Shovels & Rope

Shovels & Rope

Shovels & Rope is an American folk duo from Charleston, South Carolina, made up of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent. The group is active from 2008 onwards and performs as a husband-and-wife partnership, with both members sharing lead vocals and switching instruments during shows.

Style and setup

The duo begins with a sparse, handmade approach: two guitars, a junkyard drum kit taken from a garbage heap and decorated with tambourines, flowers and kitchen rags, a handful of harmonicas, and voices. Their sound draws on folk rock, sloppy tonk, harmonised vocals and a loose but tightly arranged live style.

Members and related solo work

Michael Trent, associated with Texas and Colorado, has a solo album titled The Winner. Cary Ann Hearst, associated with Mississippi and Tennessee, has a second solo record called Lions & Lambs. Together they have one duo release, Shovels & Rope, issued in 2008, and they are working on a follow-up called Shovels & Rope V.2.

Live performance

At concerts, they draw material from their solo and duo releases, and the set can include songs from any of those projects. The group is noted for a live format that changes between songs and highlights the interplay between the two performers.