About
Kelly McFarling is a wanderer of wilderness and cityscapes. She draws inspiration for her music from both.
Since her first release Distractible Child (2010), Kelly McFarling has received praise from press outlets across the country (including a feature on CNN’s Music Monday). She also took home the grand prize at the 35th bi-annual Shoot-Out at legendary Eddie’s Attic, released an ambitious and business-savvy joint album, Conspire (2012), with fellow San Francisco songwriter Lia Rose, and she began performing as one-third of the old-time all-female trio Glittersnatch.
Atlanta, GA raised her and gave her space to find her powerful voice in its church choirs and baseball stadiums, but it was San Francisco that gave her the encouragement and community to solidify her original sound. She has spent the past three years selling out shows in both her hometown and her adopted city (and many cities in-between) – a testament to the fact that her fresh spin on old-time music is resonant in any environment.
Like McFarling herself, her music occupies a place between places. She pays homage to her southern roots using her signature combination of clawhammer and traditional banjo playing, while giving new life to old sounds. With her band (Jonathan Kirchner, bass; Andrew Laubacher, drums & Tim Marcus, pedal steel and guitars), she explores territory outside her clear influences of folk, old-time, bluegrass and country, creating a sound equally at home by a fireside or at a large festival. McFarlings stories are yours and her music stays with you.
With plans to release her second full-length album (title-TBD) in early April, followed by a month-long tour and festival appearances with her band, Kelly McFarling’s horizons are wide-open.
Instrumentation
Kelly McFarling - Banjo, Vocals
Jonathan Kirchner - Bass
Andrew Laubacher - Drums
Tim Marcus - Guitar, Pedal Steel
Discography
Ridgeline (2013)
Kelly McFarling Trio Live at Eddie's Attic (2011)
Distractible Child (2010)
