“Coyote Grace plays with the heart of traditional country and Americana music, but tells their stories with a bold twist,” says the Indigo Girls’ Amy Ray. “They write heartwrenching melodies and make such textured harmonies that I find myself enraptured and taken by their timelessness of song.”Coyote Grace
Armed with a bevy of acoustic instruments from guitar and upright bass to banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and accordion, Coyote Grace’s Joe Stevens, Ingrid Elizabeth and Michael Connolly fill theater, club, and festival stages with a wash of sound seemingly far too expansive for three musicians, mixing bluegrass and blues, soul and Southern twang into a unique sound that hovers just beyond the edge of ‘familiar.’ The sultry trio combines virtuosic musicianship combined with a humble, warm stage presence, all stemming from a history of self-invention – and re-invention.
“Playing roots music doesn’t simply mean imitating old traditions,” says multi-instrumentalist Michael Connolly. “All of us have a strong sense of wanting to hold onto the past, to tradition – while still being unburdened enough to move forward.”
This is perhaps no more evident than in the case of guitarist and transman Joe Stevens, whose gender transition resolved a lifetime of dissonance between being raised as female while identifying as male. Not without cost, Joe’s transition closed some doors while opening many others, and significantly informs his songwriting and performance.
Meanwhile, Ingrid Elizabeth, the self-proclaimed “pink sheep” of her small Ohio hometown, and Memphis-born Michael Connolly both carry the twang and soul of their Middle America roots while maintaining decidedly Left Coast values.
Coyote Grace’s rise to national prominence comes from a decidedly humble origin – beginning as a Seattle-based duo in 2004, Ingrid Elizabeth and Joe Stevens founded the band as street performers outside of Seattle’s Pike Place Market, using their busking proceeds to fund their first studio album, Boxes and Bags, which is now in its sixth pressing, and accompanied at the merch table by three other albums: The Harvey Tour, Buck Naked, and Ear To the Ground, which in February of 2011 reached #6 on the Roots Music Report’s Folk charts -- the highest charting independent album at the time.
The radio airplay itself comes on the heels of a highly successful touring season in 2010, during which Coyote Grace performed three separate tours opening for and playing alongside the Indigo Girls. Audience response was immediate and enthusiastic, with the group breaking the Indigo Girls’ tour records for album sales by an opening band. Coyote Grace has also performed with Girlyman, Melissa Ferrick, Chris Pureka, and Lowen & Navarro.
“There's a yearning, freight-train-hopping, propulsive energy to many of [Coyote Grace]’s songs that suggests not only an indie-band road tour, but the road to one's true identity, a destination on a map still being written. These youthful travelers depend on the kindness of strangers and of lovers, and on their journey they've experienced enough joy and heartbreak to last a lifetime.”
Sylvia Sukop – Huffington Post
Little Tree
Coyote Grace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Darkness covers the world tonight
From your tiny seed, I’ve watched you grow
Cradled in the dirt, your soul
The earth will teach you all it knows
Little tree, don’t be afraid
Dream your dreams of making shade
If the fire burns, don’t fear the end
Take joy in holding a nest for a friend
Little tree, the sun is here
There’s a reason you were planted here
Though you may be weak and small today
May your roots grow deep so you may sway
You’re of this world, this beautiful day
“Little Tree” by Coyote Grace is a beautiful song that is full of metaphors and rich symbolism. The song is essentially a metaphorical representation of life, growth, and perseverance. The opening verse sings, “Little tree, the moon is high, Darkness covers the world tonight, From your tiny seed, I’ve watched you grow… The earth will teach you all it knows.” This first verse speaks of the beginning of life, where there is darkness and uncertainty. The little tree, being a symbol of human life, is at a stage where it is dormant, waiting for the right time to grow.
The second verse urges the little tree to not be afraid and to dream of making shade. This is the stage where the individual starts to come out of their shell and starts to dream of what they want in life. It’s a vulnerable stage, where the individual is still not sure of their footing, represented by the line, “If the wind blows strong, then learn to bend, If the fire burns, don’t fear the end…” The third verse represents the stage where the individual starts to find their footing in life, represented by the line, “Little tree, the sun is here, There’s a reason you were planted here…” The individual becomes more confident in themselves and their surroundings, and they start to grow deeper roots.
Overall, “Little Tree” is a beautiful song that encourages self-perseverance, growth, and resilience. The metaphors used throughout the song are poignant and deeply symbolic, representing the various stages of life that individuals go through. Coyote Grace did an excellent job of capturing the emotions and complexities of life through their lyrics and melody.
Line by Line Meaning
Little tree, the moon is high
The singer acknowledges the night time, and by extension the darkness that is emblematic of that time is present.
Darkness covers the world tonight
The world beyond the tree is dark and covered in shadow.
From your tiny seed, I’ve watched you grow
The singer has observed the tree's growth from its humble beginnings.
Cradled in the dirt, your soul
The dirt, which acts as the tree's foundation, has nourished it and provided the tree's growing soul.
The earth will teach you all it knows
The earth, as the place where the tree finds its roots, will impart upon the tree all of its knowledge and wisdom.
Little tree, don’t be afraid
The singer encourages the tree to be bold and face any obstacles that come its way.
Dream your dreams of making shade
The tree should aspire to provide comfort and relief from the sun to whoever may seek shelter beneath it.
If the wind blows strong, then learn to bend
In times of adversity, the tree should learn to adjust and adapt to the changing circumstances.
If the fire burns, don’t fear the end
The tree should not fear its demise in the face of an external threat such as a wildfire.
Take joy in holding a nest for a friend
The tree should take satisfaction in providing a home for living creatures such as birds and other animals that may seek refuge upon its branches.
Little tree, the sun is here
The singer acknowledges the morning and the sun which has risen.
There’s a reason you were planted here
The artist believes that the tree has purpose and has been planted in that particular spot for a reason.
Though you may be weak and small today
The tree is currently fragile and small in its early stages of development.
May your roots grow deep so you may sway
The tree should develop deep roots to provide stability so that it may sway gracefully in the wind.
You’re of this world, this beautiful day
The tree, being a part of the natural world, is connected to its surroundings and is living in harmony with its environment.
Contributed by Alexandra K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Geoff Wong
I consider this my youngest daughter's theme song. It's such a touching song and brings be back to a very tough and tender time. I hope all of the members of Coyote Grace are doing well.