“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
Sunrise
Coyote Grace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pour on through my windshield
Sunrise, speak to me
Many of my wounds you have healed
Under a blanket in the morning
Another day has come to be
In this life time, now that I have
Set myself free
And everything is gonna
And everyone is gonna
Be alright...
Take me on to what I’m supposed to do
I know I’ll get there if I just follow you and
When I’m tired and done with my roaming
Take me home
River, sing to me
The roaring city can be so mean
River, play with me
Help me keep myself clean
And I’ve been thinking of a woman
I hear her calling my name
She gives me lovin’ in the sunlight
She holds my hand through the rain
Oh, and sometimes the rain clouds explode in the sky
And they cry, and they cry, oh my
Oh, and sometimes the wind, it gets going so strong
And the lightning sets fire to the sky
Well and I don’t have to make the biggest sound
I just pray that my feet stay on the ground
Well, I can hold on till the wind dies down
Sunrise, steady me
So I can move through this world
Sunrise, inspire me
I’m blown away by what you have already unfurled
And I been searching for such a long time
For what’s right in front of me
In the morning, through my windshield
You smile and you let me be
In "Sunrise" by Coyote Grace, the singer is addressing the sun and the natural world around them. The song is a plea for guidance and inspiration as the singer navigates through life. The sun is depicted as a source of healing and strength, able to provide comfort to the singer's wounds. The singer asks to be taken on a path towards their purpose in life, which they believe they can achieve if they follow the path shown to them. The river is also described as a guiding force in the singer's life, helping them to stay clean and pure amongst the chaos of the city.
The song has a romantic element as well, as the singer thinks of a woman who gives them love and support through all types of weather. The singer acknowledges that life has its challenges, such as the rain clouds and strong winds, but they have faith in finding stability and perseverance. The final stanza speaks to the power of the sunrise to steady the singer and inspire them with the beauty and potential of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunrise, call on me
Addressing the sunrise, beckoning it to communicate with the singer.
Pour on through my windshield
Requesting the sunrise to penetrate through a windshield, signifying a car or vehicle in motion.
Sunrise, speak to me
Asking the sunrise to communicate with the singer in a meaningful manner.
Many of my wounds you have healed
Acknowledging the emotional healing the sunrise symbolically offers the artist.
Under a blanket in the morning
Describing the artist's physical state in the morning while presumably still in bed.
Another day has come to be
Realization that a new day has begun.
In this life time, now that I have
Pointing out a significant accomplishment or realization that has been achieved.
Set myself free
Achieved a sense of freedom or liberation from constraints, potentially emotional or social in nature.
And everything is gonna
Expressing a positive outlook on things to come.
And everyone is gonna
Extending the positive outlook to encompass other people as well.
Be alright...
Emphasizing the singer's confidence in the positive outlook and reassurance that everything will be alright.
Take me on to what I’m supposed to do
Requesting guidance from a force or entity that will lead the artist towards achieving their aspirations.
I know I’ll get there if I just follow you and
Belief that adhering to the guidance offered will ultimately result in success.
When I’m tired and done with my roaming
Acknowledgment of being tired from wandering or searching and longing for a place of rest.
Take me home
Expressing desire for a return to a place of comfort and familiarity.
River, sing to me
Requesting the river to communicate with the artist in a meaningful manner.
The roaring city can be so mean
Indicating the harsh realities associated with urban life and its effect on the artist.
River, play with me
Requesting the river to interact and provide comfort to the singer.
Help me keep myself clean
The singer's desire to maintain purity, both literally and metaphorically.
And I’ve been thinking of a woman
The introduction of a person of interest in the artist's life.
I hear her calling my name
Symbolizing the magnetic pull the person of interest has on the artist.
She gives me lovin’ in the sunlight
Describing the positive effects of being in the presence of the person of interest.
She holds my hand through the rain
Symbolizes the support and comfort provided by the person of interest during tough times.
Oh, and sometimes the rain clouds explode in the sky
Acknowledgment of sudden and uncontrollable events or situations.
And they cry, and they cry, oh my
Metaphorical description of the intensity of the uncontrollable events or situations.
Oh, and sometimes the wind, it gets going so strong
Description of sudden and uncontrollable events, accompanied by wind as a metaphorical element.
And the lightning sets fire to the sky
Furthering the metaphor of intense uncontrollable events by using lightning as imagery.
Well and I don’t have to make the biggest sound
Acknowledgment that one does not need to make the most significant impact to have influence in the world.
I just pray that my feet stay on the ground
Requesting the strength and grounding to maintain stability or balance when faced with chaos.
Well, I can hold on till the wind dies down
Expressing the belief and strength to persevere through unpredictable events until calm returns.
Sunrise, steady me
Requesting the sunrise to provide stability, emotionally or physically.
So I can move through this world
Describing the artist's desire to navigate through life with ease and grace.
Sunrise, inspire me
Requesting the sunrise to serve as a source of motivation and inspiration for the artist.
I’m blown away by what you have already unfurled
Acknowledgement of the sheer potency and beauty of the sunrise.
And I been searching for such a long time
Acknowledging a long process of discovery or growth.
For what’s right in front of me
Realization that what the artist had been searching for had been present and available all along.
In the morning, through my windshield
Adding context to the description of the sunrise previously mentioned.
You smile and you let me be
Personification of the sunrise, accompanied by the singer's interpretation of it as a peaceful and content entity.
Contributed by Ava V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.