I’m With Her: Sara Watkins – Sarah Jarosz – Aoife O’Donovan (USA)
Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan – each a tour de force artist in their own right and mainstays in the folk and roots world – crossed paths many times throughout their careers. So it comes as no surprise that, after an impromptu performance at the 2014 Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the idea arose for these three acclaimed musicians to collaborate. The I’m With Her Tour began earlier this year at the Celtic Connections Festival in Scotland. Watkins, Jarosz and O’Donovan visit Europe in April and May, with dates in Sweden, Spain and the UK. Later in May they kick off their North American dates with two nights at Wolf Trap as part of Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion and continue on to some of the US and Canada’s premiere music festivals – including the VFMF!
Sara Watkins is a singer-songwriter and fiddler from California. She debuted in 1989 as fiddler and founding member of the progressive bluegrass group Nickel Creek. In addition to singing and playing fiddle, she also plays ukulele and guitar, and played percussion while touring with The Decemberists. She has two solo albums to her credit.
Sarah Jarosz is a multi-Grammy nominated singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from just outside Austin, TX, who makes her home in NYC. Now 23 years old, she fits comfortably where contemporary folk, Americana and roots music intersect. She been long embraced for the depth and maturity of her songwriting, her pure and nuanced vocals, and her instrumental mastery – switching easily between octave mandolin, banjo, guitar and mandolin as songs dictate.
Boston-born Aoife O’Donovan is known for her ethereal vocals and substantive songwriting. She is also known as the lead singer of Crooked Still, which grew into one of the world’s most acclaimed progressive string groups. The stunning versatility and appeal of her voice brought her to the attention of some of the eminent names in music, leading to collaborations with the likes of Allison Krauss, regular appearances on A Prairie Home Companion, among other really great gigs.
Their performances are a culmination of the trio together as one band; sets include a mix of each other’s songs, cover songs and traditional songs. “I’m really excited about this trio because we each do our own thing and we each do it differently, so I’m looking forward to discovering all of the unique possibilities that come with combining our individual voices,” Jarosz said. Well, we’re excited too. Three amazing women artists joining forces to create something new and unique. A very good idea indeed.