Shovels & Rope, the Charleston-based sloppy tonk duo made up of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, spent most of 2011 on the road. With more than 170 shows across more than 60,000 miles, the band toured alongside of Hayes Carll, Justin Townes Earle, Jason Isbell, the Felice Brothers and Butch Walker.
This spring, Michael and Cary Ann will release O’ Be Joyful , an album they wrote while on the road last year and a follow up to their 2008 self-titled album under Cary Ann’s name (AmazonMP3 & Spotify. The Shovels & Rope sound varies quite a bit, with really polished harmonies, but sometimes unpolished instrumentation.
The band kicks off a tour with Jonny Corndawg & Robert Ellis following a SXSW appearance next month. NYC can catch the band on April 2nd at the Mercury Lounge. See the full tour here. Here are a couple of their vids, which I like a lot. Thanks to Alex Culbreth of The Parlor Soldiers for the tip on these guys.
grass clippings - Piles of Americana & bluegrass news, reviews and festivals 