Sarah Siskind and Julie Lee are two of Americana’s most unique and beloved Singer-Songwriters. Both pull from Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Country and Roots influences and sing with distinctive voices. When blended, their harmony sounds as if they were sisters and have sung together their whole lives. Between them, they’ve had multiple songs recorded by Alison Krauss, songs on ABC’s “Nashville” as well as songs covered by Wynonna, Randy Travis and more.
The two met in Nashville, TN when Siskind’s father was playing violin in Lee’s band and he told her about his daughter’s music. Week’s later, Lee heard Siskind on the radio and immediately made contact with her. The two were singing together within days and soon thereafter started the band “Old Black Kettle.” Playing only on special occasions, the band always sells out the famed Station Inn in Nashville and among some of their regular fans and audience members are Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Sharon White, John Prine, Marty Stuart, and Connie Smith (whose daughter Jodi Seyfried also sings in the group.) Their album OLD BLACK KETTLE LIVE was released in 2008 which is a compilation of songs recorded over 2 years of live shows.
Sarah Siskind continues to be one of today’s most respected and covered songwriters as well as a stand-out independent artist, who Spin Magazine calls “an artist you must hear now”. Armed with a striking vocal style and solid guitar and piano work, Sarah is a regular NPR performer with features on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts, World Cafe with David Dye, All Songs Considered, Song Of The Day and most recently NPR’s Mountain Stage. She has toured with Bonnie Raitt, Paul Brady, Grammy winner Bon Iver (who also famously covered her "Lovin's For Fools") and The Swell Season and had songs recorded by Alison Krauss (the GRAMMY nominated "Simple Love"), Randy Travis, Madi Diaz and many more. Siskind has released numerous highly acclaimed albums and has had eighteen songs featured on the ABC show “Nashville” (one of which she wrote with Julie.) Siskind built her career in Nashville, TN but now resides in Brevard, NC.
Just when you think you can label Julie Lee into one category or genre, you hear something different. Lee is a collage, a real scrapbook of various traditional American styles. In her songwriting, as well as her work as a visual artist, Julie takes bits and pieces from each of her myriad influences to make something of her own that is both old and new. Though a Maryland native, Lee has lived in Nashville, TN for over 20 years and traveled and performed extensively across the US and Europe. She has had her songs recorded by Country, Bluegrass, and Contemporary Folk artists, most notably and recently by Alison Krauss, who included Julie's songs Jacob's Dream and Away Down The River on her most Platinum-selling collection A Hundred Miles Or More. Lee has a soft place in her heart for Brevard, NC and performs here regularly.
More info at www.sarahsiskind.com & www.julielee.org