Sweet Water Warblers super-group set to deliver ‘pure untamed power,’ glorious vocals on Michigan mini-tour

May Erlewine, Rachael Davis and Lindsay Lou join forces in the indie-folk trio that plays four Michigan venues this week, with an eye toward possibly recording their first studio album. (Video)

THE BAND: Sweet Water Warblers
THE MUSIC: Harmonious indie-folk
WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM: Thursday at The Ark in Ann Arbor, Friday at Seven Steps Up in Spring Lake (sold out), Saturday at the Elks Lodge in Cadillac, Sunday at The Old Art Building in Leland

 

As singer May Erlewine puts it, the Sweet Water Warblers have tapped into “pure untamed power,” unfurling vocals that are akin to “heaven buttered toast.”

This week, that super-group of indie-folk songbirds will embark on its first-ever Michigan tour, bringing its rootsy musicianship and “glorious” harmonies to four cities, with an eye toward eventually recording a studio album.

“It doesn’t get much better,” singer-songwriter Erlewine gushes when describing the special collaboration with respected musicians and singers Rachael Davis and Lindsay Lou Rilko.

“We love to sing, we love songs, we love to play, we love each other. That’s a lovely place to rest. It’s pure, untamed power we are tapping into and it’s healing and it’s joyful.”

Rilko, better known as lead singer, guitarist and banjo player for the well-traveled bluegrass group, Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys, calls the trio project “illuminating and inspiring.”

“Working with other women is a rare and very fulfilling experience for me, especially these women who I’ve so looked up to since being changed forever by their musical characters,” she says. “The singing, writing and collaborating has been like a rich and nutritious feast for the soul.”

After a hastily thrown together performance in 2014 at the Hoxeyville Music Festival in northern Michigan, the singers – all part of different bands or indie-folk solo projects – knew they had created something exceptional. (Check out a video from that performance below.)

‘DOING SOME OF EVERYTHING’ FROM ANN ARBOR TO LELAND

“We had an hour to rehearse and it was an incredibly fun set,” Erlewine recalls of the Hoxeyville performance which had been arranged by festival organizer Kristin Robinson. “We said, ‘Let’s do this again sometime.’ ”

This week, they’re doing just that, mounting a four-concert Michigan tour that kicks off at Ann Arbor’s The Ark on Thursday, followed by a sold-out show at 8 p.m. Friday at Seven Steps Up in Spring Lake. (Call 231-557-7687 to be placed on the waiting list for tickets).

They also play the Gopherwood Concerts series at the Elks Lodge in Cadillac at 8 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of show. (Details online here.) The tour wraps up on Sunday at The Old Art Building in Leland.

The trio also will stage a couple of performances in schools this week as part of the On Stage 4 Kids organization.

“We’re doing some of everything,” Erlewine says of the sets being planned. “We have some original songs to debut, some covers and some familiar songs of ours, too.”

It’s the first set of concerts booked by Sweet Water Warblers since their Hoxeyville debut, but the tour “has been in the works for a while,” notes Erlewine, an Earthwork Music collective artist who usually performs with her husband, singer-songwriter Seth Bernard, or her own band, The Moonlighters.

Although Davis and Rilko are Michigan natives, both currently live in Nashville, so the three singers have “done some Google hangout sessions to write and plan” this week’s tour via the Internet, says Erlewine.

Adds Rilko: “We’ve had a couple of rehearsals, and Rachael and I have been able to get together a lot in Nashville.”

Not surprisingly, this just marks the beginning for this talented trio of friends.

“I think this thing has wings,” Erlewine insists. “We do want to record, but haven’t pinned down the dates yet. We’ve got plans.”

VIDEO: Sweet Water Warblers, Hoxeyville 2014

Copyright 2015, Spins on Music LLC