Making Of
Profiled in Newsweek (2008) for creating a “gorgeous, joyful new sound,” songwriter and clawhammer banjo player Abigail Washburn takes her bold and expansive musical vision to new heights on her third recording, City of Refuge (January 11, Rounder Records). Raw, ethereal and at times lushly orchestrated, the album melds the forces of renowned producer Tucker Martine (the Decemberists, Spoon, Sufjan Stevens) with Washburn’s classic songwriting and old-time storytelling aesthetic.
Abigail and Tucker amassed an impressive group of artists and friends including songwriting collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Kai Welch, guitarist Bill Frisell, old-timey fiddler Rayna Gellert, string arrangements by Jeremy Kittel of the Turtle Island String Quartet and guzheng (the ancient Chinese zither) master Wu Fei. Chris Funk from the Decemeberists and Carl Broemel of My Morning Jacket also appear on the record.
