Album Produced by M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger & Features Guest Spots by Taylor, 2-Time GRAMMY Winner Rhiannon Giddens, Charly Lowry
After more than three decades writing songs for Grammy Award–winning artists and fostering some of the top talent in a rich North Carolina scene, Merlefest favorite Laurelyn Dossett is finally ready to step out for her debut solo album. The Stokes County, N.C.–based Americana artist has shared the title single, “How Many Moons,” from her solo debut of the same name: HEAR/SHARE.
WATCH/SHARE performance video of the single.
The album of the same name, produced by M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger, is set for an August 28 release via Sycamore Road. Taylor says, “Laurelyn Dossett is a songwriter and human that I find immensely inspiring. A survivor and a wonder-er. I know she has played a huge part in the lives of so many creative people, and I’m honored to have played a part in her new album.”
How Many Moons is an embarrassment of sonic riches—and Dossett has clearly been saving her 12 best for her first. There’s everything on here from arm-in-arm country shuffles, with traces of zydeco (“The Vision and the Call”), to saucy, swampy, bluesy waltzes (“Tomorrow Won’t Remember”) and back-barn country rambles (“How Many Moons”) and back-alley jazz-bar laments (“Run to the River”). “You and the Moon” has a gentle, ear-worm melody, while you could easily picture “Believe Me,” featuring producer M.C. Taylor, in a Norah Jones set (out as a single June 1). And the serene lilt of “Glory Glory,” is Dossett inviting you to church in Stokes County, N.C., where there’s a spiritual electricity (out July 29).
Dossett assembled a who’s-who of N.C. and regional players to help her deliver this stunning, eclectic solo debut. Players include Charly Lowry, artist and activist of the Lumbee and Tuscarora, who lends her vocals to “The Vision And The Call” (out June 29); Stephanie Coleman, a Brooklyn fiddler and musical partner of Nora Brown, who’s worked with everyone from Rhiannon Giddens and Aoife O’Donovan to Béla Fleck; sacred steel legend DaShawn Hickman, whose pedal steel skills have wowed millions on America’s Got Talent; jazz/folk bassist Jason Sypher, whose list of notables includes Irma Thomas, Kermit Ruffins, and Clarence Gatemouth Brown, among many others; drummer Nick Falk (Molly Tuttle, The Wood Brothers, CAAMP and Hiss Golden Messenger); Riley Baugus (Willie Nelson, Alison Kraus and Robert Plant) and Taylor, who pitches in on acoustic/electric guitars and mandolin when he’s not behind the boards.
Dossett says, “The musicians on this project are so much more than ‘guest artists’ – they are family. Most of them have been dear friends and collaborators on multiple projects for years, it was like a reunion to get together and make these songs sing. The glue for all of it was producer M.C. Taylor’s vision and sensibility – it’s like he blew some magic fairy dust over the songs and they came to life. And my actual family makes an appearance on ‘Glory Glory’ – all of the women – my daughters, nieces, sisters-in-law, and aunts got together on the lakehouse porch last summer and sang the chorus. My angel band.”
Despite Moons technically being her solo debut, Dossett has been a highly sought-after and prolific songwriter for fellow Americana artists, as well as in the classical and theatrical arts. “Anna Lee,” originally composed for 2006 play Brother Wolf, was covered by late Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Levon Helm (The Band) on his Grammy-winning Dirt Farmer album (2007), as well as his Live at the Ryman (2011). Another one of her songs, not on Moons but no less of a standout, “Leaving Eden,” served as the title track on GRAMMY-winning North Carolina band the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ swan song.
Bringing things full circle, ex-Drops banjoist/vocalist and two-time GRAMMY winner Rhiannon Giddens sits in on Dossett’s take on her own “Anna Lee,” set to be released as a single on August 28. It’s the true standout of the set. Giddens does her proud, gilding the lily of an already perfect story-song.
Speaking of the play Brother Wolf, Laurelyn has written the songs for six other professional plays, all featuring regional folklore and original music. Those include Beautiful Star: An Appalachian Nativity (2006), Bloody Blackbeard (2008), Providence Gap (2010), Snow Queen (2013), Radiunt Abundunt (2016) and Leaving Eden(2018). Both Wolf and Star have been published by Playscripts and have gone on to have professional productions in cities across the U.S.
Dossett has shown her intense creativity and versatility on a series of high-profile collabs and commissions in her three decades–plus career. In the late ’90s, she co-founded folk duo Polecat Creek with singing partner Kari Sickenberger. She’s toured with folk legend Alice Gerrard, premiered composer Kenneth Frazelle’s song cycle, Songs in the Rear View Mirror, has toured with the North Carolina Symphony numerous times. The symphony premiered her song cycle, The Gathering: A Winter’s Tale in Six Songs, a 2011 album that earned spotlights in the Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and USA Today. For Giddens’ Tomorrow Is My Turn tour, Dossett sang harmony vocals, including at Big Ears Festival, The Grand Ole Opry, Town Hall in NYC, and CBS Saturday Morning.
Dossett’s even delved into protest music, penning “Vote Against Amendment One” (2012), written in response to N.C.’s marriage amendment, and “My Beloved Enemy,” released on an N.C. artists’ compilation We Are Not for Sale (2013), which also includes tracks by Giddens and Taylor.
Dossett has been a guest on award-winning NPR show A Prairie Home Companion.
Album pre-save here.
How Many Moons Single Schedule
May 1 (Flower Moon): “How Many Moons” | LISTEN
June 1 (Blue Moon): “Believe Me” (featuring MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger) | LISTEN
June 29 (Strawberry Moon): “The Vision And The Call” (featuring Charly Lowry) | LISTEN
July 29 (Buck Moon): “Glory Glory” | LISTEN
August 28th, Album Release – “Anna Lee” (featuring Rhiannon Giddens) | LISTEN
How Many Moons Track Listing
1. The Vision and the Call
2. Anna Lee
3. War, WV
4. How Many Moons
5. The River’s Lament
6. The Mark of Kith and Kin
7. Run to the River
8. Believe Me
9. The Year of the Perfect Garden
10. Tomorrow Won’t Remember
11. You and the Moon
12. Glory Glory
All songs by Laurelyn Dossett, Pleasant Garden Music, ASCAP
Produced by M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Chris Boerner
Recorded in Durham, NC at Overdub Lane Studio and Dad’s Bar & Grill
Laurelyn Dossett Tour Dates
May 1 – Phoenixville, PA – The Bungalow (w/ Bet Williams)
May 2 – Pine Grove Mills, PA – Pine Grove Hall (w/ Bet Williams)
May 3 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore House Concert (w/ Bet Williams)
May 7 – Woodstock, NY – Colony Woodstock (w/ Bet Williams)
May 9 – Brooklyn, NY – Jalopy Theatre (w/ Bet Williams) [evening show]
May 24 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle w/ full band (w/ Caleb Caudle, Vagabond Saint’s Society)
May 30 – Greensboro, NC – Music at Big Purple (Fisher Park)
June 6 – Galax, VA – The Blue Ridge Music Center
June 14 – Stokes County, NC – Ramble on Big Creek
