Larkin Poe gets a Grammy nomination this year … we can say we knew them when

Grammy voters have taken notice of Larkin Poe this year, putting their “Venom & Faith” in contention for Best Contemporary Blues Album. It’s the first Recording Academy nomination for the sister duo, composed of Rebecca Lovell, 28, who plays guitar and sings lead, and Megan Lovell, 30, who plays lap steel and sings harmonies.

Here in the Chattanooga area, it’s a chance to say we knew them when.

In their earliest incarnation, they were known as The Lovell Sisters – a trio then, with eldest sister Jessica – and their first public performance was at the Mountain Opry on Signal Mountain, about an hour from the family’s home in Calhoun, Georgia.

The sisters were classically trained musicians, playing in Calhoun’s youth symphony and singing in the church choir. But after hearing a recording by bluegrass artist Jerry Douglas, the Lovells ditched their classical instruments to pursue roots music instead.

Now they’re getting noticed for a blues album at the Grammys.

The Times Free Press caught up with Larkin Poe by email from Los Angeles, where they were taking part in special programming at the Grammy Museum in the week leading up to the awards show. Here’s an edited version of the conversation.

Q: Your show last summer at the Riverbend Festival here was amazing, and I think I remember you saying from the stage how meaningful it was for you to play it. What was it like for you guys?

Rebecca: We’re so glad you enjoyed the show! As kids, we attended Riverbend many, many times with our folks, so getting to come back after so many years and perform was deeply nostalgic, especially with lots of friends and family in the crowd! Chattanooga holds a special place in our hearts.

Q: You guys have done some amazing things already in your careers, from working with T Bone Burnett to playing Glastonbury and Bonnaroo, to Russell Crowe reaching out to Keith Urban on your behalf, the subsequent tour, the Grammy nomination and getting booked for Bonnaroo. Have you had time to process any of that and, if so, what are your thoughts?

Megan: How lucky we’ve been to have had so many wonderful musical experiences! We’ve had a couple moments to breathe and reflect on the whirlwind that has been these past few years, and it feels almost impossible that it’s all taken place in one lifetime. And hopefully so much more to come!

Q: How will playing Bonnaroo this year be different than your 2009 show there (as the Lovell Sisters)?

Rebecca: Lord have mercy, Larkin Poe in 2020 is very different from the Lovell Sisters in 2009! We’ve worked hard to hone our craft and elevate our show in the intervening 11 years – we’re a lot louder and aggressive now, a lot more confident. We were out on the road supporting the legendary Bob Seger on his arena tour last year, and that was a real turning point for us; we learned so much about how to work a large stage and make friends with a crowd. We feel thankful for that experience.

Q: You also played Bonnaroo (as Larkin Poe) in 2018. What was it like being onstage with so many other great musicians as part of the Tom Petty Superjam? You obviously earned your place on that stage, but do you still have fangirl moments when you look around and take in that scene?

Megan: It’s quite exhilarating. We’re obviously huge Tom Petty fans, and it’s a special treat to not only have a great reason to learn his music but to be surrounded by talented musicians and artists that we respect. It’s definitely inspirational.

Q: Your music has definitely evolved over the years – from grassy roots rock to a Grammy nomination for your blues sound. What seems to drive that evolution?

Rebecca: Creative evolution is simultaneously the most terrifying and most rewarding part of our job as artists. We’ve been making music together as sisters for almost 20 years and have experienced so much change over the years; but it’s only natural! Writing a song at 18 is a very different experience to writing a song at 28. Music is definitely an ever-changing and shifting language, and we’re along with for the ride, loving every minute.

Q: You’re now co-producing your albums. How has that affected your music? Your attitude?

Megan: Co-producing these past two albums (and a third coming soon!) has been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. Fully taking the reins creatively has been freeing and empowering and has forced us to clarify our vision. We love knowing that we’re giving our listeners the absolute authentic sound of Larkin Poe. As sisters, a good deal of our communication is nonverbal, so we’re a lean, mean machine in the studio. I can feel where Rebecca wants to go, and we can get there together. Even though self-producing is a choice that upped the pressure on the two of us, it’s ultimately super fulfilling and the right choice.

Q: What’s next – more blues or something we haven’t heard from you yet?

Rebecca: We are deeply committed to roots American music! Folks can expect to hear some echo of the blues or bluegrass in our music, but we’re always experimenting with storytelling and production tricks. As a songwriter, I’m always trying to push myself to be more vulnerable, more inventive, and I sincerely hope that my best songs are still yet to be written.

Q: Finally, how’s the family? Does Jessica ever express regret about leaving the band? Are your parents still in Calhoun? What are your best memories of growing up there?

Megan: Our big sis is doing great! Being a traveling musician is a very strange, difficult way to make a living and not something to be undertaking unless you’re in it 100%. Our parents live in Marietta now, but we still drive through Calhoun often on the way down from Nashville. We grew up on 70 acres of land and had the ultimate tomboy childhood, building forts in the woods and digging in the dirt. Or should I say red clay?

Staff writer Barry Courter contributed to this story.

Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.