Husband and wife duo Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent play under the band name Shovels & Rope, but it was a moniker neither expected to last. Cary Ann met Michael while performing as a solo artist in Charleston during and after her days as a student at the University of Charleston, and Michael was a relocated musician from Colorado. After both released solo albums, they recorded one together titled Shovels & Rope but credited to the two artists.
Once the pair committed to the band, they began to record award-winning music. 2012’s O’ Be Joyful earned the band two Americana awards in 2013 – for Emerging Artist of the Year and for Song of the Year for “Birmingham.”
The pair were the subject of a documentary about the forming of the band, a process that was expected to take three months but extended to two years. The film, The Ballad of Shovels & Rope, was finally released around the same time as their second album, Swimmin’ Time.
Shovels & Rope have recorded five albums of original material to go along with their Busted Jukebox series, which now numbers three volumes. Busted Jukebox features the duo paired up with favorite artists covering favorite songs.
With studio albums, the covers series, a pair of films, and their hosting of an annual music festival, it would seem that their plate is full, but they recently added a new impactful event: The couple recently became parents.
The pair say that parenting has impacted their music. “It definitely did something to us,” Trent said. Hearst added, “After we became parents, music just sounded different, and we both became a little more sentimental.”
