2017 30A Songwriters Festival: Sarah Lee Guthrie

(Session originally published in 2017)

As Woody Guthrie’s granddaughter, Sarah Lee Guthrie’s lineage is undeniable. But if you close your eyes and forget that her last name is synonymous with the river-legacy of a widening current of American folk music, you’d still be drawn to the clarity and soul behind her voice. There is a gentle urgency to her interpretations of the songs she sings and the classic music of her heritage.

Over the last two decades on the road and in the studio, she and her husband Johnny Irion have created a signature pop-fused folk-rock sound that is appealing and engaging. Now, she’s out solo for the first time, giving full and glorious attention to the folk music that is her birthright, and traveling with the Hoping Machine, singing the songs that have empowered people during trying times.

Sarah Lee sat down with Folk Alley at the 2017 30A Songwriters Festival to play some songs and talk about this exciting new turn in her life.