Sara Grace — 9 September 2020 on Rocket Shop Radio Hour
Ben Dunham and Sara Grace
Sara Grace joined host Tom Proctor on ‘Rocket Shop‘, Big Heavy World’s weekly local Vermont music radio hour on 105.9FM The Radiator. Catch up with her at facebook.com/saragraceVT
On Wednesday, September 9, Sara Grace and bandmate Ben Dunham graced the Rocket Shop radio hour with their brilliant presence.
Opening with the original, unrecorded track, “Birdie,” the duo lit up the studio with warm, rustic beauty. Just like the character Birdie is “trying to dance / with my voice,” we tried to dance with Sara and Ben. But, admittedly, it’s hard to dance and take notes at the same time, so I had to settle on the usual toe-tapping.
Sara plays guitar and lead vocals in their duo, and on this particular evening Ben was handling rhythm guitar and the bass line via synth. Together, they form a fine band fir for a hazy barroom, flickering campfire, or a lonely evening spent soliloquizing on the porch. I’d call it rocking-chair music.
The two are celebrating the recent release of their new single, “Smoke Screen,” written by Ben. They’ve been performing together for almost five years, on-stage and in-studio. Sara has performed with other artists during her career which has carried her from central Pennsylvania, west to Moab, south to New Orleans, and north at last to Montpelier. Bands and groups like Andy Soots, and The Suits from Vermont are just a couple of the groups she’s worked with over her long career.
One thing every Sara Grace group has shared though, according to Sara: “It’s gotta be balls to the wall.” The energy, emotion, and synergy have to be there. Ben’s been one of the lucky few who pair well with Sara, and as a result we get fantastic songs like “Birdie” and “Smoke Screen.”
As mentioned, Sara has traveled much of this land, and her journey ultimately brought her to the home of Cabot cheese, maple syrup, and the strongest musical community.
“This state, in particular, has so many amazing musicians, and we’re a family,” said Sara. Every artist and studio is “just a phone call away.”
Ben continued the sentiment, saying, “It’s a melting pot…There’s a greater goal. The goal’s to convey what’s real.”
Not only is the community strong, but Vermont’s wildness affords its musician’s ample opportunities, for better or worse. The muses of the mountains—the landscape—certainly brings about creativity, but so to is it forced by cold winters.
“There’s also not much to do,” joked Sara. “It could go either way: [artists] could get into trouble or they could hone their craft.”
As a staunch follower of Old Man Winter, wielding parables and proverbs such as, “There are no friends on a powder day,” I strongly disagree. But to each their own.
At the moment they’ll be releasing “singles until [they’re] up to an album,” so don’t sleep on these two. More is on the way. COVID may have changed the way they behave, but not how they write, perform, and express themselves. While “this spring felt more like winter,” according to Sara, they’ve both used the time well. Like she said earlier, Vermont forces you to face cabin fever so often that you learn to get used to it.
Like I said, they’re new single “Smoke Screen” is available now, and you can learn more here. And with more music on the way, be sure to follow them on social media for more updates!
Text by Luke Vidic.
Top Photo by James Lockridge.
