Appalachian songwriter Vivian Leva was raised by parents who paid visits to old-time legends like Tommy Jarrell and Doug Wallin, she grew up steeped in the Appalachian and country music of her Lexington, VA home. With her debut solo recording Time Is Everything, Leva earns a spot in the lineage of great neo-traditional songwriters like Gillian Welch and Sarah Jarosz. It’s clear that Leva possesses a sense of melody and storytelling well beyond her years. She finds inspiration in classic storytellers like Kitty Wells and Texas Gladden, the harmony singing of the Stanley and Everly Brothers, and the pop sensibilities of Mandolin Orange; her originals effortlessly shift between archaic ballads, classic country and honky tonk, and contemporary Americana. Riley Calcagno (The Onlies) and other top-notch collaborators add to the album’s tastefully minimal production, imbuing each story of love and heartbreak with an emotional punch.
Vivian and Riley are in the UK in June, so make every effort to see them. Take a listen to them performing “Time Is Everything” at Forest Hills Cemetary in Jamaica Plain, MA.
Vivian Leva Tour Dates
5/11 – Ithaca, NY @ The Dock # ^
5/11 – Fall River, MA @ Narrows Center for the Arts #^
5/13 – Norfolk, CT @ Infinity Music Hall # ^
5/14 – Cambridge, MA @ Club Passim #
5/30 – Paris, FR @ Peniche Anako #
6/2 – Wales, UK @ Fire in the Mountain #
6/3 – Doveridge, UK @ the Dog & Partridge #
6/4 – Derby, UK @ The Flowerpot #
6/8 – Smethwick, UK @ Thimblemill Library #
6/9-6/10 – Southwell, UK @ Gate to Southwell Roots and Acoustic Music Festival #
6/12 – London, UK @ Green Note #
6/13 – Bristol, UK @ Canteen #
6/15 – Newport, UK @ Le Pub #
6/16 – Haverfordwest, UK @ The Meadow #
^ with Donna the Buffalo
# duo with Riley Calcagno
https://vivianleva.com/
http://vivandriley.com