THE EARLY MAYS RELEASE NEW EP "PRETTIEST BLUE"

THE EARLY MAYS RELEASE NEW EP PRETTIEST BLUE

“The Early Mays create Appalachian-inspired songs built on deep country sensibilities, masterful singing and a sweet old-time sound.” - The Pittsburgh City Paper 

“The Early Mays are exceptional storytellers, singers and musicians who craft their songs with the utmost care and attention; they’re a joy to listen to.” - Folk Radio UK

“The Early Mays offer an inward-looking, heartfelt approach to Appalachia” - For Folk’s Sake

“...a really fresh take on this traditional music” - WRCT

“...it’s impossible to overlook the care and respect that went into recording these songs, which are, simply put, timeless.” - Mother Church Pew

“...haunting and achingly beautiful” - Adobe & Teardrops

"...a winning combination” - Americana-UK

"This is just pure classic folk." - If It's Too Loud

“Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton understand their music better than many artists understand their own." - Sound Bites

Art: Ron Donoughe

LISTEN: PRETTIEST BLUE

Today, Pittsburgh-based duo The Early Mays (Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton) have released 

their new EP, Prettiest Blue. “ Restoratively vintage, their no-frills roots music brings a warmth that is often missed in raucous contemporary releases,” For Folk’s Sake said of the band.

Somewhere on the border between old-time music and modern American songwriting, The Early Mays have built a band with harmonies that feel like home. It’s a partnership that has shared slow-burning, perfectly paired vocals for ten years—from NPR’s Mountain Stage to house concerts all over the mid-Atlantic. 

WATCH: “ON A DYING DAY”

From the old-time music community, The Early Mays have absorbed the culture of deep listening that’s central to playing with sensitivity. “Revivalists like us–who didn’t live and breathe Appalachian music growing up–still learn and create by ear for the most part,” Pinkerton explains. “Being able to carry hours of tunes in my head was life-changing. And there is new meaning to uncover each time you return to a field recording or slowly build a relationship with a mentor.” 

That practice of deep listening–and slow, careful craftsmanship–spills over into every Early Mays performance and production as they sculpt their warm, immersive sound. The past ten years have been a steady search for musical and spiritual sustenance: for themselves and for their listeners. “Prettiest Blue is about keeping your eyes trained on something brighter, even in the midst of sadness,” reflects Pinkerton. 

When recording albums, the band has explored everything from a single condenser mic in a church sanctuary to analog tape and vintage compressors. To obtain a particularly pared down, “in the room” sound for Prettiest Blue, they recorded at Audible Images in Pittsburgh, PA with Hollis Greathouse, and combined live takes with multi-tracked vocals and cello. Drawn by Alex Perialas’ work on Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton’s latest release, The Early Mays decided to mix at Pyramid Sound Studios in Ithaca, NY. “Alex gave the mixes the exact acoustic blend we’d been hunting for, transparent and lush at the same time,” says Pinkerton. 

Cellist Nicole Myers joins the band on Prettiest Blue, lending sweeping melodic lines to support the vocals and old-time textures. She is a founding member of Cello Fury (www.cellofury.com), an ensemble that bridges rock and classical music. “Her flexibility as a player has made this project especially poignant. She always adds the right emotion to the song,” says Pinkerton. “She’s a beautiful collaborator,” adds Gozion, “and she takes the time to understand our music inside and out.” The deep tones of the cello are a match made in heaven for banjo, harmonium, and fiddle arrangements that underpin “crystal-clear voices” and “stunning harmony lines” (Adam Hurt). 

A decade of friendship is palpable in the co-arranged songs, as well as the dedication to craft and the sustained pursuit of a rich acoustic aesthetic. You may find yourself comfortably swaying in that neo-traditional space–somewhere between old-time and songwriter sensibilities–getting a glimpse of how much these songs have been cared for. 

PRETTIEST BLUE TRACKLIST

The Ballad Of Johnny Fall

On A Dying Day

Shakin’ Down The Acorns 

Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow   

My Home’s Across The Blue Ridge Mountains

THE EARLY MAYS PREMIERE SINGLE “ON A DYING DAY” VIA FOR FOLK’S SAKE + ALBUM RELEASE SHOW IN PITTSBURGH ON JUNE 25

PRETTIEST BLUE EP SET FOR RELEASE ON JULY 1

“The Early Mays create Appalachian-inspired songs built on deep country sensibilities, masterful singing and a sweet old-time sound.” - The Pittsburgh City Paper

“The Early Mays are exceptional storytellers, singers and musicians who craft their songs with the utmost care and attention; they’re a joy to listen to.” - Folk Radio UK

“...a really fresh take on this traditional music” - WRCT

"...a winning combination” - Americana-UK

"This is just pure classic folk." - If It's Too Loud

“Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton understand their music better than many artists understand their own." - Sound Bites

Photo: Kristi Jan Hoover

LISTEN: “ON A DYING DAY”

Today, Pittsburgh-based duo The Early Mays (Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton) have released

“On A Dying Day,” the latest single from their forthcoming EP, Prettiest Blue, due out on July 1, 2022. The song was written by Pinkerton, who drew inspiration from the shores of Lake Michigan, where she was raised.

“The Early Mays offer an inward-looking, heartfelt approach to Appalachia,” said For Folk’s Sake in their premiere of the track. “Restoratively vintage, their no-frills roots music brings a warmth that is often missed in raucous contemporary releases…Their vocal and instrumental chops are given ample space to impress on the reflective tune, ‘On a Dying Day,’” they continue. “Gorgeous harmonies take the forefront, painting a lyrical picture of the shores that the single is inspired by.”

“I go to the dunes whenever I can. It’s a place where I can make sense of who I am in the world, especially when things get hard,” Pinkerton told For Folk’s Sake. “I tried to make the banjo sound like rolling waves. In a similar way, the words of ‘On a Dying Day’ ‘roll’ back and forth, as the last lines of one stanza grow into the first line of the next,” she explains of the song, the structure of which she derived from Chilean folk poetry. “‘On a Dying Day’ is about finding redemption at the shore.” Its release follows lead single “The Ballad Of Johnny Fall,” a newly-composed "old-time" murder ballad that challenges the misogynistic themes of traditional Appalachian murder ballads.

LISTEN: “THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY FALL”

Somewhere on the border between old-time music and modern American songwriting, The Early Mays have built a band with harmonies that feel like home. It’s a partnership that has shared slow-burning, perfectly paired vocals for ten years—from NPR’s Mountain Stage to house concerts all over the mid-Atlantic.

From the old-time music community, The Early Mays have absorbed the culture of deep listening that’s central to playing with sensitivity. “Revivalists like us–who didn’t live and breathe Appalachian music growing up–still learn and create by ear for the most part,” Pinkerton explains. “Being able to carry hours of tunes in my head was life-changing. And there is new meaning to uncover each time you return to a field recording or slowly build a relationship with a mentor.”

That practice of deep listening–and slow, careful craftsmanship–spills over into every Early Mays performance and production as they sculpt their warm, immersive sound. The past ten years have been a steady search for musical and spiritual sustenance: for themselves and for their listeners. “Prettiest Blue is about keeping your eyes trained on something brighter, even in the midst of sadness,” reflects Pinkerton. A decade of friendship is palpable in the co-arranged songs, as well as the dedication to craft and the sustained pursuit of a rich acoustic aesthetic. You may find yourself comfortably swaying in that neo-traditional space–somewhere between old-time and songwriter sensibilities–getting a glimpse of how much these songs have been cared for.

The Early Mays will celebrate the release with a show at SongSpace in Pittsburgh on June 25th. Click HERE for show information. Be sure to follow the band at the links below for the latest news.

Painting by Ron Donoughe

CONNECT WITH THE EARLY MAYS:

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

THE EARLY MAYS PREMIERE SINGLE “THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY FALL” VIA FOLK RADIO UK

PRETTIEST BLUE EP SET FOR RELEASE ON JULY 1

“The Early Mays are exceptional storytellers, singers and musicians who craft their songs with the utmost care and attention; they’re a joy to listen to.” - Folk Radio UK

Photo: Kristi Jan Hoover

LISTEN: “THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY FALL” 

Today, Pittsburgh-based duo The Early Mays (Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton) have released a newly-composed "old-time"murder ballad with “The Ballad Of Johnny Fall,” the haunting lead single from their forthcoming EP, Prettiest Blue, due out on July 1, 2022. Written and sung by Gozion with Pinkerton on banjo and vocals and Nicole Myers on cello, "they conjure up a melancholic opening that taps straight into the darkness of this ballad and the endless cycle of abuse,” said Folk Radio UK in their premiere. “Appalachian murder ballads give us insight into the long history of violence and misogyny against women. The suffering woman in this story decides to take matters into her own hands, but fate intervenes for her here.” 

“A woman falls deeply in love when she is young, with a man whose eyes are the ‘prettiest blue,’” Gozion told Folk Radio UK  “As the years wear on, he is consumed by alcohol; their love frays under his abuse. She resolves to escape her suffering by shooting her husband. But the very night she sits on the porch with her gun, he does not come home. Fate had intervened. He was taken down by a train as he walked along the railroad tracks,” she added. “You feel the tragedy of abuse, of death, and of a love–once beautiful and bright– that was extinguished by addiction.” 

Somewhere on the border between old-time music and modern American songwriting, The Early Mays have built a band with harmonies that feel like home. It’s a partnership that has shared slow-burning, perfectly paired vocals for ten years—from NPR’s Mountain Stage to house concerts all over the mid-Atlantic.  

“I think part of our aesthetic comes from being introspective people,” Gozion reflects, “We don’t have a flashy, fast sound, but if you let the music engulf you, there are lots of layers. Our songs give people a place to slow down.” “The Early Mays rehearsals are restorative for me,” adds Pinkerton. “The hours spent in Ellen’s living room, with coffee and dark chocolate, following the harmonies wherever they take us, laughing and just loving that exploration as much as we love singing for other people. I hope you can hear the joy of the process in Prettiest Blue.”  

From the old-time music community, The Early Mays have absorbed the culture of deep listening that’s central to playing with sensitivity. “Revivalists like us–who didn’t live and breathe Appalachian music growing up–still learn and create by ear for the most part,” Pinkerton explains. “Being able to carry hours of tunes in my head was life-changing. And there is new meaning to uncover each time you return to a field recording or slowly build a relationship with a mentor.”  

That practice of deep listening–and slow, careful craftsmanship–spills over into every Early Mays performance and production as they sculpt their warm, immersive sound. The past ten years have been a steady search for musical and spiritual sustenance: for themselves and for their listeners. “Prettiest Blue is about keeping your eyes trained on something brighter, even in the midst of sadness,” reflects Pinkerton. A decade of friendship is palpable in the co-arranged songs, as well as the dedication to craft and the sustained pursuit of a rich acoustic aesthetic. You may find yourself comfortably swaying in that neo-traditional space–somewhere between old-time and songwriter sensibilities–getting a glimpse of how much these songs have been cared for.  

The Early Mays will celebrate the release with a show at SongSpace in Pittsburgh on June 25th. Click HERE for show information. Be sure to follow the band at the links below for the latest news. 

Painting by Ron Donoughe

THE EARLY MAYS ANNOUNCE NEW EP PRETTIEST BLUE SET FOR RELEASE ON JULY 1

"What a beautiful, beautiful harmony sound..." - Larry Groce, NPR's Mountain Stage

“Emotionally stirring harmonies and delicate folk instrumentation… this group brings traditional and original music to spectacular life” -  Cindy Howes, Folk Alley

Photo: Kristi Jan Hoover

  WATCH THE TRAILER FOR PRETTIEST BLUE

Today, Pittsburgh-based duo The Early Mays announce their forthcoming EP, Prettiest Blue, which will release on July 1, 2022. Composed of artists Emily Pinkerton and Ellen Gozion, the pair sing Appalachian-inspired songs over a lush accompaniment of fiddle, banjo, guitar, and harmonium. Somewhere on the border between old-time music and modern American songwriting, The Early Mays have built a band with harmonies that feel like home. It’s a partnership that has shared slow-burning, perfectly paired vocals for ten years—from NPR’s Mountain Stage to house concerts all over the mid-Atlantic.

“I think part of our aesthetic comes from being introspective people,” Gozion reflects, “We don’t have a flashy, fast sound, but if you let the music engulf you, there are lots of layers. Our songs give people a place to slow down.” “The Early Mays rehearsals are restorative for me,” adds Pinkerton. “The hours spent in Ellen’s living room, with coffee and dark chocolate, following the harmonies wherever they take us, laughing and just loving that exploration as much as we love singing for other people. I hope you can hear the joy of the process in Prettiest Blue.”

From the old-time music community, The Early Mays have absorbed the culture of deep listening that’s central to playing with sensitivity. “Revivalists like us–who didn’t live and breathe Appalachian music growing up–still learn and create by ear for the most part,” Pinkerton explains. “Being able to carry hours of tunes in my head was life-changing. And there is new meaning to uncover each time you return to a field recording or slowly build a relationship with a mentor.”

That practice of deep listening–and slow, careful craftsmanship–spills over into every Early Mays performance and production. The duo strives to sculpt a warm, immersive sound. When recording albums, the band has explored everything from a single condenser mic in a church sanctuary to analog tape and vintage compressors. For Prettiest Blue, they were looking for a pared-down “in the room” sound, and recorded at Audible Images in Pittsburgh with Hollis Greathouse, combining live takes with multi-tracked vocals and cello. Drawn by Alex Perialas’ work on Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton’s latest release, The Early Mays decided to mix at Pyramid Sound Studios in Ithaca, NY. Cellist Nicole Myers joins the Mays on Prettiest Blue, lending sweeping melodic lines to support the vocals and old-time textures.

The Early Mays have spent most of their professional lives as musicians. Gozion is a pianist for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and a Music Director at First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh. In the world of old-time, she has made a name for herself as a ballad singer. This trajectory comes across on Prettiest Blue in the newly-composed “Ballad of Johnny Fall,” a dark tale of a man whose eyes were “once the prettiest blue.” 

Pinkerton has lived a bit of a double life in music, dedicating two decades to Chilean folk song, including three years overseas and several collaborations with South American artists: “Even when I’m writing with my banjo, traditional singing from Chile creeps into my rhythm and rhyme. You can hear hints of this in ‘On a Dying Day’ where the lyrics roll back and forth like waves,” she explains. 

The past ten years have been a steady search for musical and spiritual sustenance: for themselves and for their listeners. “Prettiest Blue is about keeping your eyes trained on something brighter, even in the midst of sadness,” reflects Pinkerton. A decade of friendship is palpable in the co-arranged songs, as well as the dedication to craft and the sustained pursuit of a rich acoustic aesthetic. You may find yourself comfortably swaying in that neo-traditional space–somewhere between old-time and songwriter sensibilities–getting a glimpse of how much these songs have been cared for.

The Early Mays will celebrate the release with a show at SongSpace in Pittsburgh on June 25th. Click HERE for show information. Be sure to follow the band at the links below for the latest news.

PRETTIEST BLUE TRACKLIST 

The Ballad Of Johnny Fall

On A Dying Day

Shakin’ Down The Acorns

Bury Me Under The Weeping Willow

My Home’s Across The Blue Ridge Mountains