Coyote Grace
If you want a lesson in organic chemistry, take notes as you watch the sparks fly between the acoustic downhome duo, COYOTE GRACE. This folktastic phenomenon is the result of combining one guitarist Joe Stevens, a transman from Northern California, with one upright bassist Ingrid Elizabeth, a sassy femme originally hailing from the hills of Southeastern Ohio. Together, they capture the eyes and the hearts of live audiences nationwide with their bluesy folkroots sound, sweet harmonies, poignant songwriting, and mid-song dance moves.
Coyote Grace can also be found wooing the crowds at colleges, festivals, conferences, coffeehouses, pubs, house concerts, farmers markets, and community centers alike. They have shared the stage with such modern folk icons as Indigo Girls, Melissa Ferrick, Cris Williamson, and Lowen & Navarro. Although they spend most of their time on the road, the duo now resides in the North Bay area in Sonoma County, California.
Spring 2009 brings the release of Ear to the Ground, the duo’s long-awaited sophomore studio album. This new work is testament to the group’s dedication and payoff from pounding the pavement, as the intention behind the craft is evident throughout. In this latest evolution of their unique Americana/roots sound, Coyote Grace displays a striking musical maturation from their debut effort, filling out the duo’s sound with guest musicians Michael Connolly (Seattle, WA) on fiddle, mandolin, concertina, and keys, Courtney Robbins (Tucson, AZ) on guitar and backing vocals, and Katherine Monnig (Cincinnati, OH) on drums. Ingrid Elizabeth shows a stronger songwriting & vocal presence, while Joe Stevens continues to wear his heart on his sleeve with his emotionally charged, raw lyrics. The album’s mood ebbs and flows, winding from a sparse banjo/vocal duet, through a slow bluegrass ballad, to blues-driven full band sound to swinging country fiddle tune to pensive piano-kissed lullabye — a soundscape as tangible as the duo’s newfound home in the rolling hills of Sonoma County. Ear To The Ground (2009) was quickly ranked as one of CD Baby’s top sellers.
A secondary project that came from the Ear To The Ground sessions at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, CA is scheduled to be released in January 2010. Their upcoming Buck Naked EP showcases some of the group’s more unique, revealing, and controversial works, and is a fun collection for anyone with a rebellious streak and for those live an unabashed life. Stay Tuned!!
