Dave's Music #43 Ghost Stories - The Whitmore Sisters
I really wanted to follow up last week's most viewed blog post on The Calico Stray with another Thursday review. I have several in mind, Humbird, Good Morning Bedlam, and Mary Bue, but after seeing The Whitmore Sisters live in LaCrosse WI at a Big Fat Bloody Mary House concert series, their release rose to the top. (Listen to his podcast to hear two songs. ) For someone who knew only Bonnie from this video a short few weeks ago, I was just floored seeing Elenaor & her sing together live. Yes she sat next to me for a few short minutes talking to Kiki behind me, I was tickled pink to see her roll her eyes like she does in this video. She's a natural performer.
So I gather some insights from the concert and since liner notes were pretty sketchy I thought I better do some research. Here's some good info:
Review from Saving Country Music:
Blood harmonies and sister singers set the very foundation for American roots music, and country music specifically. There’s just something so elemental to the intimacy of this sound that it awakens dormant emotions untouchable by other sonic instruments and musical practices. It is this magic that the singing sisters of Bonnie and Eleanor Whitmore look to tap into with their first enterprise as a duo titled Ghost Stories, and thankfully for our souls, they dutifully succeed.
The Austin-based Bonnie Whitmore is a solo artist with four acclaimed records under her belt. Sister Eleanor and her curly red hair are commonly seen in Steve Earle’s backing band, or in the duo The Mastersons with her husband Chris. It seemed on the borderline of scandalous that the two the had never made a proper studio record together before. But pandemic downtime and putting past petty silliness aside has made a collaboration possible, now that the two women have established careers autonomously.
Interview at Americana Highways:
AH: The album highlights your amazing harmonies. How far back have the two of you been working to perfect that sound? Was it something you were developing even as children, perhaps even unknowingly?
EW: Bonnie joined the family band on bass at the age of 8 and I was 13 then, so that would mark our professional start together. I’d name myself as the band leader because I can remember telling everyone what part to sing! I was obsessed with harmony singing.
AH: What would young Bonnie and Eleanor think of this album if they had a chance to hear it when they first picked up an instrument all those years ago?
BW: We have always loved each other, but didn’t always like each other. We were in a family band after all and we’ve grown up a lot since then. Our mom took us to a lot of classical performances, but our first concert was The Judds and the magic of blood harmonies really resonated with us. I would think they’d be proud and probably a little mystified as to how it all finally came together.
Press release from Compass Records
“Their sisterly harmonies add a sweetly assured, down-home sound that rings with immediate appeal.” —Holler Magazine
Sisters Eleanor and Bonnie Whitmore, two of roots music’s most accomplished songwriter/instrumentalist/vocalists, are releasing their first album together as The Whitmore Sisters. Titled Ghost Stories, it’s inspired by the loss of family, friends, ex-boyfriends and — on the title track — people who died by police violence. These “ghosts” chose to appear right as Covid became entrenched — when live music evaporated and people were isolated from each other. Bonnie, whose four solo albums are all state-of-a-real-woman’s-heart jewels, decided to join sister Eleanor and her husband Chris Masterson in their Los Angeles closed circle for a break. Chris, who’s recorded four albums with his wife as The Mastersons, saw the visit as an opportunity to issue a mandate: If Bonnie was coming, it was time for the sisters to make a record. Not just an album, but “the album” — the musical inevitability that’s been simmering since a 22-year-old Eleanor was protecting her curly-headed 15-year-old sister at gigs in local bars. The Whitmore Sisters’ original songs, along with two covers — a song by their pal Aaron Lee Tasjan (“Big Heart Sick Mind” and “On the Wings of a Nightingale” (written by Paul McCartney for iconic siblings The Everly Brothers) — was produced by Chris Masterson and completes Ghost Stories, their debut album set for release on January 21, 2022.
Now if you read those reviews closely Bonnie and Eleanor are either separated by 5 or 7 years, but it's impolite to ask. Finally I dove deeper I found this on Bonnie's Facebook page, a Whitmore Family reunion really brings what was said above about the family together. Loved Bonnie's story of what she told her grade school friends what she did last weekend, "Played in Bars with my Dad"
Now let's listen to some music
1) Learn to Fly - Yes both Eleanor and Bonnie are licensed pilots, and they said during the concert they were trained in WI. You have to be smart to pilot, and these two women are, and I love how they captured it in the last verse.
It takes calculation
Line up in formation
A certain swagger comes to mind
Careful the wager, but you love the danger
Buckle up, it’s time to fly
In one of the comments on Bonnie's page I found this unlisted video of the two doing the song without Chris on guitar, Bonnie tells Eleanor get used to it. Sisters, I do love Bonnie's comment above they love each other, but haven't always liked each other. Dang but I don't care, they sing incredibly together.
It’s what defines us
How many will there be
When we’re gone?
My big heart and my sick mind
Together forever, for better or worse
I’ve been blessed with a terrible curse
A trick I fall for every time
But you blinked and I caught it
Like a broken heart by design
Another Greek tragedy
Carry on in our memories
Goodbye, sweet dreams
