“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
Seasons
Coyote Grace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will this heart of mine
Rolling through the southland
I am grinning wide down in North Caroline
Bright is the sun on another lonely day
Breeze come and move me on my way
Take my hand, whisper to me
Kiss my face, soft and slow
Now, let me go
Falling from the big old trees
Leaves get tired, come rest on the ground
Time to move, find a roof
Time to find a place to make a new sound
Time to think and sit back in my chair
Run my hands through my thinning brown hair
Close our eyes, rest our heads
Sing another song I know
Kiss my face, soft and slow
Now, let me go
Winter lays her white cloak down
O’er the world, words hang in the air
Sit and watch that fire dying
Once so young and burning everywhere
Miss Sorrow is dancing on this moonlit night
A healing ache, no, it won’t help to fight
Feel the moon pull the seas
Hear that old north wind begin to blow
Kiss my face, soft and slow
Now, let me go
The first flower of springtime
Pokes her pretty little head above the ground
Springing green, everything
The big old wheel is turning back around
Hearts are thawing and love is born anew
Even if it don’t look like it used to
Wake the day, ease my mind
Tell it to me soft and low
Kiss my face, soft and slow
Now, let me go
The Coyote Grace song "Seasons" is a poetic exploration of the different phases of the year and the emotions that they evoke in the singer. The song begins with an upbeat, summery tone as the singer marvels at the beauty of the natural world around them. They're in the southland, grinning wide in North Carolina, feeling the breeze move them on their way. It's a moment of carefree joy and appreciation for the world around them. However, as the song progresses, the tone shifts as the singer explores the fall and winter seasons. They note the changing leaves and the need for a new place to make a "new sound." In the winter section of the song, there's a focus on the inevitability of change and decay. The fire is dying, and even Miss Sorrow is dancing on a moonlit night.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer grass is blowing in the calling hills
The lush green summer foliage is swaying to the tune of the hills.
Will this heart of mine
The singer is burdened with the thought of what will become of their heart.
Rolling through the southland
The singer is moving through the southern region.
I am grinning wide down in North Caroline
The artist is experiencing joy while in North Carolina.
Bright is the sun on another lonely day
Despite the loneliness, the sun still shines brightly.
Breeze come and move me on my way
The singer is ready to be moved by the gentle breeze and continue on their journey.
Take my hand, whisper to me
The singer wants someone close to them to softly speak their love.
Tell me that you love me so
The artist wants to hear that they are loved dearly.
Kiss my face, soft and slow
The artist yearns for a gentle, passionate kiss.
Now, let me go
The artist is ready to let go and move forward.
Falling from the big old trees
Majestic trees are losing their leaves in preparation for the next season.
Leaves get tired, come rest on the ground
The leaves have grown weary and are now finding rest on the ground.
Time to move, find a roof
It's time to move on and find a new place to call home.
Time to find a place to make a new sound
The singer is searching for a new environment to be creative and productive.
Time to think and sit back in my chair
It's time to reflect and contemplate.
Run my hands through my thinning brown hair
The artist runs their hands through their hair, possibly while pondering their current state in life.
Close our eyes, rest our heads
The artist and a significant other close their eyes and rest.
Sing another song I know
The singer and their lover sing a familiar song.
Kiss my face, soft and slow
The singer yearns for another gentle kiss.
Now, let me go
Despite the beauty of the moment, the artist is ready to part ways.
Winter lays her white cloak down
Winter has arrived and covered everything in white.
O’er the world, words hang in the air
The world is filled with unspoken words that hang densely in the air.
Sit and watch that fire dying
The singer watches as a fire slowly fades out.
Once so young and burning everywhere
The fire was once strong and bright, but it's all but gone now.
Miss Sorrow is dancing on this moonlit night
Sadness is present and almost joyful in the moonlight.
A healing ache, no, it won’t help to fight
The feeling of heartache is comforting, despite the knowledge that resistance is futile.
Feel the moon pull the seas
The singer can feel the moon's gravitational pull on the ocean.
Hear that old north wind begin to blow
The sound of the wind, which will be blowing from the north, is audible.
The first flower of springtime
Spring is beginning, and the first flower of the season has emerged from the ground.
Pokes her pretty little head above the ground
The first flower has started to bloom, bringing forth color after a long, drab winter.
Springing green, everything
As spring arrives, everything is turning green and coming back to life.
The big old wheel is turning back around
The cycle of the seasons is constantly repeating itself.
Hearts are thawing and love is born anew
Along with the birth of new life, people are opening up their hearts and falling in love once again.
Even if it don’t look like it used to
Even though things may look different, love is still present and growing.
Wake the day, ease my mind
The singer awakens to a new day and seeks to relieve their mind of any burdens.
Tell it to me soft and low
The artist requests that someone speak softly, in a calming manner.
Kiss my face, soft and slow
The singer yearns for yet another gentle kiss.
Now, let me go
Despite the beauty of the moment, the singer is ready to move on and continue their journey.
Contributed by Owen R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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