Laura Bates & Brandon Foote

Laura Bates and Brandon Foote's sound is timeless, rootsy and lush, with soaring harmonies, piano, mandolin and guitars harkening back to the olden days with new vision. Bates and Foote look and sound like they just stepped off the stage of the Grand Ole Opry, or perhaps even further back, to the dance halls of the civil war era - always digging deeper and moving forward. With their unique blend of old-time, folk, bluegrass and country, Laura Bates and Brandon Foote have graced coffee shops, bookstores, pubs, and festivals with tradition favorites and original songs. Booking their act as "Guitar, Mandolin, and Two Voices", their sound is refreshingly simple and strives for authenticity, with nods to the Carter Family, the Monroe Brothers, and Tim and Mollie O'Brien. Their debut album, Jubilee was released in April 2007 on Earthwork Music showcasing a handful of fine microphones and a cast of talented friends. With reflective and poignant songwriting, Jubilee presents gospel tinged Michigan roots at its best. "In this day of overproduced, synthetic music, it is albums like Jubilee that refresh and fill our plates with the honest simplicity of a Sunday morning." -Progressive Torch and Twang, WDBM E. Lansing “Newcomers Bates and Foote, who hail from Michigan, accompany themselves on piano, guitars, and mandolin, as they weave some great harmonies through nine original songs and instrumentals. Standouts include the beautiful ‘De Cleft,’ and ‘The Lonesome Whippoorwill.’ Quiet and lovely.” -Sing Out! Magazine