By: Holly Hollman
Shoals-native sisters who have toured with Bob Dylan and Brandi Carlile will bring their harmonizing magic to Athens on Jan. 26 as part of Athens Arts League’s Alabama Music Series.
The Grammy-nominated duo The Secret Sisters will perform at Athens State University’s McCandless Hall at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and benefit Athens Arts League, a non-profit that supports artists, provides art education, and brings cultural events to Athens and Limestone County.
“Athens Arts League’s Alabama Music Series is an on-going program to support Alabama-based artists and provide opportunities for them to perform for our community,” said Athens Arts League Board President Jennifer Hilton Sampieri, who reached out to The Secret Sisters about performing here. “This exposes our community to the phenomenal talent of local and area musicians, and we search for teaching opportunities for students interested in the music business, such as helping set up the stage.”
Members of the Limestone County Legislative Delegation helped sponsor the series with $5,500 in community grants.
The Secret Sisters, Laura and Lydia Rogers, received their Grammy nomination in 2017 for Best Folk Album You Don’t Own Me Anymore, which Carlile produced. According to The Secret Sisters website, the album features “collective tales of triumph, rage and the indefatigable human spirit.”
The album came after a whirlwind of music industry highs and lows, from a debut album produced by T Bone Burnett and Dave Cobb, to opening for artists like Dylan, Willie Nelson and Paul Simon, to declaring bankruptcy and almost giving up on their music career.
“This record is deeply personal because of what we endured,” Lydia Rogers said on The Secret Sisters website. “But it’s important as a songwriter and artist to talk about the times things weren’t great. This is a hard business, and it’s not all roses and rainbows. What we came out with is more honest than ever, and we couldn’t help that a lot of it is about the darkness.”
Sampieri said their story of perseverance is an example to youth in our community about what it takes to pursue your dreams. She said the sisters, who originate from nearby Greenhill, Ala., will visit Scout Music House while in Athens. Scout Music House is a historic site Athens Arts League is renovating into a music venue that will host house concerts and other cultural events while providing hands-on learning experiences for students. While Scout Music House is under renovation, Athens Arts League has hosted concerts at its visual arts center High Cotton Arts and at McCandless Hall.
Recently, Athens Arts League hosted a private fundraiser concert by Grammy-nominated Athens native Anderson East. For that concert, high school students participated in event preparation, stage setup and sound check, and took photos of the performance.
The Secret Sisters Performance and Ticket Info
- Athens State University’s McCandless Hall.
- 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 26.
- Doors will open at 6 p.m.
- Tickets are $50 and general admission. Proceeds benefit Athens Arts League.
- The duo will sign autographs after the performance.
- Tickets to The Secret Sisters concert are available online and from Athens Arts League. To purchase online, go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-secret-sisters-concert-in-athens-al-tickets-54292335838
- To purchase from an Athens Arts League board member, email athensartsleague@gmail.com.
- For more information about The Secret Sisters and to watch their videos, go online at https://www.secretsistersband.com.
- For more information about Athens Arts League, go online at www.athensartsleague.com.
By: Holly Hollman
