An Evening with the Montvales

The Montvales Bring Folk Traditions Into The Modern Age On New Album Born Strangers

Born and raised in Knoxville, TN, Sally Buice and Molly Rochelson of songwriter duo The Montvales spent much of their formative years busking amidst the Elvis impersonators and musical saw players of the town’s Market Square, honing their uniquely boisterous harmonies and driving, joyful sound.  Eventually they graduated to playing indoors on the local Americana radio station, WDVX, and found community in old-time circles around town. A local fiddler’s dairy cows were among the first intrepid listeners of their early DIY recordings. After moving away for several years to seek their fortunes separately, Molly and Sally finally reunited in 2019 to write and record their first album, Heartbreak Summer Camp. The two now make their home in Cincinnati, OH, spending their days touring extensively and crafting intimate, storytelling-driven songs that explore the joys and perils of self-determination. Their new album, Born Strangers, is produced by Mike Eli LoPinto (producer and co-writer of Emily Nenni’s “On the Ranch”, guitarist for Chris Stapleton) and recorded in Sean Sullivan’s Tractor Shed Studio in Nashville. Tracks from the album have been featured by The Bluegrass Situation, Holler., The American Songwriter, The Bluegrass Standard, Twangville, and more. The twelve songs careen recklessly across the whole folk-country spectrum, showcasing The Montvales’ distinctive harmonies and building a sonic world just expansive and surprising enough to hold the wide-eyed existentialism of the stories and questions raised by the lyrics.