The Early Risers

Next Stage Arts and Twilight Music present an evening of acoustic folk music from far and near by Louisiana-based Ordinary Elephant and Putney-based Early Risers. Mesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant has spent the better part of the last decade on a never-ending tour that’s earned Crystal and Pete Damore widespread critical acclaim and made fans of luminaries like Tom Paxton and Mary Gauthier. In 2017, the couple took home the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album "Before I Go," and two years later, they returned with the similarly lauded "Honest," which the Associated Press hailed as “one of the best Americana albums of the year.” The duo’s new stripped-down, self-titled CD is the purest distillation of their sound yet, showcasing the arresting power of the couple’s gorgeous harmonies and intricate fretwork. The songs are timeless, rooted in rich, character-driven storytelling, and the performances are similarly transportive, fueled by delicately intertwined banjo, guitar, and octave mandolin. It's the sound of sincerity and commitment, of patience and gratitude, of learning to let go of expectation and revel in the simple beauty of the moment. Early Risers are the Vermont-based folk duo of Ashley Storrow and Putnam Smith. Both rootsy and lyric-driven, their original songs feature close vocal harmonies and arrangements on a wide array of instruments: banjo, guitar, mandolin, piano, and shruti-box. After pursuing separate solo singer/songwriter careers, they joined forces in 2015 and have since toured across the country, from Maine to Texas to California to Vancouver, BC. Their debut album, “Making Life Sweet” went to #1 on the national Folk DJ Charts in November, 2019.