Archived Arts & Entertainment

Greening Up the Mountains: Rye Baby

GUTMryebaby1:05 p.m. • Signature Brew Stage

Hailing from Chattanooga, Rye Baby is a fiery duo, one that encompasses the honky-tonk blues and Americana-roots sounds that runs deeply through Southern Appalachia.

With a yodeling akin to Hank Williams, mandolinist Jennifer Brumlow howls to the heavens with a voice as haunting as it is poignant. Alongside her is guitarist Callie Harmon, who provides wave after wave of acoustic finger pickin’. 

Smoky Mountain News: What do you like most about playing the Americana-roots genre? 

Jennifer Brumlow: The truth in the music, honesty in the writing, and the less is more approach in performing. 

SMN: What’s the key to creating a great song? 

JB: Honestly, there’s no real rhyme or reason to writing a song. It hits at random moments and you have to sit down and grab it. A song is never completely done. We’ve had songs that have already gone through three lives in only two years. We just share what we have and if it evolves into something else we share that version as well. 

SMN: How does the vast and ancient landscape of Southern Appalachia affect the sound?

JB: It’s hard to not be influence by old country, bluegrass and folk music growing up in Tennessee and North Georgia. It’s bound to rub off on you at some point. 

www.facebook.com/ryebabymusic.

— Garret K. Woodward, staff writer

Smokey Mountain News Logo
SUPPORT THE SMOKY MOUNTAIN NEWS AND
INDEPENDENT, AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM
Go to top
Payment Information

/

At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. Unlike other news organizations, we made the decision to provide in-depth, regional reporting free to anyone who wanted access to it. We don’t plan to change that model. Support from our readers will help us maintain and strengthen the editorial independence that is crucial to our mission to help make Western North Carolina a better place to call home. If you are able, please support The Smoky Mountain News.

The Smoky Mountain News is a wholly private corporation. Reader contributions support the journalistic mission of SMN to remain independent. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us.