BIOGRAPHY
Not far from the tiny town of Floyd, Virginia, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the childhood home of The Wildmans, the sibling duo that has just released their debut album, Longtime Friend, for New West Records.
“It’s surreal. It’s weird,” says Elisha Wildman. “We’re really excited for something to happen, to share our original music. And this feels like a really great jumping point.”
With his sister, Aila, the Americana/indie-folk act has been garnering a lot of attention, and Longtime Friend showcases their interlacing harmonies and musical virtuosity — at the sonic crossroads of Americana, alt-country, and folk.
Captured at Applehead Recording in Woodstock, New York, with producer Nicholas Falk, the 12-song LP was cultivated in the midst of Aila and Elisha each finishing school at the prestigious Berklee School of Music in Boston, Massachusetts.
“In a certain way, Woodstock reminded me of Floyd,” Aila says. “It was nice to get out of Boston and be back in the mountains, in the woods, to be part of this artistic experience.”
Growing up in Floyd, Aila and Elisha were immersed in the rich, vibrant bluegrass and old-time music scenes. As kids, Elisha picked up the guitar and mandolin, while Aila reached for the fiddle. They became enamored with their instruments, which parlayed itself into both winning numerous renowned competitions around Southern Appalachia.
On the surface, Longtime Friend is a blend of original melodies, traditional instrumentals and a handful of covers. But, digging deeper, there’s an array of subtle odes to the musical heroes of The Wildmans, including to the late singer-songwriter Gram Parsons on “Hot Burrito #2” and “Luxury Liner.”
“We’ve taken a lot from listening to Gram and Emmylou," Aila says. “It fits well with the way our voices are and the way stuff works between us.”
That collage of sound and scope is at the heart of what it is The Wildmans are aiming to do. It’s taking the essence of their intricate musicality in the bluegrass and old-time realms and sliding that into more contemporary tones of Americana and indie-folk.
With Longtime Friend released into the ether, a slew of tour dates appears on the horizon, along endless miles of highways and backroads of America. No matter, for this is what the siblings have yearned for since they were kids wondering just what lies beyond the mountain ridges surrounding their home.
PRESS
"The storytelling, Aila’s vocal delivery, and the siblings’ harmonies all carry the fingerprints of generations of mountain music." - American Songwriter
"This feels like the album I've waited decades for." - Easy Ed (former No Depression writer)
"Destined for an audience way beyond Greater Appalachia." - Glide
"Delicate harmonies that blend coast-to-coast lines with a transportive effect." - Relix
"Sincere and unpretentious mountain music." - Under the Radar