Paper Wings

The charm and mystique of Nashville folk duo Paper Wings lies in the striking harmonic rapport which shifts and shimmers like a silken banner between kindred spirits Emily Mann and Wila Frank. The long-time friends and co-writers weave stories personal and universal into their songs with a craftsmanlike steadiness delivered in two part radiance furnished with clawbammer banjo, fiddle, and guitar. Both instrumental and lyrical mavens in their own right, together they’ve formed a unique sound that echoes upon the bedrock of American folk while twisting the ear forward in moments of modern revelation. On their forthcoming album, ‘Mountains on the Moon’, Frank and Mann drive down the dusty backroads of troubles and triumphs with the resilience of two friends who have been through it all together.

With roots in Oregon and California respectively, Frank and Mann were raised over the turning century in rural post-back-to-the-land communities of the west coast. Sharing an adoration for the outdoors and playing the fiddle, they became friends at music camps and festivals growing up. They made their first demos as a band as young adults in 2015 which they sold on home-printed discs at various breweries, farmers markets, and house concerts along the pacific coast. Eventually, they made their way to Nashville where they recorded their debut album Paper Wings in 2017 and sophomore album Clementine in 2019 and garnered streaming success with their heartfelt track “Troubled Soul”.

After a few years apart prompted by a worldwide pandemic and other projects taking their focus, the duo reunited in 2024 to release their third critically acclaimed album Listen to the World Spin. 2025 brought them to venues and festivals around the US and Europe, sharing bills with folk icons such as Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, The Milk Carton Kids, and Watchhouse among others. They also found time to record their forthcoming album ‘Mountains on the Moon’ which is due to release on March 1st, 2026.

Learn more at https://paperwingsband.com/

Kray Van KIrk

The room was almost empty after Van Kirk's show at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. A man with shirt-sleeves rolled up in the August heat walked over to him and stood hesitantly for a moment before thrusting out his hand. "I use to sing for my wife in the evenings, but she has dementia now and doesn't remember me. That song about the lost lovers and the dance hall..."

He stopped for a moment before his Scottish reserve reasserted itself.

"I really liked that one."

A fine finger-style guitarist with a precise baritone, Kray Van Kirk has a Ph.D. from the University of Alaska, but he set science aside to write songs, tell stories and summon heroes.

"We are driven by myth and the seasons of the heart," he says, "and the call to heroism isn't metaphorical. Don Quixote's idealism, Sam Gamgee's hope, Robin Hood's joy - all of these are necessary to resist and overturn the fascist oligarchy attempting to cement power in the world today. Everyone, of every identity and history, is called to this work towards a common humanity free from Empire. Gotham City, Mordor, and the Wasteland are all clear and present today, and we definitely have an evil Sheriff of Nottingham!"

Thus his songs: Thunderbird resurrects the Phoenix in an empty desert diner in the American Southwest (yes, the Phoenix drives a Thunderbird), The Queen of Elfland plucks Thomas the Rhymer from the English-Scottish border in 1250 and drops him and the Queen into a subway car, The Library Song has Superman moonlighting among the stacks, Hellhound summons a spectral justice for evil, and The Midnight Commander celebrates an insane old man leading the city of New York to take up arms (and underwear) against hatred.

Of this charming, Quixotic, and decidedly eclectic performer, the Borderline Folk Club in New York wrote “it is what every singer-songwriter should aspire to.”

Learn more at https://krayvankirk.com/home

The Black Feathers

The ability to write songs that are both modern and ancient is a rare thing. The product of an arcane art of weaving in traditional influences so thoroughly that they become the warp and weft of fresh creations. The Black Feathers, made up of Ray Hughes and Sian Chandler, are two such talents. They first became aware of the magic between them while collaborating on several musical projects, becoming The Black Feathers and life partners in 2012.

“Once in a blue moon, the whole soars far above the sum of its parts. That’s what happens when The Black Feathers perform live”

• Black Mountain News, North Carolina
  Americana, Folk, and Acoustic Indie Rock sensibilities coexist comfortably in their musical world, with Hughes’ guitar work buoying the kind of harmonies often only heard in family bands. Their music quickly draw the interest of listeners, but it is the stage chemistry that will keep them riveted.

Having already built up a loyal following in the UK, The Black Feathers have been spreading their wings across the US. They have performed at Philadelphia Folk Festival, Kate Wolf Music Festival, and AmericanaFest, and have also been awarded official showcases at the International, North East Regional and Far-West Folk Alliance conferences.

Learn more at https://theblackfeathers.com/home