Sun to Sun

“In the dark of the night I think sometimes about how this might be my final recording, my final mattress, my final car, my final dog—but then you never know….” - Alice

Sun to Sun came together during the early COVID-19 pandemic. Gerrard was at home, flooded with memories and stories as she reviewed her personal archive for an upcoming book of her documentary photographs. She and collaborator Tatiana Hargreaves were working together on the project to digitize Alice’s 35mm negatives which would often turn into jam sessions, testing out her new material with Hargreaves on fiddle and Reed Stutz on mandolin. Soon, Alice began to feel a need to get these songs out into the world. “I have never considered myself a solo artist,” Alice explains. “I’ve always collaborated with others… To me it’s much more fun hearing what other musicians bring to the table and how they help flesh out the songs… I love that process.” This should come as no surprise, considering her groundbreaking musical collaboration with Appalachian singer Hazel Dickens during the 1960s and 70s.

When it came time to record, Alice called on a skilled ensemble of up-and-coming players to sit with her in one room on separate mics and fully realize the vision she had for these songs, including Tatiana Hargreaves on fiddle and harmony vocals, Hasee Ciaccio on standup bass and electric bass, Reed Stutz on harmony vocals, mandolin and banjo, DaShawn Hickman on pedal steel, Marcy Marxer on lead guitar and banjo cello, Gail Gillespie on banjo, Phil Cook on Rhodes piano and synth, and Nick Falk on drums. The result is a modern American masterpiece that may just be Alice’s finest work yet.

Bio by Josephine McRobbie

Cover art design by Gabe Anderson with photos by Libby Rodenbough

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Performance Credits

• Rhythm guitar, lead vocals - Alice Gerrard

• Fiddle, harmony vocals - Tatiana Hargreaves

• Mandolin, banjo(1), harmony vocals - Reed Stutz

• Banjo(10) - Gail Gillespie

• Bass - Hasee Ciacco

• Pedal steel - DaShawn Hickman

• Drums - Nick Falk

• Rhodes piano, synth - Phil Cook

• Lead guitar, banjo cello(9) - Marcy Marxer

• Electric guitar - Joseph Djarnette

Production Credits

• Produced by Alice Gerrard 

• Recorded at Studio 808A, Magnetic Sound, Jack Fleishman, Durham, NC; Phil Cook, Durham NC.

• Engineered by Joseph ” joebass” Dejarnette, Dave Tilley, Phil Cook

• Mixed by Joseph  “joebass” Dejarnette

• Mastered by Mike Monseur at Axis Audio

• Design by Gabe Anderson

• Photos by Libby Rodenbough

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