Wailin’ Jennys bring folk-roots music to Edmonds

Portland holds the Wailin’ Jennys biggest fan base, but Western Washington loves the trio, too.

The Canadian folk group, represented by Red House Records of Greg Brown fame, is set to perform at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Edmonds Performing Arts Center, 410 Fourth Ave., Edmonds.

Tickets range from $22 to $32 and are available by calling 425-275-4485.

They also are playing two shows Saturday, April 12, at the Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon.

“Starting as a happy accident of solo singer-songwriters getting together for a one-time-only performance at a tiny guitar shop in Winnipeg, Manitoba,” as their story goes, the Wailin’ Jennys — founders Ruth Moody and Nicky Mehta along with New York-based Heather Masse — continue to create folk-roots music in recordings and live performances 12 years after that first show.

Their most recent disc, the Juno Award-winning “Bright Morning Stars” united the Jennys with Grammy-nominated producer Mark Howard, known for his work with Lucinda Williams and Emmylou Harris, for an album that combines innovative sounds with the band’s signature harmonies, a great mix of Americana, pop and traditional folk.

The album takes its name from a traditional tune that the Jennys cover: an a capella tune about the passing of loved ones.

“Amidst songs about loss, there is a quiet elation underpinning the album that is present in such tracks as “Bird Song” giving hope and courage to weary souls and the brokenhearted,” according to Red House Records.

Nicky Mehta called last week from the road to talk about their current tour.

“We’re actually appreciated all along the West Coast,” Mehta said. “It’s interesting because we’re from the Canadian prairie. Red House Records and appearing on Garrison Keillor’s NPR radio show ‘A Prairie Home Companion’ really opened a lot of doors for us in the states. Our audiences are so great and so committed.”

People can expect tonight’s show to include a mixture of the trio’s tried-and-true repertoire and the relatively new stuff off the “Bright Morning Stars” album.

“It will be our first time at the Edmonds venue,” Mehta said. “We plan to send our best wishes to everyone in the Oso area of north Snohomish County.”

Now that Mehta and Masse each have children, touring is a little more occasional, she said.

“We are fortunate,” Mehta said. “We really like what we are doing.”

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

The Moonlight Swing Orchestra will play classic sounds of the Big Band Era on April 21 in Everett. (submitted photo)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Relive the Big Band Era at the Port Gardner Music Society’s final concert of the season in Everett.

2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD (Honda)
2024 Honda Ridgeline TrailSport AWD

Honda cedes big boy pickup trucks to the likes of Ford, Dodge… Continue reading

Would you want to give something as elaborate as this a name as mundane as “bread box”? A French Provincial piece practically demands the French name panetiere.
A panetiere isn’t your modern bread box. It’s a treasure of French culture

This elaborately carved French antique may be old, but it’s still capable of keeping its leavened contents perfectly fresh.

(Judy Newton / Great Plant Picks)
Great Plant Pick: Mouse plant

What: Arisarum proboscideum, also known as mouse plant, is an herbaceous woodland… Continue reading

Bright green Japanese maple leaves are illuminated by spring sunlight. (Getty Images)
Confessions of a ‘plantophile’: I’m a bit of a junky for Japanese maples

In fact, my addiction to these glorious, all-season specimens seems to be contagious. Fortunately, there’s no known cure.

2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited (Hyundai)
2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited

The 2024 Hyundai IONIQ 6 Limited is a sporty, all-electric, all-wheel drive sedan that will quickly win your heart.

The 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T hybrid’s face has the twin red lines signifying the brand’s focus on performance. (Dodge)
2024 Hornet R/T is first electrified performance vehicle from Dodge

The all-new compact SUV travels 32 miles on pure electric power, and up to 360 miles in hybrid mode.

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

Don’t blow a bundle on glass supposedly made by the Henry William Stiegel

Why? Faked signatures, reused molds and imitated styles can make it unclear who actually made any given piece of glass.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.