Live at Red Clay Theatre in downtown Duluth
Penny & Sparrow are a compelling Austin band with a stripped down return-to-basics that yields extraordinary sonic results. They (Kyle and Andy) understand you don’t need gimmicks to make beautiful music that cuts you to the core and woos you to keep their tunes on repeat for days on end. They write music that effortlessly draws you in with their rich harmonies and deep, moving lyrics that are intimate and relational in nature reminiscent of Bon Iver and The Swell Season. They write music they would want to listen to…and that basic formula is working for everyone.
With the incredible success and popularity of their first album TENBOOM, Penny & Sparrow are thrilled to share their new album STRUGGLE PRETTY with everyone, everywhere April 22, 2014!
What folks are saying about them:
They possess that rare quality that can captivate an audience to the point where you can hear a pin drop.
~ Larry Kloess, The High Watt, Nashville, TN
We have many musicians come through the studio here as you know--most of them with big dreams that are, frankly, a long shot--but Andy and Kyle are the real deal. Please let me know the next time they're headed this way. I'm already looking forward to their new album "Struggle Pretty". ~ Richard Winham,WUTC-FM / npr station
Raw, wonderful, fierce talent… What makes Kyle and Andy so good at what they do is their remarkable blending and sincerity. It’s evident throughout the album that they are conveying more than words and ideas; they are conveying genuine heartfelt emotions. More than just another album, tenboom is a real piece of contemporary artwork… and it’s gorgeous. ~ Greg Jones, Ear to the Ground Music
Grace and Tony
She played bluegrass. He played punk… When Grace Shultz and Tony White met, they fell in love and the music just followed after.
“I had seen Grace play years ago and, not only was I impressed, I developed a serious secret crush,” Tony reminisced. “When I found out that she was learning mandolin and banjo, I took a shot and asked her to jam with me. The rest is history.”
Exposed to music early on in their lives by family (Grace’s liked the Southern styles from gospel all the way to rock, while Tony learned from his brother, John Paul White of The Civil Wars fame), Grace & Tony experimented with an unlikely blend of genres by mixing punk, folk, bluegrass, and Texas swing, to create something new. What resulted was a blend of music for those searching for what’s beyond the norm: “Punkgrass” was born.
“Punkgrass is simply a natural fusion of my punk rock background, and Grace’s southern gospel and bluegrass upbringing,” stated Tony. “It isn’t forced, it’s very organic and it stands out because it’s a real fusion of what’s new and old. We play whatever pops into our heads; from classic rock to southern gospel, we scratch every itch. It’s dark, yet happy; silly, yet serious. Plus, it’s a whole lot of fun to play.”
Crafting and singing lyrical tales of murder, addiction, and lost love that are wrapped in a happy twist, Grace & Tony honed their newfound brand of music on the sidewalks of downtown Nashville with no idea where their music might lead them. Showcasing an ability to create emotionally connective music, they built a solid fan base of dedicated listeners the old fashioned way… one by one.
“We made ourselves available,” said Grace. “We appreciated every single one of our fans, and set out to answer every single question they had. We are making music that isn’t for everyone so we had to pick them off one at a time to build our audience. It worked and they began asking for more music!”
Working with Lloyd Aur Norman and Stephen D. Jones of Villain Place in Nashville, Grace & Tony released the acoustic EP, Inside A 7-Track Mind, in 2011. Since then, doors have opened and they have succeeded in their goal to be heard by bigger audiences by headlining the historic Crockett Theater (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) and performing on the legendary “Daytrotter Sessions,” Balcony TV, and Knoxville’s “Blue Plate Special” programs. In addition, two of their videos (“Let You Down,” “November”) are being played in regular rotation on The Country Network.
In anticipation of a full-length release, the young couple launched a successful Kickstarter campaign and the resulting November will be released via Rock Ridge Music on November 12, 2013. Accompanied by a full band to fill out their unique sound, this album answers the most common question the couple is asked, “What do you call this music?” You see, for Grace & Tony, November defines the sound “Grassphemy,” a progression of the style “Punkgrass.”
“This album is the next chapter for us, it’s a new set of stories we need to tell,” said Tony. “This music is more mature and shows our natural progression as songwriters. We battle tested the songs and chose the ones that would represent our growth as a duo.”
A lover of English literature and old-style murder mysteries, Grace’s influence on the album is stamped like an antique wax seal; it’s no accident that the album listen is like an epic musical storybook filled with engaging superhero-like characters struggling with love, loneliness, and the identity of self. November is 11 haunting and elegant chapters featuring heroic protagonists in a variety of settings taking on evil mastermind kidnappers, electromagnetic bombs, schizophrenia, and, perhaps the trickiest of all, their own minds. Those looking for that breathtaking happy ending won’t be disappointed either — as the stories come to a close, and an imaginary “The End” is heard, Grace & Tony live happily ever after.
More opportunities for Grace & Tony wait on the horizon as they begin promoting November and prepare for its radio release later this fall. Their dance card is filling up quickly as shows are added to their schedule on a regular basis too, and the duo has inked a deal with Rock Ridge Music, who will be releasing November on November 12, 2013. To further the excitement, they got married in July 2013. Matrimony will no doubt provide more stories and be an influence as they solidify their union and create more music together.
So, as they continue to gain fans and industry acclaim, we can’t help but ask: What’s next for this amazing, super duo? Well, we certainly can’t wait for the sequel.
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