WyoFolk Project Session Notes

The WyoFolk Project was dreamt and funded in May 2022 through an ARPA Grant issues by Wyoming Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts. Thanks to the Wyoming State Legislature for the opportunity to showcase Wyoming’s incredible well of performing songwriters. This time in recorded form. This means a compilation album of over a dozen Wyoming singer-songwriters recording new works—captured and mixed here at the Three Hearted Recording cabin in Hoback, Wyoming. Follow the train of progress on Facebook and Instagram for video snippets or each song. Here are photos and notes for July through October sessions.

WyoFolk Project Session 1: Christian Wallowing Bull

July 6, 2022. Home run session with Lander-based Christian Wallowing Bull, the foothills of #WyoFolk. Christian brought the love song “Orchard,” a contrast to some of his other material addressing life as an indigenous artist. In one of the shortest sessions in Three Hearted Recording’s history, he delivered one-take performance that captured the spontaneity of his head strong ability as a performer.

WyoFolk Project Session 2: Jason Tyler Burton

The WyoFolk Project is picking up momentum, and my own stoke for it certainly gets a boost from hearing the Muse come to life in this space. Session #2 was a live capture with fellow Kentuckian-Wyomingite Jason Tyler Burton. Here’s a sneak peak of “Ghosted by the Muse.”

WyoFolk Project Session 3: Jalan Crossland

The WyoFolk Project, Session #3. Compadre Jalan Crossland doing his thing in real time with no overdubs for his new work, “Standing Up Again.” Voice, 6-string banjo, Tin of BBs (aka Ten Sleep snare), and porchboard bass. Somewhere between waiting out storms and sitting on the porch bullshittin’ & bourbon sippin’, 4 minutes and 15 seconds of magic happened. When it all comes together, as it did this day, it’s a good moment to take stock, fill the tank.

Live recording requires a good bit of forethought, with careful mic placement as to capture the 4 sources individually but embrace the sound happening together in the room. 9 total inputs. Love how this one turned out and looking forward to mixing it for the WyoFolk compilation.

WyoFolk Project Session 4: Alysia Kraft

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • 𝙰𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚊 𝙺𝚛𝚊𝚏𝚝 “𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚁𝚘𝚊𝚍 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙶𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝙽𝚘𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎” 𝟾.𝟷𝟽.𝟸𝟸

The latest WyoFolk Session led to a wonderful reconnection with Alysia Kraft (solo artist + Patti Fiasco + Whippoorwill). We first collaborated in 2014-15 on two WYOmericana Caravan tours including a super fun 17-shows-in-18-days stretch. Picking up where we left off, it was a gratifying day of song capture—build, refine, improvise, simplify. A soundscape began to hover toward the edge of the blue horizon 𝚃𝚘 𝙽𝚘𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎. AK’s debut solo outing 𝙵𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝙻𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 dropped two months ago, a stellar body of work that shed inspiration to these sessions at Three Hearted Recording. The icing was spread by Texas drummer-percussionist-engineer and ol pal Dave Sims Jr. Can’t wait for y’all to hear it alongside over a dozen others that have contributed magic to this project...thanks to Wyoming Arts Council and National Endowment for the Arts.

WyoFolk Project Session 5: Shawn Hess

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Shawn Hess “Til it Ain’t” • 9.𝟷.𝟸𝟸 • Session 5

It’s hard to find the pure forms. Forms of music and culture, these little hidden pockets that feel less influenced by modern forces of eclecticism. @shawn_hess_ embodies that hide, with the only internal dilemma being whether to record a heartbreak song or a love song. Maybe you can guess which way he leaned here by the working title. Shawn drove up from Laramie for the short session, performing live-in-studio for The WyoFolk Project—a soon-to-be compilation of over a dozen Wyoming Songwriters recording new works.

Thanks for following along. Its such a treat to have this much art being created in this space. Here are some captures from the session by Reed Mattison. More updates the Three Hearted Recording Facebook Page.

WyoFolk Project Session 6: Low Water String Band

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • 𝙻𝚘𝚠 𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙱𝚊𝚗𝚍 “𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝚃𝚠𝚘” • 9.7.22 • 𝚂𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 6

“Who put the moon in the moonshine still?” When the water gets low, you know summer’s about to end, and autumn is quick and easy as the breeze. This Lander stringband is a hoot and a holler (“hang in there brother!”) and a sum of Stuart Cerovski (guitar), Joe LeFevere (voice, fiddle, mandolin), Annie Scott (upright bass, voice), and Jared Scott (banjo, voice) along with manager/engineer/“Band Dad Brad” Christensen. I connected with @lowwaterstringband for the 2017 @wyomericana Caravan Tour, which took us on a 10-show ramble through the Rockies together.

They opted to cut “Wheelhouse Two” live-in-studio for The WyoFolk Project. Fourteen microphones, experimental room geometry, and a few takes later, things gelled. And voilà, high fives ensued. Yeehaw.

WyoFolk Project Session 7: Sarah Sample

Sarah Sample and yours truly. Photo by Reed Mattison

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Sarah Sample “The Jury” • 9.𝟷2.𝟸𝟸 • Session 7

Quiet music lives its best life in a quiet space. Balladry delivers long tones to the cabin room. You can hear the air grow heavy in the space left between. It’s subtle simplicity via Sarah Sample…

“I just want to hear the gavel pound / I just want a verdict to come down / But that day never seems to come / It all just sits here left undone / And I just wanna blame someone / But the Jury’s hung”

Sarah performed “The Jury” live-in-studio at Three Hearted Recording while “heartache sits quiet in the back.” Video snippets here and in today’s story. And just like that, The WyoFolk Project is halfway to heaven with paradise waiting.

WyoFolk Project Session 8: Inland Isle/Pat Chadwick

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Inland Isle “Year’s Divide” • 9.𝟷9.𝟸𝟸 • Session 8

Pretty rad to think back on the progressions of friends’ creative paths in the Jackson music scene. To take stock of the long-haul and the chiseling of a craft. It hasn’t always been an encouraging place to perform home spun material, but life’s too short. Pat Chadwick ( @patrick_chadwick_music ) is one of these folks. From solo work to The Flannel Attractions to Canyon Kids and offshoots of them all, there are goods in there.

Pat brought his song “Year’s Divide” into focus by recording as a full ensemble with his band Inland Isle. The quartet of multi-instrumentalists, singers, songwriters, audio engineers, and bandleaders came together a few years ago to form a new project and record an eponymous debut record at a cabin in Montana (they only record in log cabins ). Alongside Pat is… @dusty_nichols (Canyon Kids), @leifroutman (Whiskey Mornin), and @liamoneill (Lonesome Gold, Aaron Davis & the Mystery Machine). We recorded with full band energy in mind; everyone was just a few feet apart, no amps in the room, live takes. Pat came back the next morning to cut vocals and play a solo version of the song.

In case you just started following along the winding road of The WyoFolk Project, here’s a quick rundown: this is a dream(y) recording project, made possible through a grant award via @wyomingartscouncil Grant & National Endowment the Arts. Over a dozen Wyoming performing songwriters are recording new works here at the Three Hearted Recording cabin in Hoback Nation, Wyoming… in just 3 months time. Really digging all of them and I think you will to when that day arrives. More to come. More to navigate. Wax on, wax off.

WyoFolk Project Session 9: Michael Batdorf

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Michael Batdorf “Broke in a Small Town” • 9.23.𝟸𝟸 • Session 9

The economics of working in a small resort town can be overwhelming. Longtime Teton County songster Michael Batdorf (One Ton Pig), Batdorf & The Brother Wolf) laments “It ain’t coming easy / if it comes at all.” Batdorf performed “Broke in a Small Town” live-in-studio at Three Hearted Recording for Session 9 of The WyoFolk Project. Fellow Hobackian, Hilary Camino (of Freda Felcher) stopped by to lock-in a fitting vocal harmony. Good times!

WyoFolk Project Session 10: Isaac Hayden

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Isaac Hayden Isaac Hayden “Green Pastures” • 9.28.𝟸𝟸 • Session 10

The worn hole in his geetar ala Willie Nelson is proof this troubadour has put considerable time into his craft. Isaac has a knack for writing material that suits his voice. He had sent a demo of another standout tune for The WyoFolk Project compilation, but this one hit in such a way. “Green Pastures” is a classic sounding tune that transports us into a wide open space that feels both tranquil and damn lonesome.

*Fun Side Note: Screen Door Porch shared two bills with Isaac in Tennessee a decade ago in May of 2012—one in Nashville, one in Knoxville—the latter show ended late and we stayed up til the break of dawn listening to vinyl at Sam Quinn’s house (The Everybodyfields, Black Lillies).

As with all of the video snippets that have been shared over the past few months documenting this project, artists have been gracious to film a 1-shot version of their song that differs from the actual audio captured during our recording session together here at Three Hearted Recording. I think this is telling of the character of all of the artists involved with this project. Folk music by Wyoming folks—WyoFolk!

WyoFolk Project Session 11: Jordan Smith

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Jordan Smith “A.M. Revival” • 9.30.𝟸𝟸 • Session 11

Chasin’ dreams, finding peace, being someone people can depend on, small towns and Sunday mornings—if you find it, don’t let it go. Tune the dial to “A.M. Revival.” Gillette native and Lander-based, Jordan is a prolific song crafter that brought the tuned-down, Drop D flavor peppered with country soul. We met during the pandemic, sharing songs and recording ideas, eventually sharing a bill at Songwriter’s Alley. Keep an eye out for his new EP in the coming weeks.

Jordan built a cool mirage of guitar sounds at Three Hearted Recording using his Gibson L-00 acoustic and my Gibson ES-335 electric before stacking a couple of vocal parts with a swiftness. Jacksonite Tom Davidson laid down fretless P bass to solidify the bloomy low end groove. And we have ourselves a Revival.

WyoFolk Project Session 12: J. Shogren

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • J.Shogren “Red Forest 1918” • Session 12

Forest fires are impressionable and so are J.Shogren’s chord voicings and song subjects. “Red Forest 1918” was written about the Moose Lake fire of 1918 in his hometown of Cloquet, MN. 453 people died in the fire, 250k acres burned, and “it wiped out most all of Cloquet given all the lumber stacked up for paper and building supplies.” @jbirdshogren ‘s ambition led him to perform, mix, and/or manipulate all instruments on the recorded version—acoustic guitar, dobro, bass, drums, vocals and backing vocals.

SDP ( @screendoorporch ) first linked up with J for the debut @wyomericana Caravan tour in 2013—along with Jalan Crossland, Jascha Herdt, Shaun Kelley, the SDP rhythm section Tom Davidson & Andy Peterson, and Mike Vanata & Brian Harrington of @westernasfuck . It was as grassroots as it gets, yet somehow we ended up in The York Times with random quotes such as: “let’s just bootstrap the thing” (my wife) / “No one would want my advice even if I were dumb enough to offer it” (Shogren) / “A Walmart parking lot or Flying J truck stop—you’ll always get a good night’s sleep there” (Crossland). Ha, good times on the road trying to figure out how to break even!

During that time, J turned me onto to Open Gmaj7 tuning, among other interesting offshoots. He has a quiver of sweet old axes that say Gibson on them, something this Gibsonite can appreciate. He also curates the decade-long run of the Centennial Uptown Breakdown, a festival in the foothills of The Snowies in Centennial, Wyo.

WyoFolk Project Session 13: Bob LeFevre

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Bob Lefevre “Ever a Doubt” • Session 13

Bob self-recorded his song at his home studio. Session notes coming soon.

WyoFolk Project Session 14: Aaron Davis

Harmonium for the win. Photo by Reed Mattison

Շђє ฬץ๏Ŧ๏ɭк קг๏ןєςՇ • Aaron Davis “One Good Wing” • Final Session 14

Recording sessions for The WyoFolk Project are done! 14 songs, 14 Wyoming songwriters, over 30 session musicians, and over 200 hours of session work at Three Hearted Recording (so far) since early July. Mixing and album art in-progress. Mastering to follow. Sooo much gratitude to share creative space with these Wyo songwriters and musicians over the last 4 months. It has pushed and stretched me in new ways. And this is a phenomenal collection of songs! ..impressionable to the extent that I’ve been dreaming about them while mixing. Here’s one more to cap off the run…

I wrote the kernels of “One Good Wing” on Thanksgiving Day 2020—unexpectedly quarantined with a can of soup and a pinch of bourbon at the Davis farm cottage in lil’ ole Concordia, Kentucky. I had just driven 30 hours across the country from Wyoming. A lot of uncertainties were stirring.

With resonator in hand, two different chord structures and melodies arrived one after the other. Lyrics came nearly simultaneous for both, which is not as common for me. And then…they sat, unfinished. It would be another year before I merged the two ideas into a single song structure. Rather than modify the different keys to “fit,” I kept the unusual Eb>G modulation from the two separate demos, aka Verse & Chorus.

It’s remarkable how songs can permeate, and how my own perspective of getting them just right can be normalized by time. Some chord voicings were definitely learned from Freewheelin Dylan/1963 and Blood on the Tracks/1975, two records with Dylan fingerpicking primarily in Open D & E tuning. It taught me that Open D didn’t have to be just slide blues or Piedmont style; that it could also be expressive in its slight dissonance as a folk foundation.

This tune is not in my live rotation yet, and it has evolved multiple times over during overdub and mixing sessions. These local players had a major role in steering the arrangement, which informed each subsequent overdub that followed… 💚🙏

Marty Camino - double bass (plucked & bowed)

Mark Longfield - harmonium, wurlitzer

Mellissa Elliot - harmony & backing vocals

Liam O’Neill - drums, percussion

Me - vocals, acoustic guitars, percussion

If you read this far, I appreciate you 😆. Album Release details coming soon!

👉🏼 The WyoFolk Project is made possible by National Endowment for the Arts, Wyoming Arts Council, and the Wyoming Legislature.

MIXING Sessions: The WyoFolk Project

We are Mixing these stellar tracks here at Three Hearted Recording, then off to the mastering house. Stay tuned for what looks like an April release!