Next week is the first single release from Kelley Smith’s forthcoming album “Flowers”! “Come Down Oh Maid” will be available on Bandcamp and streaming on Friday, September 25. Kelley and I have been working long hours to finalize lp and cd packaging, upload the music to streaming platforms, and prepare for the press work around the album release. She and I share an affinity for words and strong relationships, which means that much of this work, even the tedium, has been rightly rooted. We have had long conversations about how she wants to talk about the album, how to best tell the story of this collection of songs. This is the part I love most! Media and social media allow so little of the bigger story, so we are tasked with both synthesizing the scope of the art and guiding the conversation. Presenting original music demands so much vulnerability of artists, how do we guard some privacy while encouraging deep connection with the stories being told? This project has been a joy on every level and the music has prompted introspection and grounding in the collective human experience. Please follow Kelley on social media and Bandcamp to make sure you stay in the loop about each of the next steps, full album release is set for November 6, 2026!
In other news, Mike Munson has a fall tour to North Carolina in October. I will be joining him on the road for 6 shows in 6 days in 3 different states. We will cross paths with multiple musical pals, new and old, both at shows and in our housing arrangements. The interconnectedness of touring musicians has always been a key part of the fabric that makes the work both possible and fun. However, to be the one on the road requires much more humility- it is far more comfortable for me to be setting up shows for traveling musicians or offering a place to stay and a hot meal than it is to be the recipient of generous hospitality. Gratitude abounds.
Liz Draper continues to play with a wide array of heavy hitting musicians in addition to hosting concert series’ and teaching. She’ll be playing a pop-up show in the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis on October 4, among a slew of local and regional performances. Check out her full schedule on her website!
Have you “followed” Liatris Records on Bandcamp yet?! Please do.
~diane