With five decades of music-making to her credit, multi-GRAMMY nominee Laurie Lewis has emerged as both a successor and contemporary of the many greats in bluegrass, old-time, and folk music. Unafraid to venture beyond established boundaries, she has carved out her place as a uniquely singular vocalist, songwriter, instrumentalist, and frontwoman in genres revered for their adherence to tradition, authenticity, and the canon of the forebearers. She’s won IBMA Awards, sung and recorded with Linda Ronstadt, set poems by Wendell Berry to music—at his request. She’s influenced and inspired folks like guitarist phenom Molly Tuttle—one example of an entire generation of pickers and singers who call her a mentor. Ultimately, Lewis occupies a unique, superlative niche in American roots music that is all her own.

As on many of her past recordings, Lewis finds her music-making rooted in the natural world, with a measured and often melancholy view of life, loss, and grief that’s resplendent and complicated. An avid walker, Lewis is both an urban explorer and a wilderness wanderer—plus a self-taught naturalist and conservation activist. Her skillset in songwriting and recording is frequently outward-looking, text-painting to evoke the landscapes she adores and to interpret their voices to us. On TREES, Lewis looks inward instead, utilizing all of the literary and naturalist skills at her disposal to observe and process seasonal, organic, inevitable life changes.

“Lewis has a winner in Trees—one that offers plenty for the radio, but offers even more when you listen from start to finish, over and over.”

—Bluegrass Unlimited

“Amazing, Timeless Acoustic, Bluegrass and Californian Infused Folk Songs.”

—Maurice Hope, The Rocking Magpie

“‘Trees’ reminds us just how deeply planted we are in the natural world, and it encourages us to celebrate the moments of joy and to be aware of the enduring beauty that surrounds us in nature and that will be here long after we’re gone.”

—Henry Carrigan, Folk Alley

“Wow. The folk and bluegrass legend turns in a stunning acapella original that awakens memories of Ralph Stanley and “O Death” completely out of the blue. “Trees” is the title track to Laurie’s upcoming May 31st album, and also features Hasee Ciacco, George Guthrie, and Tom Rozum on vocals.”—Saving Country Music