The Boxcar Lilies

Artist Information

Biography

"When we think of great harmonies in the contemporary roots music world, we think of bands like The Wailin’ Jennys or Red Molly. We can now add The Boxcar Lilies to the list." --Sheryl Hunter, The Recorder (Greenfield, MA)

Since 2009, Americana trio The Boxcar Lilies have been wowing audiences with their standout marriage of superb songwriting and spine-tingling, innovative harmonies. Accompanying themselves on guitar, clawhammer banjo, concert ukulele, and washboard, The Lilies have been bringing their uniquely warm sound and energetic stage presence to venues across the Northeast, including The Iron Horse Music Hall, Club Passim, and the Tin Angel, and opening for legendary songwriters Bill Staines and Lucy Kaplansky. The recently performed an official showcase at the 2012 International Folk Alliance Conference.

Based in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, The Boxcar Lilies are Jenny Goodspeed, Stephanie Marshall, and Katie Clarke. Each an accomplished singer-songwriter in her own right, the three met through a local musician’s cooperative and discovered a shared passion for three-part harmony. They began playing together informally and in the summer of 2009, Goodspeed invited Marshall and Clarke to join her for the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival’s Emerging Artist showcase. They knew then that they had something special and decided to make it official.

Over a few beers and a plate of nachos at a local tavern, The Boxcar Lilies were wed. Yes it was a shotgun wedding. They married their love (read: obsession) for great songwriting and sweet harmonies and set out to arrange originals and some of their favorite cover songs by the likes of Fred Eaglesmith, Neil Young, and Gillian Welch.

They recorded their debut CD Heartwood the following summer with esteemed producer and engineer Dave Chalfant (Erin McKeown, The Nields). Comprised of nine originals and a stellar version of Neil Young’s “Old Man”, the collection pays homage to a range of traditional genres including folk, bluegrass, and country, but it has a decidedly contemporary feel.

***PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS***

VENUES OF NOTE
• The Tin Angel (Philadelphia, PA)
• The Iron Horse Music Hall (Northampton, MA)
• Club Passim (Cambridge, MA)
• Cafe Veritas (Rochester, NY)
• Moore Music (Rockville, MD)
• The Buttonwood Tree Arts Center
(Middletown, CT)
• Hooker-Dunham Theater ( Brattleboro, VT)
• Cotuit Center for the Arts (Cotuit, MA)
• St. James Coffeehouse (Greenfield, MA)

SHOWCASES & FESTIVALS
• 2012 International Folk Alliance Performance Alley Showcase Artist
• 2011 Northeast Regional Folk Alliance Quad Showcase Artist
• Green River Festival (Greenfield, MA)
• First Night Northampton
• WRSI Earth Day Festival (Northampton, MA)
• Hilltown Spring Festival (Cummington, MA)

RADIO & TV APPEARANCES
• The Folk Show with Gene Shay, WXPN-FM (Philadelphia, PA)
• Valley Homegrown, GCTV, Greenfield, MA
• Acoustic Café, WMUA-FM Amherst, MA
• U-H Radio Bluegrass, WWUH-FM, West Hartford, CT
• Mass Appeal, WWLP Television, Springfield, MA

SELECT AIRPLAY
WXPN - Gene Shay's "The Folk Show" (Philadelphia, PA)
WFMT - Rich Warren's Midnight Special (Chicago, IL and syndicated), named one of "Rich's Picks"
VPR (Vermont Public Radio)
WRSI (Northampton, MA)
WMUA (Amherst, MA)
WWUH (Hartford, CT)
WPKN (Bridgeport, CT)
WSHU (Fairfield, CT)
WVUD (Newark, NJ)
WFDU (Teaneck, NJ)
WSCL (Salisbury, MD)
WMHB (Waterville, ME)
WRUR (Rochester, NY)
WGCS (Goshen, IN)
WORT (Madison, WI)
WRKF (Baton Rouge, LA)
CKUT (Montreal, Canada)
Inner FM (Australia)
FAB-AM (UK)
Radio Solskin (Denmark)
pur-country.de (Germany)
Radio NOF (Netherlands)

Instrumentation

Katie Clarke - Vocals, Guitar, Banjo.
Stephanie Marshall - Vocals, Guitar, Percussion
Jenny Goodspeed - Vocals, Guitar, Concert Ukulele

Discography

HEARTWOOD (2011)
Backing the Lilies are an impressive group of musicians, including Dave Chalfant on guitar and bass, Jim Henry (Mary Chapin Carpenter, Tracy Grammer) on Dobro, guitar, and mandolin, and Eric Lee (The Strangelings) on fiddle.

Tracks from the record have been played on radio stations both in the U.S. and abroad, including Gene Shay's The Folk Show (WXPN, Philadelphia), WRSI (Northampton, MA), and on Rich Warren's Midnight Special (WFMT, Chicago/Syndicated) when it was named one of "Rich's Picks".

Zak Jason of The Cape Cod Times said, "From the chugging bliss of “Green River Blues” to the dizzying banjo work of “Feels Like Home,” the Boxcar Lilies pack the album with reflective lyrics, masterful instrumentation and infectious harmonizing, their trademark quality."

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace
• Bandcamp
• YouTube
• Reverbnation

Audio

• The Ghost Tree
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• Old Man
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• Places on the Highway
  Listen  
• Green River Blues
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• My Love Walks By My Side
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Green River Blues
• The Ghost Tree
• Places on the Highway

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• The Boxcar Lilies [+ Show ]
  

  At times their harmonizing fills you with warmth. At other times it bruises with heartache. But some...At times their harmonizing fills you with warmth. At other times it bruises with heartache. But something stays consistent throughout each song by modern folk trio the Boxcar Lilies: crafty songwriting.
  
  Members Stephanie Marshall, Katie Clarke and Jenny Goodspeed formed the Boxcar Lilies in Western Massachusetts in 2009 and began by performing nuanced covers of their favorites Fred Eaglesmith, Neil Young and Gillian Welch. After honing their sound, they recorded their debut album, “Heartwood” (released in January), an equally mournful and soaring collection of original folk songs and an eerie cover of Neil Young's “Old Man.”
  
  From the chugging bliss of “Green River Blues” to the dizzying banjo work of “Feels Like Home,” the Boxcar Lilies pack the album with reflective lyrics, masterful instrumentation and infectious harmonizing, their trademark quality.
  
  Most acts with such delicate recorded material run the risk of falling flat. But for the past two years the trio has sold out shows throughout New England and the East Coast by bringing energy, improvisation and charming presence to the stage each night. Anyone with an ear for folk or luscious harmonies will enjoy these women at the Cotuit Center for the Arts.

• Behind the Beat: Sweet Boxcar Harmonies [+ Show ]
  

  Behind the Beat: Sweet Boxcar Harmonies Thursday, January 05, 2012 By Matthew Dube From the v...Behind the Beat: Sweet Boxcar Harmonies
  Thursday, January 05, 2012
  By Matthew Dube
  
  From the very first performance together, Stephanie Marshall, Jenny Goodspeed and Katie Clarke—who now perform and record as The Boxcar Lilies—knew it was kismet.
  
  They met a few years back through the Franklin County musicians' cooperative, at a time when each was more focused on solo work. The trio did some impromptu harmonizing, discovered a shared passion for three-part harmony, and began singing together, albeit informally.
  
  In 2009, Goodspeed was slated to perform at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival's Emerging Artist Showcase and invited Clarke and Marshall along to sing backup. Goodspeed says the three left the stage that afternoon smiling and looking knowingly at each other, realizing they had something special going on. Shortly thereafter they decided to make it official and The Boxcar Lilies was born.
  
  The band is inspired by great lyrics and vocal harmonies, and its stated goal is to bring all that to the fore in a style that's part folk, part country, part blues, and part '70s singer/songwriter.
  
  Goodspeed, who sings and plays guitar and concert ukulele, says the trio grew up listening to a decidedly different music than the kind it plays now.
  
  "I grew up listening to and singing a lot of musical theater," she says. "[Singer, guitarist and percussionist] Stephanie was a hard rocker and heavy metal fan. And Katie [who also sings and plays guitar and clawhammer banjo] was a fan of hardcore punk and lived in the D.C. area when that whole scene was taking off.
  
  "I don't think anyone would guess that, listening to us now."
  
  But she hastens to add that the group isn't afraid to pull a Black Flag cover out of its collective hat from time to time.
  
  The three musicians are primarily writing songs individually these days, though there are times when one of them will bring an unfinished song to the table when "she's feeling creatively stuck or needs some ideas on how to give it some sparkle." There are plans to write more collectively in the coming year.
  
  Goodspeed says some of the band's best harmonies come out of sessions in which it is just improvising parts and not thinking too hard about it.
  
  "That's when we're most likely to discover something really sublime that gives us all goose bumps," she says. "We love those moments."
  
  The Boxcar Lilies set aside most of January and February "to do a little woodshedding" and work up some new material to add to the repertoire of songs featured on the debut CD Heartwood, an album recorded with esteemed producer and engineer Dave Chalfant [Erin McKeown, The Nields].
  
  The band recently received an invitation to do an official showcase at this winter's International Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis.
  
  "It's an incredible honor, but a tad intimidating, because some of our songwriting heroes are also showcasing—people like Jonatha Brooke, Jonathan Edwards, and James McMurtry," says Goodspeed.
  
  The Boxcar Lilies join Eilen Jewell, Salvation Alley String Band, Rusty Belle and others for Honky Tonk Girl: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn at Northampton's Iron Horse Jan. 15 at 7 p.m.

• Acoustic Live NYC [+ Show ]
  

  The Boxcar Lilies are singer/songwriters Jenny Goodspeed, Stephanie Marshall and Katie Clarke. For s...The Boxcar Lilies are singer/songwriters Jenny Goodspeed, Stephanie Marshall and Katie Clarke. For some, the arrival of three attractive harmonizing women is going to seem like the second coming of Red Molly. However, the husky alto of Katie Clarke lends a different flavor to the overall harmony blend. All three songwriters contribute material and there’s only one cover on the CD, but what a great one it is, Neil Young’s “Old Man,” and what a great job they do with it. If they so choose, there are a lot of other covers out there that folks will pay good money to hear them sing. Rest assured, I’ll be listening.

• "Give it a Spin" Review of Heartwood [+ Show ]
  

  I was caught a little off-guard by how much I like “Heartwood,” the debut disc by the Boxcar Lilies....I was caught a little off-guard by how much I like “Heartwood,” the debut disc by the Boxcar Lilies. It’s the work of Katie Clarke, Jenny Goodspeed and Stephanie Marshall, familiar names on the local scene for individual efforts or with other groups in the singer-songwriter, folk-country vein. By joining forces, these three talented musicians have put together an effort of “old-timey music” that sounds true to their musical roots. It includes original songs and a cover of Neil Young’s “Old Man” that makes the song their own. The musical connection these women have shines through. The album is powered by turns at lead vocals, harmonies and the terrific backing musicians, many from the valley. The singing and picking on “Heartwood” conjures up the country life, with back roads, love found and lost; stuff that is familiar to plenty of the area’s residents. It sounds like the Boxcar Lilies have been writing, playing and singing this kind of music for a long time. Let’s hope that this is just the first of many more albums to come from this special group.

• The Boxcar Lilies hook up to sweet, three-part harmonies [+ Show ]
  

  The Boxcar Lilies hook up to sweet, three-part harmonies CD release party Saturday, at St. James Ch...The Boxcar Lilies hook up to sweet, three-part harmonies
  CD release party Saturday, at St. James Church in Greenfield
  
  There is nothing like great three-part harmonies to send a shiver up your spine and create goose bumps on your skin. It is one of the loveliest musical sounds you can hear and when we think of great harmonies in the contemporary roots music world, we think of bands like The Wailin’ Jennys or Red Molly. We can now add The Boxcar Lilies to the list.
  
  The trio of Jenny Goodspeed on guitar and ukulele, Stephanie Marshall on guitar and percussion, and Katie Clarke on banjo and guitar has an appealing, rootsy take on music. But even more than their musicianship or strong songwriting, it’s the band’s stunning harmonies that is at the heart of its appeal.
  
  The Lilies will be one of the many local bands to perform at The Green River Festival this year. As excited they are to play that event, at the moment, all their energy is focused on their upcoming CD release show for their debut album “Heartwood.”
  The show will be held at St. James Church, 8 Church Street, Greenfield on Saturday April 2, at 7pm.
  
  Joining the Lilies will be some of the musicians that performed on the album: producer Dave Chalfant on bass, Jim Henry on dobro and guitar, “Papa” John Alphin on mandolin, and Rick Mauran on percussion.
  
  The Boxcar Lilies formed in 2009 and prior to becoming a band were all established musicians in their own right. Clarke of Conway is the most rooted in bluegrass and was leader of Katie Clarke and the Green River Band. Marshall, who lives in Greenfield, has a background in rock, and Goodspeed, who lives in Ashfield, worked as a singer-songwriter in the classic mold of 1970s songwriters like Joni Mitchell.
  
  While the three women have very different musical backgrounds and tastes, what they have in common is a shared love of good songwriting and great harmonies.
  They came together via their mutual involvement in the Franklin County Musical Collective known as the Coop. At the time that Goodspeed joined the Coop, Marshall and Clarke were already good friends who sometimes sang together.
  
  “Two years ago, at the Coop’s winter concert, Stephanie was saying, “You’ve’ got to listen to this woman Jenny! She joined the Coop this year and she is amazing. She will blow you away and I think we should sing with her, “ recalled Clarke.
  
  “I loved singing harmony and when I met these guys and found we had this common interest, it was, like, ‘Oh my gosh! We have to do this,’” added Goodspeed.
  The opportunity came when Goodspeed was chosen to be part of the Falcon Ridge Emerging Artist Showcase and needed some backup singers. She turned to Clarke and Marshall to join her.
  
  The first time they took the stage together, magic happened.
  “We all knew right then that this was the beginning of something sweet and beautiful,” Marshall said.
  
  “It was happening for all of us,” said Clarke. “I have sung with many people and Steph and I have sung together and suddenly, with Jenny in the mix, it was like blown-away magic. And that’s not something that comes along every day.”
  
  “When we sang harmony, it sort of created this sound that was greater than the sum of its parts. For some reason, the tone of our voices combined makes this really magical sound and when you get that goose-bump kind of feeling from singing, that’s really special,” Goodspeed said.
  
  The women didn’t hesitate to put their ongoing careers on the back burner to dive in and form a band.
  
  “I secretly hoped that this would become something that we would spend all our time on. I was willing to wait for Katie and Stephanie to come around because I wasn’t feeling particularly fulfilled as a solo artist, “ said Goodspeed.
  
  It turned out that she didn’t have to wait very long.
  
  “It was easy for me to let go of a solo career because I was lonely,” said Marhsall. Clarke also found that the project instantly appealed to her.
  
  “I was on board from the beginning,” Clarke said. “The idea of plyaing with two other women and spending a lot of time coming up with arrangements, which is one of my favorite things in the world to do, and doing kind of bluegrass stuff – I knew that Stephanie and I would work well together and that just getting to know Jenny, who has the most amazing ear for harmonies and arrangements, that was the deal breaker for me. It was very exciting. “
  
  In November of 2009, as the trio sat around a local pub listening to the sounds of Pat and Tex LaMountain and eating a plate of nachos, they settled on the name The Boxcar Lilies. Once they ran the name by all the other pub patrons and got their vote of approval, the band was officially born.
  
  Right from the start, the Lilies started winning audiences with their bluegrass-influenced songs, their vocal harmonies and their easy-going stage manner.
  
  Their chemistry goes beyond music as the three are close friends who share a strong respect for each other - an element that Clarke says has been instrumental in their success. Last spring, the band joined forces with producer Dave Chalfant and holed up in his Sackamusic studio in Conway to record “Heartwood.” The project was financed by funds raised by fans who pre-ordered the disc.
  
  “Heartwood” which features nine originals and a cover of Neil Young’s “Old Man,” has the potential to open even more doors for The Boxcar Lilies. For the rest of the year, the band will be touring throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. They plan to remain smart in terms of their approach toward touring, however. “We aren’t about to jump in the back of a tour van and travel across the country for coffee money,” said Clarke. “It has to make sense and remain fun.”
  
  Having fun is a big part of what The Boxcar Lilies are about. You can tell by watching the three woman on stage that they love what they are doing and this enthusiasm will be in full bloom at the CD release show when they get th rare chance to be backed by a full band. This is a not-to-be-missed show!
  
  Tickets for The Boxcar Lilies are $15 in advance and are available at Pages Coffee Bar, 98 Main St., Conway; World Eye Bookship, 156 Main St., Greenfield; and online at www.boxcarlilies.com Tickets will also be sold at the door.
  
  
  
  
  

• Sweet Sounds [+ Show ]
  

  "Fans of roots music will delight in this 10-song collection, which has traces of folk, country, and..."Fans of roots music will delight in this 10-song collection, which has traces of folk, country, and bluegrass. Each woman gets to showcase their individual talents with their own compositions. But, it’s when their three voices blend that the Lilies really soar."
  

• What people are saying ... [+ Show ]
  

  "The Boxcar Lilies blew the roof off this evening. PHENOMENAL!" "You ladies made heads spin thi..."The Boxcar Lilies blew the roof off this evening. PHENOMENAL!"
  
  "You ladies made heads spin this evening. I am going to be taking some serious pressure from folks anxious for your return. Sooner rather than later! Please!"
  
  "You ladies were amazing tonight. You harmonize so beautifully and it was a pleasure to meet all of you."
  
  "It's always fun discovering new musicians. Your performance on Gene Shay's show was one of those moments for me. You ladies were great."
  
  "Just listening to you on WXPN. Love the music! Great way to start my work night!"
  
  "You were great on WXPN. The buzz around you just keeps getting louder."
  
  "Y'all were awesome! I was so glad I was able to be there while you were performing. It was a great day to sit and listen to your lovely music. I love your energy and your voices are so nice together!"
  
  "Loved your beautiful Passim set! Boxcar Lilies of all hair hues: your harmonies are heavenly! Particularly swooned over "Our Mother the Moon." Awe-inspiring... Thanks!"
  
  "[This was] the first time I got to see the Boxcar Lilies but it won't be the last."

• The Advertiser (UK) [+ Show ]
  

  The Boxcar Lilies (what a wonderful name) are singer/writers Stephanie Marshall, Katie Clarke, and J...The Boxcar Lilies (what a wonderful name) are singer/writers Stephanie Marshall, Katie Clarke, and Jenny Goodspeed from Massachusetts. They formed in 2009 and in a short space of time have gained many, many fans for their beautiful lead vocals, stunning harmonies and writing talents. The debut album, “Heartwood”, features nine original songs plus a telling version of Neil Young’s “Old Man”. The sound reminds me greatly of the Carter Family but brought up to date and with the help of Dave Chalfant (guitar, bass), Jim Henry (Dobro, guitar, mandolin) and Eric Lee (fiddle) the trio offer a delicious blend of folk, bluegrass and country or, to use the current terminology, Americana.

• Group Dynamics [+ Show ]
  

  The Boxcar Lilies are the trio of Jenny Goodspeed, Katie Clarke, and Stephanie Marshall. Each plays ...The Boxcar Lilies are the trio of Jenny Goodspeed, Katie Clarke, and Stephanie Marshall. Each plays an instrument, (isn’t Katie Clarke the perfect name for a banjo player?), and they take turns on lead vocals, with the other two providing great support singing backup. Heartwood is their debut album, and they were more than ready. The album is a marvel of consistency, a solid work of contemporary folk that allows each of their voices to be heard, but shows why they are together. Jenny Goodspeed takes the lead on her song Leaving You. The song is an acoustic country waltz, and it leads you to expect a heartbroken break up song. But then the chorus arrives, and the song turns into a marvelously over the top brush off song. The Boxcar Lilies can show their serious side too, but I love the playfulness and good humor of this one.

Setlist

Two 45-60 minute sets (with or without covers)
Three 45 minutes sets (with covers)

Originals include songs like:
Feels Like Home
Six Ways to Sunday
Muddy Creek Road
Leaving You Was Like Quitting My Day Job
The Good Daughter
Ease Into This Love
S-Curve Roads
Our Mother the Moon
Thinkin' 'Bout You
Green River Blues
Goin' Away
Sunday Drive
Put the Top Down
My Love Walks By My Side
Places on the Highway

Covers include songs like:
Winter's Come and Gone (Gillian Welch)
Old Man (Neil Young)
Comes A Time (Neil Young)
If I Needed You (Townes Van Zandt)
White Freight Liner (Fred Eaglesmith)
Train Carrying Jimmie Rogers Home (Greg Brown)
Angel From Montgomery (John Prine)
Big Yellow Taxi (Joni Mitchell)

Basic Requirements

Calendar