Those looking for some entertainment this month might do well to check out the Old Paint Duo when they make their stop in Clearwater as part of the Home Routes concert series.
The duo, made up of couple Miriam Sonstenes on fiddle and Jeff Dill on guitar, just released its debut self-titled album, and will be touring the province to support it.
“It’s a full-length album featuring half original songs I wrote and half cover songs — old country duets, a couple of old-time fiddle tunes and it’s mostly featuring us with the instruments we play,” said Sonstenes.
As for what the audience can expect, she promised an intimate acoustic concert where the duo will play their songs and chat with the crowd about the music and what inspired the songwriting.
Attendees can also expect some cover tunes and some banter on how the group came to love those selections as well.
“Whether it’s Hank Williams or Dolly Parton, we love to share with the audience how we’ve come to this music and we’d like to have the show be quite interactive so we’ll often ask if anyone has questions; it’s really a nice sharing experience,” said Sonstenes.
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“It’s much more intimate than you’d be able to do at a venue with a stage and that kind of thing, so this is pretty much our favourite way to perform music, in a living room (setting) with everyone really close.”
The Old Paint Duo formed about 12 years ago in Victoria, starting off playing Irish songs and swing music, eventually narrowing down its sound to what Sonstenes describes as old-time country, bluegrass, folk.
Other groups that have influenced the duo include other two-singer acts like the Louvin Brothers and Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerard, with Sonstenes saying songs by duet groups quite obviously translate well with they do.
“We love to find music sung by two singers. Sometimes it’s sister duets, couple duets, or brother duets,” she said.
“A lot of our music features harmony, so we’re often singing together and that’s our favourite sound; we draw from older country artists and often with these crowds it goes over well because people recognize the songs.”
Those who want to catch the Old Paint Duo can see them at the Dutch Lake Community Centre on Oct. 16 beginning at 7 p.m.
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