I have written before about sibling singers whose voices fit almost magically together. Sister singer/songwriters Leah and Chloe Smith have that magical connection, but there’s something more. Their harmonies extend beyond just the ones we can hear. The pair call themselves free folk, and listening to their music, it’s clearly the right label for them.

Rising Appalachia’s music uses banjos, fiddles, stand up bass, acoustic guitar, and percussion instruments from around the world. Their music, while based in American folk, shows traces of global music as well. Free folk indeed!

In 2005, Leah and Chloe recorded a quickie album in the basement studio of a friend in Atlanta. The album was intended to be a gift for family and friends, but the recording started to get attention, so they formed a band. Their early years were spent busking around the south, mostly in New Orleans where the duo eventually settled, helping with the post-Katrina rebuilding efforts and making music when they could.

You can hear all of Rising Appalachia’s moving music on their website and on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.