Laura Bates (guitar, piano, vocals) &
Brandon Foote (mandolin, guitar, vocals)...
with/ The Bumpus Hounds: Kelly Pond (fiddle, vocals), Joe Bakaitis (string bass) & Captain Midnite (pedal steel, dobro, telecaster).
Influences
The Carter Family, Elderly Instruments, Brian Roman, Keith Billik, Joe Bakaitis, John Paul Schultz, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, Luke Winslow-King, Daniel Sutton, Drew Howard, Tim O'brien, Dan Price, Josh Davis, Dominic Suchyta, Jonathon Price, Daisy May, Susan Fawcett, Andy Wilson, Joe Wilson, Bruce Ling, Stephen Foster, Jen Sygit, Steppin' In It, Ian Gorman, Bill Monroe, Andrea Moreno-Beals, Mike Kemnitzer, Micah Middaugh, Bob Bernard, Karrie Potter, Pooh Stevenson, Rachel Davis, Dan Kahn, Nic Gareiss, Seth Bernard, Jamie Krapohl....
Laura Bates and Brandon Foote's sound is timeless, rootsy and lush, with soaring harmonies, piano, mandolin and guitars harkening back to the olden days with new vision. Bates and Foote look and sound like they just stepped off the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, or perhaps even further back, to the dance halls of the civil war era - always digging deeper and moving forward.
With their unique blend of old-time, folk, bluegrass and country, Laura Bates and Brandon Foote have graced coffee shops, bookstores, pubs, and festivals with tradition favorites and original songs. Booking their act as "Guitar, Mandolin, and Two Voices", their sound is refreshingly simple and strives for authenticity, with nods to the Carter Family, the Monroe Brothers, and Tim and Mollie O'Brien.
Their debut album, Jubilee was released in April 2007 on Earthwork Music showcasing a handful of fine microphones and a cast of talented friends. With reflective and poignant songwriting, Jubilee presents gospel tinged Michigan roots at its best.
"In this day of overproduced, synthetic music, it is albums like Jubilee that refresh and fill our plates with the honest simplicity of a Sunday morning."
-Progressive Torch and Twang, WDBM E. Lansing
“Newcomers Bates and Foote, who hail from Michigan, accompany themselves on piano, guitars, and mandolin, as they weave some great harmonies through nine original songs and instrumentals. Standouts include the beautiful ‘De Cleft,’ and ‘The Lonesome Whippoorwill.’ Quiet and lovely.”
-Sing Out! Magazine
Laura Bates & Brandon Foote's Friend Space (Top 20)
Things were rushed today and the world felt like a heartless place. Then I started listening to your songs again. Comfort and inspiration. Thank you so much for carrying human kindness forward into the world. Hope your upcoming shows are terrific - wish I could be there!
Thanks for the add. Support Michigan local music or promote yourself for free at localmusiclife. com. Create a profile, post events, make announcements and use all the other great features available for promoting live local music
Looks like we're playing back to back in Holland on Aug. 15. We should car pool with sygit, and corbin. Make an entire day of it. Lake Michigan. -jeremy rizik
