Red Stick Sounds: Shovels and Rope return

Critically acclaimed roots-rock duo Shovels and Rope returns to the Capital City with a performance at The Varsity Saturday, Jan. 24. Caroline Rose will kick off the night. Doors open at 8 p.m. For more information, click here.

Since their last visit—a sold out date with Hurray for the Riff Raff at the now-defunct Mud & Water early last year—the husband wife duo of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, a.k.a. Shovels and Rope, have remained one of the hardest working acts in show business.

In addition to a relentless national touring schedule, the couple nabbed the Emerging Artist of the Year in 2013 from the Americana Music Association. Somewhere in there they also managed to write, record and release their latest LP Swimmin’ Time, which debuted at #20 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Hearst and Trent have more in common than a marriage certificate and a tour van. Both had burgeoning solo careers before joining forces in Shovels and Rope, which was not originally intended to be the thriving permanent project it has become. They contribute equally in composing songs, share singing duties on each other’s songs, and both play guitar, drums, and keyboards. When you have a couple with talents as versatile as these, who needs a full band?

The pair has also become known for their raucous live sets, which dispel notions of what a “folk duo” should sound or perform like. For proof, check out the band’s recent performance on Late Show with David Letterman.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1byx8L0lYg