This week, for your listening pleasure and knowledge enhancement, we feature two acts consisting of couples who live, write, and perform together. All four musicians play guitar and other instruments and sing lead and harmony. Both couples have performed at the most prestigious folk and Americana festivals in the nation and have managed to develop a high level of respect in the business while maintaining artistic dignity under the commercial radar.
Way back in 1992, when Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart met at a songwriter’s night in Nashville, Tenn., it was “together forever” at first sight. Each had made inroads in the music business but were still working hard to find and hold a place in the volatile industry.
Earle, younger sister of alt-country rocker Steve Earle, developed a singer/songwriter persona and played rhythm guitar in her famous brother’s backup band, the Dukes. Stuart acquired his musical experience gigging around Nashville as a studio-session player and road warrior with various groups, including such bona fide stars as Freddy Fender and, coincidently, Steve Earle. They continued rearing a family, working on solo careers, and somehow keeping it all together for almost 10 years, then, in 2001, decided to work as a couple with the release of Must Be Live, a double live CD. Since then, the duo has produced two more albums, 2003’s Never Gonna Let You Go and S & M Communion Bread in 2005. Earle and Stuart live in Ashland City, outside Nashville, but spend most of their time on the road. See them do their thing at the Underground City Tavern (700 E. Adams St., 217-789-1530) at 10 p.m. Sat., Sept. 9.
Jacquie Manning and Rich Prezioso began performing together in 1992 and touring in 1993. The Chicago-based duo call themselves Small Potatoes but have made some big scores in nearly 15 years of travels. They’ve logged well over 2,000 shows, performed in 48 states and Canada, and generally had a blast. Small Potatoes’ press materials reflect the self-deprecating humor woven into the couple’s songwriting and live shows. They say it has taken “years of careful indecision” for two “eclecto-maniacs” to perfect a “Celtic-to-cowboy” set list. Concert reviews speak of great energy and humor, terrific musicianship, and dizzying variety. Couple No. 2 performs as part of the Cabin Concerts (217-626-1091, www.thecabinconcerts.com) 7:30 p.m. Fri. and Sat., Sept. 8 and 9.
Contact Tom Irwin at tirwin@illinoistimes.com.
This article appears in Sep 7-13, 2006.
