The Secret Sisters

The Secret Sisters
Genres Americana
Years active 2009–present
Labels None
Associated acts
Punch Brothers
Brandi Carlile
Website www.secretsisterband.com
Members Laura Rogers
Lydia Rogers

The Secret Sisters are an Americana singing and songwriting duo consisting of vocalists Laura and Lydia Rogers. The duo's music has been compared to artists like The Everly Brothers.[1]

History

Beginnings

Laura and Lydia Rogers are sisters from Muscle Shoals, Alabama.[2] With a love for music coming from both sides of their family (their grandfather and his brothers forged a group called The Happy Valley Boys), they grew up with a zeal for country music and sang songs with their family by country music artists such as Don Williams. The girls first learned to harmonize through singing a cappella at their hometown church.[3] Laura and Lydia never considered a singing career as a duo. Laura went to Middle Tennessee State University to pursue a career in business, while Lydia was considered the "real" singer of the family.

2010: Discovery and debut album

Laura traveled to Nashville, Tennessee for an impromptu audition at Hotel Indigo where music business record executive Andrew Brightman and producer Dave Cobb were present, looking to create a new singing group. Lydia could not attend the audition, so Laura traveled by herself, where she auditioned with "Same Old You" by Miranda Lambert. Representatives from the audition soon asked her to come back to Nashville, to which she asked if she could bring her sister Lydia along. Lydia showed up later and they were asked to sing together,[4] resulting in the formation of The Secret Sisters. The girls were soon flown to Los Angeles for their first time in the studio to record a couple of demos. For Laura, it was her first time in an airplane. The demos were produced and record companies began responding accordingly. Within weeks, they were assigned to Universal Republic Records and the song selection process for their debut album began.

Their self-titled debut album consists of cover songs such as "Why Don't Ya Love Me?", "Why Baby Why", the Frank Sinatra song "Somethin' Stupid", and Nancy Baron's, "I've Got a Feeling".[5][6] The album also includes two originals written by Laura Rogers: "Tennessee Me" and "Waste the Day". It was recorded in two weeks at Blackbird Studios and produced by Dave Cobb, who had worked with artists such as Waylon Jennings and Jamey Johnson. T Bone Burnett was the executive producer.

The Secret Sisters brought in studio musicians such as steel guitar player Robbie Turner and pianist Pig Robbins. The album was recorded with classic analog equipment.[7] The production team and the sisters used vintage microphones and classic recording techniques, down to the same type of tape they would have used fifty years earlier. The album was released October 12, 2010. Laura tried to describe the experience: "In so many ways we are still the same kids who would perform songs in our parents' room, when we sang about silver threads and golden needles and cold-hearted snakes, and all that. Even with everything that's happened – getting that dream chance to make our own album, I really believe we've just found where we're supposed to be."[8]

In addition to their debut album, they recorded "Big River" and "Wabash Cannonball", at Jack White's studio, with White on guitar. It was released as a 7-inch single.

Their song "Tomorrow Will Be Kinder", inspired by the novel The Hunger Games is featured on the album The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond' but the song was not featured in the film.[9]

2014: Put Your Needle Down

The duo recorded their second album in December 2012 and January 2013 at the Village Recording Studios, Los Angeles, with T Bone Burnett as producer.

The album, Put Your Needle Down, was released on April 15, 2014. It debuted at No. 110 on the Billboard 200, and at No. 18 on the Top Country Albums chart with 3,700 copies sold in its debut week.[10] Reviews were mixed. Several critics expressed disappointment with the album's production and songwriting.

2015: Dropped by Republic Universal Records

They have been dropped from Republic Universal Records, but continue to make music. The sisters are working on their third album and have upcoming tour dates with Brandi Carlile and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Discography

Albums

Title Details Peak chart positions
US Country
[11]		 US
[12]		 US
Heat
[13]		 US
Folk
[14]		 UK
The Secret Sisters 27 200 3 8 29
Put Your Needle Down 18 110 1 3 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Singles

Year Single Album
2010 "I've Got a Feeling" The Secret Sisters

Album appearances

Year Song Album
2011 "One Way Ticket to the Moon" The Blackbird Diaries (Dave Stewart album)
"Country Wine"
2012 "Tomorrow Will Be Kinder" The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond
"Peggy Gordon" Voice of Ages (The Chieftains album)
2013 "It Won't Be Very Long" To All the Girls... (Willie Nelson album)

Music videos

Year Video Director
2011 "Tennessee Me"[15] David McClister

Television appearances

References

  1. 1 2 "Can you really keep a secret?". The Herald. December 26, 2010. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Quick Spin: The Secret Sisters' pretty and pristine self-titled album". The Washington Post. December 28, 2010.
  3. ↑ Greenwald, Andy. "Band of the Week: New Traditionalists, the Secret Sisters". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  4. ↑ Quotable Country – November 29, 2010 Edition | Country California
  5. ↑ Allen, James. "The Secret Sisters". All Music. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  6. ↑ Rowland, Stephen (November 8, 2010). "The Secret Sisters: The Secret Sisters". PopMatters. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  7. ↑ The Secret Sisters Stay Humble After 'Crazy' Success – Exclusive Video – Spinner
  8. ↑ "Secret Sisters Biography". Secretsistersband.com. Universal Music. Retrieved January 12, 2012.
  9. ↑ Carlson, Sarah (January 12, 2012). "Secret Sisters ready for sophomore effort". TimesDaily. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  10. ↑ Alanna Conaway (April 23, 2014). "Country Music's Top 10 Albums: The Week of April 23, 2014". Roughstock. Archived from the original on April 26, 2014.
  11. ↑ "The Secret Sisters Album & Song Chart History - Country Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  12. ↑ "The Secret Sisters Album & Song Chart History - Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  13. ↑ "The Secret Sisters Album & Song Chart History - Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  14. ↑ "The Secret Sisters Album & Song Chart History - Folk Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Tennessee Me – The Secret Sisters | Music Video | VEVO". Vevo. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
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