Shovels & Rope and JOHNNYSWIM

Hotly tipped for Americana stardom, South Carolina’s Shovels & Rope – the married duo of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst – stir together raucous juke-joint country and blues-rock with grittily literate songcraft, an award-winning mix underpinned by cathartic emotional depths on their superb third album, 2016’s Little Seeds. Master storytellers both, conjuring characters and places with both vividness and verve, they’re equally renowned for their sizzling live shows.

Formed in Nashville, based in LA, fellow husband-and-wife team Johnnyswim are Amanda Sudano (Donna Summer’s daughter) and Abner Ramirez, whose twin vocals/lone guitar sound potently distils soul, folk, blues and pop elements. “Songs by and for feel-big dreamers” (NPR)