When the band take the stage, the spotlight falls on three voices raised in harmony above the raw resonance of wood and strings. It is a sound drawn from the richness of American folk music traditions, spun with a stirring subtlety and grace. From bustling street corners to silent halls, their performances speak to an uncompromising reverence for songs.
Raised within a few miles of farmland from each other in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, their flight began with friendship. With miles of music already behind them, Maya de Vitry and Oliver Craven first shared a song in January 2010. A snowy Pennsylvania winter welcomed collaboration between the two creative flames— and inspired the collection of seven songs found on the Borderland EP. Grounded in the unshakeable groove of bassist Charles Muench, the trio landed their signature sound.
An ambitious touring schedule reflects their embrace of the experience of live music. “Music exists in a time and place, not just in a digital format,” says Charles. Reveling in the energy of each room, a connection to the audience is the essence of their show.
Their tangible passion for acoustic music is certainly a testament to three musically rich childhoods. Shortly after beginning classical violin lessons, Oliver began performing on the fiddle alongside his parents in the Craven Family Band. Their repertoire of folk, bluegrass, and country tunes included many of his father’s original songs. Maya first performed during “show & tell” in kindergarten. She strummed three chords on a tiny guitar and sang Iris DeMent’s “Our Town”—a song in frequent rotation in the family car. She took piano lessons with her grandmother, who was a gifted composer. And alongside public school violin lessons, she learned fiddle tunes from her father, who performed in several local bands. The highlight of each year was the family's annual trip to West Virginia's Appalachian String Band Music Festival.
Inspired by his bass-playing father, Charles started bass lessons in a public elementary school string program. As he gained fluency on this large and versatile instrument, his passion and interest in music education heightened—culminating in a Music Education degree from West Chester University. In the midst of this classical music education, Charles found another musical outlet—a weekly bluegrass pick in the woodshed of a nearby horse farm. “When the bridge wasn’t out, it was only 4 or 5 miles to Joe’s house,” Charles remembers. While his college music courses focused on the technical and theoretical aspects of music, “playing music with Joe was more about the spirit—and the social nature of music.” Joe also called upon Charles to work up another skill that he would carry with him—bluegrass harmony singing.
Drawn to a region saturated by traditional music, Maya began at the University of North Carolina-Asheville, but left after one restless semester. During her travels through Europe as a fiddling street performer, she was startled by the poetry she discovered in the songs of Townes Van Zandt and began listening to songs with fresh intent. For someone who had loved songs for as long as she could remember, “suddenly, writing songs seemed inevitable,” she says. She spent a year and a half at Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied under Mark Simos, Darol Anger, and John McGann. She has since received national recognition for her songwriting, including 4th place in the 2011 Telluride Troubadour Competition and 3rd place in the BMI/John Lennon Scholarship Awards.
Oliver also struck a balance in his musical education. Upon graduating high school he turned down several football scholarships, picked up the mandolin and guitar, and headed to Philadelphia to attend Temple University. While studying African American Literature and History, he wrote songs, played a few open mics, and began to record his original music. After three years, he realized that what he wanted to learn wasn’t within the hallways of a university, but rather along the roadways of North America. “I can do my learning in the front seat of a Subaru while crossing state lines,” Oliver says. “I listen to people I like, and then find the people they like, and then pay attention to that.” Experience has served him well—he has logged thousands of miles, played in forty states and four countries, and played for honky-tonks, folk festivals, and listening rooms. Along the way he spent two years as a harmony vocalist, fiddler, and guitarist for the Grammy-nominated Americana artist Adrienne Young, and one year as a member of the Virginia-based quartet The Steel Wheels. “I think music is the best thing about our country,” Oliver insists. “It is undeniable that if nothing else, we sure figured out how to make good music.”
The Stray Birds released their wholly original debut full-length album on July 21, 2012.
Radio
The Stray Birds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ah Ah Ah
Ah
Ah ah ah
Ah
Missing pages
Forgotten ages
Generations
Of destinations
Time's rearranging footprints on the grounds
But life is a radio
Go on, change the station
The music is playing
Even when you turn it down
Ah
Ah Ah Ah
Ah
Ah ah ah
Ah
Everybody's swearin'
By different vow
I've seen a few just close their eyes and run
It's a one way road
Over the high mountain pass
Raise a glass
Light a candle for whoever you come from
Ah
Ah Ah Ah
Ah
Ah ah ah
Ah
Everybody's got a friend
Who left for good one day
This whole town's got no way of keeping anyone around
But life is a radio
Go on, change the station
The music is playing
Even when you turn it down
Life is a radio
Go on, change the station
The music is playing
Even when you turn it down
Life is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
Is a radio
The Stray Birds' song "Radio" is a poignant reminder that time marches on, and nothing in this world is truly permanent. The lyrics paint a picture of a town that is struggling to keep its history alive, with "missing pages" and "forgotten ages." The wise men have tried to write the town's history, but even they can't keep up with the ever-changing landscape. Generations have come and gone, leaving only footprints on the ground. But "life is a radio," and even though we can't preserve everything forever, the music keeps playing, regardless of whether we're paying attention or not.
The song's chorus repeats the phrase "life is a radio," urging us to change the station and keep listening, even when things seem hopeless. People come and go from the town, but the music remains, a reminder that life goes on even when we can't see it. The melancholy tone of the song is underscored by the realization that all we can do is raise a glass and light a candle for those who came before us, and hope that someone will do the same for us when our time is up.
Overall, "Radio" is a beautiful song that captures the fleeting nature of life and the importance of cherishing what we have while we have it. It reminds us that even though we can't hang onto everything forever, there is beauty in the impermanence of things, and that the music will keep playing, no matter what happens.
Line by Line Meaning
Missing pages
There are parts of this town's history that have been lost or forgotten.
Forgotten ages
Events and eras from the town's past have been overlooked or disregarded.
The wise men tried to write the history of this town
Attempts have been made to document the town's past by knowledgeable individuals.
Generations
Many different groups of people have called this town home over time.
Of destinations
These people had different goals and reasons for being here.
Time's rearranging footprints on the grounds
The physical and social aspects of the town are changing over time, leaving different marks and traces behind.
But life is a radio
The way we experience existence is akin to listening to a radio station.
Go on, change the station
We have the ability to alter our focus and perspective on life.
The music is playing
There is always something happening, even if we aren't aware of it.
Even when you turn it down
We can choose to ignore what is going on around us, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening.
Everybody's swearin'
There are many different beliefs and opinions among people in this town.
By different vow
These beliefs are expressed in various ways, often with great passion.
I've seen a few just close their eyes and run
Some people choose to avoid engaging with these conflicting beliefs and opinions altogether.
It's a one way road
The path of life can feel predetermined or unchangeable.
Over the high mountain pass
This path can be treacherous and difficult to navigate.
Raise a glass
Celebrate and honor the struggles and achievements of those who came before us.
Light a candle for whoever you come from
Acknowledge and pay homage to our ancestors and the foundations they laid for us.
Everybody's got a friend
People in this town have experienced loss and separation from loved ones.
Who left for good one day
Friends and family members have moved away permanently for various reasons.
This whole town's got no way of keeping anyone around
The town and its inhabitants don't necessarily have the resources or opportunities to hold onto people who might want to leave.
Life is a radio
The metaphor of life as a radio is repeated to emphasize its significance.
Is a radio
The repetition also reinforces the idea that this metaphor is a central theme of the song.
Contributed by Levi R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
W Smith
Wow! Everybody should hear this song. Amazing.
Tammy Kessel
Some of the best music that is out today....so talented and continues to progress!
junitahahn
This song is growing on me. Wonder if they will play it when they highlight their Mountain Stage radio show? Be quite fitting.