Vocalists and instrumentalists Cristina Vane and Brennen Leigh will take the stage at Popejoy Hall on Sunday, March 22 with an acoustic performance showcasing the expansive music genre with their show “Women of Americana.”
Leigh is one of the lead musicians for the show, playing acoustic guitar and mandolin. Vane is a singer-songwriter; she also plays slide guitar and clawhammer banjo.
Leigh said that Americana as a genre has a deep but sometimes overlooked history.
“It’s American roots music, everything from early rock and roll to early country to blues to gospel,” Leigh said. “It was kind of left-of-center, at the time considered to be less radio friendly, but a lot of things fell into that catchall and it kind of thrived and became its own scene.”
Leigh said she's been a professional musician since she was 14 years old and grew up with a family interested in country and bluegrass music.
“I started picking up gigs with my brother when we were teenagers and I've never done anything else,” Leigh said.
Leigh said this is their first tour as “Women of Americana,” but she visited Albuquerque as an independent musician playing with other bands.
The performance features songs made famous by artists like Brandi Carlile, Joan Baez, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton and more, according to a Popejoy press release.
According to the press release, there will be video projections to make this concert a multi-media event.
“We're just doing a tribute to artists that came before us,” Leigh said. “We really enjoy ourselves on stage, we enjoy playing off of each other, and we've chosen these songs specifically to share with people, so I think the defining characteristic is fun.”
Leila Chapa is the social media and photo editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
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Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
