Allison de Groot and Rich Ruth

Allison de Groot, the Winnipeg clawhammer banjo player known for work across old-time, bluegrass and folk, links with Nashville multi-instrumentalist Rich Ruth for a record that grew far beyond its original plan. What began as Ruth producing a solo album gradually became a true collaboration.

Written over about a year in Ruth’s Nashville studio, these pieces let de Groot’s banjo drift through looping and delay against Ruth’s synthesizer arrangements, balancing acoustic immediacy with a wide, enveloping electronic feel. Patrick M'Gonigle adds violin and string arrangements, while Spencer Cullum brings pedal steel to several tracks.

De Groot, celebrated for her duo with Tatiana Hargreaves on Hurricane Clarice and their self-titled debut, and Ruth, also a member of Shrunken Elvis, debuted this material live at Big Ears Festival in a surprise stripped-back set. It’s a beautiful meeting of two distinct voices finding a shared language.