Edwards said. “I think the idea of hope is important, even if it’s hard to find in these times right now, but it’s something that you have to hold yourself to.”

He shares that sentiment over 10 introspective tracks, which explore taking risks, overcoming obstacles, and having a positive attitude.

“It’s been 18 months since I’ve released anything, so that seems like a decent interval,” said Edwards, who last released So Far in October 2023.

“It’s not like right on the heels of the last one. It’s only 10 songs—this record. I tried to constraint myself; I actually said, ‘I’m gonna do 10 tracks,’ and then I kept writing and recording. I switched in and out a couple, and I played it for my wife and got her input. I played it for some other people and got some input, so this is where I ended up.”

Edwards landed nicely with A Home in My Heart due to its seamless storytelling, infectious lyrics, and upbeat instrumentation. Sonically, the album includes timeless elements of country wrapped in heartland rock, blues, and folk.

“It’s a limited palette compared to some [previous albums],” said Edwards, who plays all the instruments on the album. “That was another intentional thing. I really wanted the record to have a sound rather than going off in all kinds of different directions.”

I recently spoke with Edwards about the inspiration and creative process behind the album.

Continue reading “All “Heart” — Ann Arbor’s Bill Edwards Finds Hope and Purpose on New Country Album” →