The Early Mays are an Appalachian folk duo featuring Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton. Tomorrow (May 20th) sees the release of “The Ballad Of Johnny Fall,” an old-time murder ballad (with a twist) and the first single from their forthcoming EP Prettiest Blue, out on July 3rd.
With Ellen on lead vocals, accompanied by Emily on banjo and vocals and Nicole Myers on cello, they conjure up a melancholic opening that taps straight into the darkness of this ballad and the endless cycle of abuse. The scene is set with youthful dreams and the realisation that a woman’s ‘loving nights are far behind’. How she wished she heeded friends’ warning…”but your eyes were once the prettiest blue”.
Appalachian murder ballads give us insight into the long history of violence and misogyny against women. The suffering woman in this story decides to take matters into her own hands, but fate intervenes for her here.
The Early Mays are exceptional storytellers, singers and musicians who craft their songs with the utmost care and attention; they’re a joy to listen to. It’s such a pleasure to share this song ahead of its release tomorrow.
They offered the following on The Ballad of Johnny Fall:
From Ellen: A woman falls deeply in love when she is young, with a man whose eyes are the “prettiest blue.” As the years wear on, he is consumed by alcohol; their love frays under his abuse. She resolves to escape her suffering by shooting her husband. But the very night she sits on the porch with her gun, he does not come home. Fate had intervened. He was taken down by a train as he walked along the railroad tracks.
I heard this “true” story during a break in a song circle at the Augusta Heritage Center in WV, by a woman who said she heard it from another singer who said it had happened to her aunt. We’re now in the realm of urban legend, but when I heard the full story, it sounded like the stuff of old ballads. I took a try at writing a sung version. There are holes in the story, but that’s often how old ballads evolve. You feel the tragedy of abuse, of death, and of a love–once beautiful and bright– that was extinguished by addiction.
From Emily: Ellen asked me to make a strong, driving banjo part for Johnny Fall, akin to the Round Peak style of North Carolina. I think it brings to mind the image of a dark train rolling along. Nicole’s cello line is so mournful, like a weeping voice, and a perfect counterpoint to all the motion of the banjo.
About The Early Mays
Somewhere on the border between old-time music and modern American songwriting, The Early Mays have built a band with harmonies that feel like home. It’s a partnership that has shared slow-burning, perfectly paired vocals for ten years—from NPR’s Mountain Stage to house concerts all over the mid-Atlantic. When they crossed paths in Pittsburgh, Ellen Gozion and Emily Pinkerton felt a resonance between their styles. It wasn’t just the ballads and banjo tunes they had in common; it was a similar stage presence–understated and inviting. It was also a similar sense of purpose: putting their voices in the service of the song. This year, The Early Mays release Prettiest Blue, their fifth album and a follow-up to Chase the Sun (#1 Album, National Folk-DJ Charts, August 2016) and their 1st place finish in the Neo-Traditional Competition at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival (2016).
“I think part of our aesthetic comes from being introspective people,” Ellen reflects, “We don’t have a flashy, fast sound, but if you let the music engulf you, there are lots of layers. Our songs give people a place to slow down.”
“The Early Mays rehearsals are restorative for me,” adds Emily, “The hours spent in Ellen’s living room, with coffee and dark chocolate, following the harmonies wherever they take us, laughing and just loving that exploration as much as we love singing for other people. I hope you can hear the joy of the process in Prettiest Blue.” From the old-time music community, Ellen and Emily have absorbed the culture of deep listening that’s central to playing with sensitivity. “Revivalists like us–who didn’t live and breathe Appalachian music growing up–still learn and create by ear for the most part. Being able to carry hours of tunes in my head was life-changing. And there is new meaning to uncover each time you return to a field recording, or slowly build a relationship with a mentor.”