In her 2017 release, Shanti’s Shadow, Phoebe Hunt intimately revealed her inner journey through meditation and musical exploration and “reignited her solo career” according to Rolling Stone, hinting at “otherworldly music within.”
Along with her band, The Gatherers, Hunt has found the musical wings upon which to soar within her unique world of artistic expression. From American Songwriter to NPR’s Heavy Rotation, her music is reaching an audience that listens beyond the status quo. Her upcoming release, Neither One of Us Is Wrong, has deep story lines focused on the outer journey of our society and the times in which we live. Connected by the thin thread of reconciliation, Hunt offers a discourse that must be facilitated delicately through the lens of the artist’s perspective. “With so much division in our society, even inner familiarly, people can feel lost, like they don’t even know how to begin the conversation… so they stop talking.” Neither One of Us Was Wrong explores the myriad of emotions that encompass that disconnection.
Recorded in Brooklyn at Grand Street Studio with her tribe of musical companions, The Gatherers, Hunt’s music speaks to the deepening polarity of the times we live in. Hunt’s songs are a tour de force of folk and alt-country, beautifully employing fast-paced fiddles and backing vocals. Her music has been called “a transformative experience, guided by her spiritual foundation.”
In addition to being a musician, she is also a teacher, entrepreneur, and public speaker. When she realized the pandemic would be the end of live performances for the foreseeable future, she got to work creating Plant Seeds of Music – with help from Noelle Pannepento and Meredith Watson who are both promotional partners in the initiative through the Nashville School Of Traditional Country Music. Esteemed artists in the bluegrass, Americana and singer-songwriter worlds came together, resulting in over 60 practice videos donated by the likes of Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Sierra Hull, Tim O’Brien, Kala Ramnath and many more, creating a shred space for those who want to make the most of this time of uncertainty to grow their musicianship.
The project culminated in 200 students enrolling in both the Fall and Spring and gave substantial teaching gigs to over 30 musicians who were without income during their break from touring. These master classes have been from Rachael Price (Lake Street Dive), Bela Fleck, Alex Hargreaves, Dominick Leslie, Wes Corbet, Chris “Critter” Eldridge, Courtney Hartman, Mike Robinson, Hunt herself and many more. This collaboration with other musicians also led to her podcast, Listen First, which features a new song demo every Sunday. It is a deconstruction of the collaboration process of co-writing songs featuring notable artists like Molly Tuttle, Rachel Baiman, Lindsey Lou and many more.
Now that the project is in its second year, Hunt is ready to release her own music again. Originally slated for release in the Spring of 2020, Neither One Of Us Was Wrong was put on hold when touring was halted. Without the opportunity to share these songs with people in a live setting, it felt like a fool’s errand to put her full energy behind the release. But now, with a new sense of energy and accomplishment, and a showcase at Americanafest in September on the books, it feels like the right time again to release this album into the world and share her gift of song.
Past Press
“Phoebe Hunt’s mystical meditations lie at the core of the music that she makes with the Gatherers. Searching for a spiritual poignancy in the emotional sentiments of folk storytelling, Phoebe Hunt & the Gatherers are acutely aware of the human condition, its triumphs and setbacks, and the divides set between us.” – PopMatters
“A transcendent art piece sculpting beauty and raw poeticism.” – American Songwriter
“With Hunt merging her Appalachian-style fiddle chops with Texas twang, Indian ragas, gypsy jazz, unfamiliar time signatures and the free-spirited fun of a jam band leader. The resulting record breathes new life into a genre that’s sometimes so respectful of the past, it fails to push toward the future.” – Rolling Stone Country
“With a twang in her voice and her trademark energetic fiddling, Texas singer-songwriter Phoebe Hunt tells the story of a woman who is determined to make her own way in the world.” – NPR
“At moments, there’s such exuberance in her movements, she looks like she might actually take flight. Like the character she’s singing about, Phoebe Hunt is clearly going to do things her own way – and she’s clearly going to have a fabulous time while she does it.” – Folk Alley
“Launching the song with clear acoustic mandolins ringing out in plenty of space, Phoebe Hunt has created a soothing folk lullaby for adults.” – Americana Highways
“The vocal performance is as expected sublime and knows to capture attention until the last note.” – Lefuturewave
“It’s like an amalgamation of American music styles. I hear a bit of Appalachian, a bit of western folk, and a lot of joyful celebration. The entire mix makes for something both pleasing to the ear and infinitely interesting. I can’t quite explain every detail of what I like about the song, but it resonates with me.” – Ear to the Ground
“What is Phoebe Hunt doing to country on her new album ‘Neither One of US is Wrong‘? Or, put it another way, what is Phoebe Hunt not doing to country on her new album ‘Neither One of US is Wrong‘? For, within what is still a recognizable structure, Phoebe Hunt and the loose coalition of musicians that make up The Gatherers take paths rarely trodden into what can only be identified as that rarely heard thing, the true Cosmic American Music.” – Americana UK