They had an incredible 2011, made their Opry debut, are nominated for two GRAMMY awards, have fought for artist independence, performed alongside big names and strong influences of various genres, had their songs on television shows Grey’s Anatomy and One Tree Hill, and most recently, Taylor Swift showed up at their show at the Ryman Auditorium last week.
The duo, made up of California native Joy Williams and Alabama born John Paul White, travel without a backup band and fleshed out their sounds on their first full-length album, Barton Hollow, with only acoustic instruments. Known as The Civil Wars, this duo is one to watch.
On the night of their Opry debut, Joy and John Paul talked with us backstage at the Ryman Auditorium about the night, their year, and that dream come true that they now call real life.
“We’re kind of freaking out about this, actually, because I grew up dreaming about being on the Opry,” John Paul tells us. “Listening to my dad’s Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and those kinds of records, and even when I was heavily into rock and roll, I knew what an honor it was to be on this stage. I always dreamed of it and never thought it would actually come true.”
In fact, from the stage, John Paul told the audience that not only was this one of his dreams, but something his father and his father’s father were known to dream about. The idea of something so historic and so legendary wasn’t as second nature to Joy. As a West-coaster, Joy discovered and experienced the Grand Ole Opry later than someone like John Paul. But that doesn’t mean their Opry debut feels any differently for her.
“I was a West-coast kid and a transplant to Nashville,” Joy says. “As soon as I arrived into town it was an inundation of the immense history and beauty and humor. I’m just honored to be a part of it. It’s something that I came to a little bit later in my life, but something I am so thrilled to be a part of.”
What Joy didn’t know before her Opry debut though, is that many artists are nervous before stepping onto the historic stage. And the feeling she had that she didn’t belong isn’t so unique after all.
“I feel like they are going to figure us out – like they’re going to kick us out and off the stage,” Joy tells us nervously.
Needless to say, their performance on the Grand Ole Opry on December 17, 2011 was welcomed with open arms, and Opry member Emmylou Harris celebrated with them by joining them on stage. How do you choose the songs you’ll sing for your Opry debut? Some bands would have it perfectly planned out and an entire strategy behind the choices. But with The Civil Wars, things are done a bit differently.
In fact, Emmylou introduced them onto the stage by saying they “have taken the music world by storm. Folks, they are really, really good.”
“It’s not a very scientific process with us,” John Paul explains. “As soon as we knew we were coming, we had three songs that just leaped out. I’m not exactly sure why, but we felt like they would just come across correctly. We feel like this is the kind of crowd that will probably lean more toward the things that we do that hark back to more of our country roots and more of our organic Americana roots.”
Their choices? “Barton Hollow,” which is the title track to their first full-length album, “From This Valley,” which is a new song not yet on one of their records, “Forget Me Not” and a collaboration with Emmylou.
“You never know what you’ll get at the Opry,” Joy says.
Looking forward into 2012, The Civil Wars are looking at sold out shows, traveling across the U.S. and into other countries, and much more. Perhaps the next big night for them to look forward to? The 54th GRAMMY’s on February 12. They’re nominated for Best Country Duo/Group Performance (“Barton Hollow”) and Best Folk Album (Barton Hollow).
“We are so excited about the GRAMMY’s,” Joy said. “Some people at the GRAMMY’s actually invited us to out to the awards ceremony concert so we were actually in the seats watching these very grandiose performances happen holding our breath and trying to remain calm. And just like everybody else, we found out on our smartphones checking the list once the televised event closed out. We were beside ourselves. It’s a dream to be nominated for something, and it’s also a dream to be nominated multiple times.”
The GRAMMY nominations were just one highlight of a whirlwind 2011 for The Civil Wars. The duo has walked into a very different life, made some interesting collaborations, and performed numerous times in 2011.
“We are giggling at the fact that we’ve been nominated for something in two separate genres of music, and we’re just fine and dandy with that,” Joy tells us. “We’re in steep competition with some names that we’ve grown up with and have been our own idols, and some new names that we dearly respect. At this moment we’re just soaking in how surreal all of this has been. It’s been a crazy year but so full of so many surprises and open doors that we never dreamed of.”
We’ll use John Paul’s words from the Opry stage in hopes he meant them for more than the Opry: “I worked my whole life to get here; I’m not going to leave any time soon.”
Here’s the duo on the Opry stage during their debut performing “From This Valley.”