If you want a lesson in organic chemistry, take notes as you watch the sparks fly between the acoustic downhome duo, COYOTE GRACE. This folktastic phenomenon is the result of combining one guitarist Joe Stevens, a transman from Northern California, with one upright bassist Ingrid Elizabeth, a sassy femme originally hailing from the hills of Southeastern Ohio. Together, they capture the eyes and the hearts of live audiences nationwide with their bluesy folkroots sound, sweet harmonies, poignant songwriting, and mid-song dance moves.

Coyote Grace can also be found wooing the crowds at colleges, festivals, conferences, coffeehouses, pubs, house concerts, farmers markets, and community centers alike. They have shared the stage with such modern folk icons as Indigo Girls, Melissa Ferrick, Cris Williamson, and Lowen & Navarro. Although they spend most of their time on the road, the duo now resides in the North Bay area in Sonoma County, California.

Joe Stevens, who has been writing songs since the age of fifteen, comes from a lineage of studio singers and choral conductors, as well as old time rock & rollers.  He received a Bachelor of Music from Cornish College of the Arts in 2004 with a focus on composition, while also composing music for modern dance & avant-garde theater.  Also heavily influenced by choral performance, Ingrid Elizabeth was steeped in the world of musical theater, which armed her with a signature sound of brassy soul. Since relocating to the west coast, Ingrid has been involved with various musical ensembles, from bluegrass to psychedelic rock to choral groups, as well as burlesque, spoken word, and cabaret productions.

The two met while living in Seattle, and have been performing as a duo since December 2004, sharing the stage with bluegrass, old-time, folk rock, jazz, and cabarets alike. Coyote Grace spent the entire year of 2007 touring the country in their 1978 Chevy RV (Harvey), promoting their debut studio album, Boxes & Bags (2006). Aptly titled, the album pays homage to the trademarks of their nomadic troubadour lifestyle, featuring 12 original tracks of acoustic alt-folk sounds, weaving fabrics of upbeat folkgrass, front-porch blues, lovesick serenades, broody funk, and freight train folk rock into a curious tapestry conveying themes of transformation, introspection, and the impermanence of identity. Sales and acclaim were astounding, pulling the duo onto the national stage and reaching a fan base that crosses all social lines and conventions.

During their travels, the troubador pair temporarily became a trio when they invited Tucson-based songwriter/guitarist Courtney Robbins to join the tour. To commemorate their year on the road, they released The Harvey Tour (2008), a collection of live recordings. The live album features new original songs from Robbins, Stevens, & Elizabeth, as well as old favorites from each of their debut studio albums, with a handful of fun cover tunes for a true taste of the live show experience.

Spring 2009 brings the release of Ear to the Ground, the duo's long-awaited sophomore studio album. This new work is testament to the group's dedication and payoff from pounding the pavement, as the intention behind the craft is evident throughout.  In this latest evolution of their unique Americana/roots sound, Coyote Grace displays a striking musical maturation from their debut effort, filling out the duo's sound with guest musicians Michael Connolly (Seattle, WA) on fiddle, mandolin, concertina, and keys, Courtney Robbins (Tucson, AZ) on guitar and backing vocals, and Katherine Monnig (Cincinnati, OH) on drums. Ingrid Elizabeth shows a stronger songwriting & vocal presence, while Joe Stevens continues to wear his heart on his sleeve with his emotionally charged, raw lyrics. The album's mood ebbs and flows, winding from a sparse banjo/vocal duet, through a slow bluegrass ballad, to blues-driven full band sound to swinging country fiddle tune to pensive piano-kissed lullabye -- a soundscape as tangible as the duo's newfound home in the rolling hills of Sonoma County. Ear To The Ground (2009) was quickly ranked as one of CD Baby's top sellers.

A secondary project that came from the Ear To The Ground sessions at Prairie Sun Studios in Cotati, CA is scheduled to be released in January 2010. Their upcoming Buck Naked EP showcases some of the group's more unique, revealing, and controversial works, and is a fun collection for anyone with a rebellious streak and for those live an unabashed life. Stay Tuned!!










.