On The Verge

Shovels & Rope

Charleston, S.C.
Harmony-Driven Folk, Rock, Country and More
www.shovelsandrope.com

“Our dads were mandolin players with a bluegrass background,” says Cary Ann Hearst, one-half of the Charleston, S.C.-based Shovels & Rope (along with Michael Trent, formerly of The Films). “We both grew up jamming with our dads. Mike started out in rock and roll bands; I was a young Tennessee porch picker.” The duo formed in 2010 but they first struck up a friendship at the Georgia Theatre in Athens on tour with Jump Little Children circa 2003. Hearst says that their creative process and inspirations range from wine, friends, time spent alone or even someone’s good story. The two-piece sings harmony-driven folk, rock and country with guitars, a kick drum and snare, tambourines, harmonicas and the occasional keyboard. Shovels & Rope put out their first album in 2008 called Shovels & Rope, featuring several murder ballads, and the name stuck as their moniker. This year brings O’ Be Joyful. “We made the record on the fly—at home, in the hotel, in the van, with our friends—so it’s unique in that way,” says Hearst. “It’s also special because we’ve been meaning to make it for a while—and when we finally did it—Mike was at the helm and solely responsible for its execution.”