The Pines

Benson Ramsey and David Huckfelt both grew up in the middle of Iowa’s folk-music scene, but they didn’t meet until they’d both moved to Tucson, Arizona, and found their own artistic path as The Pines. After moving back to the Midwest, the pair worked with some of the region’s most notable folk and country musicians (including Ben’s father, guitarist Bo Ramsey), creating finely wrought folk music strongly evocative of their Midwestern milieu. The 2009 album Tremolo is a mature evolution beyond their previous efforts, with the duo supported by a combo of seasoned local musicians. The soft rusticity of country ballads like “Heart & Bones” shares space with the haunting ambiguity of “Pray Tell” and the bluesy, dissonant “Shine On Moon,” cementing the impression that The Pines have truly arrived on the Midwestern roots scene. Their latest, Dark So Gold, got an early 2012 release.

Updated 02/08/2012