Joan Shelley
part of a Mickie Winters photo

Joan Shelley and her band tell us what they're listening to on tour

Folk singer Joan Shelley and her band are on tour now in support of her great new album Like The River Loves The Sea that came out on No Quarter this past August (stream below).

The tour is about to come to the Northeast this week for shows in Philly, Brooklyn (Park Church Co-Op on 11/14), Boston, Woodstock, and more, and ahead of those shows, we asked Joan and her bandmates — including Nathan Bowles, Nathan Salsburg, Anna Krippenstapel, and Jake Xerxes Fussell, the latter of whom is also opening the upcoming November shows — what music they’ve been listening to on tour, and they sent a list of five songs with some commentary on each one. Check out their list right here:

WHAT JOAN SHELLEY (AND HER BAND) ARE LISTENING TO

Rashaan Roland Kirk – “Black Root”

Picked by Joan Shelley who says: This song captures the wild little moving spirit that traveling has and requires.

Lal Waterson – “At First He Starts”

Picked by Joan Shelley and Nathan Salsburg, the latter of whom says: Lal’s “Bed of Roses” is a favorite travel record – comforting, transporting, vaguely menacing, disorienting. “At First She Starts” is my favorite on it.

Lucinda Williams – “Passionate Kisses”

Picked by Anna Krippenstapel. The band says: Anna was asleep and we were going to make up that she had told us she thinks this is a good tour song but then she woke up and said: “It’s a good tour song.”

Percy Grainger – “Molly On the Shore” (version from Percy Grainger plays Percy Grainger)

Picked by Jake Fussell, who says: Nathan Salsburg first played me this song by the English folklorist-song collector-composer Percy Grainger on his 78-rpm machine and I really liked it.

Hiroshi Yoshimura – “The Sea In My Palm”

Picked by Nathan Bowles, who says: This song plays in my head those days on tour when I get to get out and explore a place.

Joan Shelley — 2019 Tour Dates
11/13 – Philadelphia, PA – Boot & Saddle *
11/14 – Brooklyn, NY – Park Church Co-Op
11/15 – Boston, MA – Cafe 939
11/16 – Woodstock, NY – Colony *
11/17 – Rochester, NY – Bop Shop Records *
11/19 – Toronto, ON – Drake
11/20 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark *
12/4 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club #
12/6 – Sheboygan, WI – Paradigm Coffee #
12/6 – Stoughton, WI – Stoughton Opera House #
12/7 – Milwaukee, WI – Collectivo Coffee #
12/8 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk #
12/13 – Louisville, KY – Bomhard Theater *

* w/ Jake Xerxes Fussell
# w/ Daughter of Swords