It’s been an exciting year for Charleston folk and Americana husband and wife duo and longtime site favorite Shovels & Rope, who, in addition to releasing a stellar new album, By Blood, have notably also released a children’s book and a unique concert film, Shovels & Rope: The Movie, all in 2019. Out in support, the duo will return to The Ryman Auditorium, easily our favorite spot in town to catch their unbelievable live show, tonight, Nov. 6, along with support from Hayes Carll! One of our most-anticipated shows of the fall, you can still get tickets right here while they last, then read on for more about the show!
SHOVELS & ROPE
Comprised of Nashville-raised singer/multi-instrumentalist Cary Ann Hearst and singer/multi-instrumentalist Michael Trent, Charleston duo Shovels & Rope are a callback to classic country and Americana, and draw heavily from real-deal folk traditions. Propelled by the incredible success of their 2012 breakout release, O’ Be Joyful, the duo won Americana Awards for “Song of the Year” and “Emerging Artist of the Year” in 2013, and have been an acclaimed and prolific act and a site favorite ever since. Known for their stripped-down yet engaging setup, unbeatable harmonies, and unstoppable energy, Shovels & Rope’s live show is something that must be witnessed firsthand; it’s almost punk in attitude, an unwavering, unrelenting force. Originally pursuing separate solo careers, Hearst and Trent met in early ’00s, and began writing and recording off and on together for several years before forming a permanent band. Not just musical partners, but husband and wife as well, Shovels & Rope technically made their debut in ’08, but it wasn’t until just before O’ Be Joyful that they became committed to Shovels as a full-time gig. Ever since, they’ve been touring nonstop, sharing the stage with heavy hitters, and making appearances on television and at major music festivals. Evolving their nuanced and engrossing sound, 2014 and 2016 saw the release of acclaimed LPs Swimmin’ Time and Little Seeds, each followed by a collaborative covers album, Busted Jukebox Vol. 1 and Vol. 2. A renowned touring act and festival staple, the band were also subject of an award-winning documentary early on, one of many impressive endeavors over the last decade, but 2019 appears to be their most prolific and active year yet, not only due to the release of their excellent, deeply personal and earnest new fourth album, By Blood, recorded in the couple’s own home studio, but also the release of an inspiring new children’s book based on one of their songs (notably, the pair have two young children of their own), and a new artistic narrative meets performance film, Shovels & Rope: The Movie. The Ryman is without a doubt the best room in town to see the duo live, since so much of their show revolves around the sonic nuance of their own layered instrumentation and harmonic prowess, and with an excellent new crop of material to debut, you seriously won’t want to miss their latest outing!
HAYES CARLL
An artist who Shovels & Rope notably first toured with before they’d even released a proper album, Texas singer-songwriter Hayes Carll also brings his own unique and eclectic spin on classic country, folk, and Americana. Born in Houston and based in Austin, Carll released his first LP in 2002, with his latest and sixth, What It Is arriving earlier this year. In the near two-decades between them, he’s become a favorite of the alt country and Americana press, praised for his plainspoken, poetic, sarcastic, and rootsy writing style, earning Americana Awards, Austin Music Awards, and even a recent Grammy nomination. Needless to say, Shovels & Rope fans will surely love this opening set (and, in all likelihood, are already very familiar with Hayes’ music); don’t be late!
Shovels & Rope and Hayes Carll will perform tonight, Nov. 6 at The Ryman Auditorium. The show is all ages, begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are available to purchase for $29.50-49.50.
