6 Singing Duos Who Could Replace The Civil Wars
Whether you love The Civil Wars (who just announced they’re officially kaput), or you found their vocal acrobatics a little too fey, it was hard to not root for the singing duo when they showed up in the nominations for country music’s major award shows. They were the one act with more of an Americana, substantive approach that you could get excited for. Sure, their “Steve Vai of Vocalists” approach and hot-burning sets sung virtually the entire time with the duo staring into each other’s eyes seemed doomed as an unsustainable approach from the beginning, but it was fun for many while it lasted.
So who could step up of in the country music vocal duo space who could duel with the heavyweights of the mainstream, and offer more substance to that category like The Civil Wars did? Of course there will only be one Civil Wars and nobody will be able to replace them completely, but here are some ideas who could have a similar impact.
First Aid Kit
If there was ever a duo that was poised for a big push into the mainstream of county, and whose songs would immediately deliver an entirely new paradigm of substance and roots to the genre without compromising melodic sensibilities, it would be the Swedish sister duo of Johanna and Klara Söderberg. Their songs are screaming for more radio play and a wider American audience, and they are supported by stellar video releases and a major American label in Columbia Records. First Aid Kit could not only deliver country music the critical entree in the duo category it craves, they could also deliver country some much needed girl power. Like the Kacey Musgraves of singing duos, but without some of the political baggage and sedated performances that have somewhat saddled Kacey, First Aid Kit could become a big player in the space vacated by The Civil Wars. Of course the duo would have to commit more deeply to the North American market, but their potential as a commercial and critical powerhouse is definitely there, and their new album Stay Gold is the ideal springboard.
Shovels & Rope
As dubbed by Saving Country Music, Shovels & Rope is “The Civil Wars for the rest of us.” Where The Civil Wars seemed somewhat saddled by the eloquence and sentimentality, Shovels & Rope is rough, dirty, sweaty, ugly, and real. At the same time, they deliver the same heated passion in their music that made The Civil Wars so compelling, and unlike The Civil Wars, that passion isn’t pretend because Shovels & Rope are also true life partners. Though they probably don’t have the same widespread commercial potential as a project like First Aid Kit or The Civil Wars did, their strong grass roots network across the United States gives them a deep base to work from. At some point this Americana powerhouse graduating to the mainstream could do wonders for both spheres of roots music, and with their new album Swimmin’ Time scheduled to come out August 25th, this could be the moment Shovels & Rope step up their game from their already quick-won success.
The Secret Sisters
Just like First Aid Kit, everything is in place for this singing sister duo to step it up to the next level. Unlike many of the other duo acts currently residing in the Americana realm, The Secret Sisters enjoy the support of a major label in Universal Republic, and have found quite a bit of success under the auspices of super producer T Bone Burnett who worked with The Civil Wars in their collaboration with Taylor Swift. The Secret Sisters have the songs, and the spice that it takes to take a duo to the top levels, combining authentic country roots with contemporary styling that could reach and resonate with a wide audience if only given a chance. All that is needed for The Secret Sisters to explode is a deeper commitment from the industry. In the vacuum left by The Civil Wars, this could be the duo’s chance.
The Milk Carton Kids
The intimacy of The Civil Wars, and their ability to do so much with simply two voices and a guitar is what made them captivating to a wider audience than what regularly would transpire from such a stripped-down production. This is also the allure of The Milk Carton Kids, who like Shovels & Rope, have seen a meteoric rise in the Americana ranks. Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan may be a little too strange, a little too eepish for the wide ear compared to some of the other Civil Wars alternatives, but they certainly capture the vibe that made The Everly Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, and the Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings pairings a success that stretched into the sphere of mainstream acceptance. They also enjoy the support of ANTI records—one of the strongest of the independent labels.
The Church Sisters
Potentially the singing duo with the most upside potential because they’re still so young, sisters Sarah and Savannah Church from the coal mining region of Dickerson County, Virginia bring some of the most exquisite harmonies to their love for traditional country and gospel music. The fraternal twins have been making big waves in the traditional country, Gospel, and bluegrass circuits, and they certainly have the talent to take them to higher places in the future. Since their still somewhat in their developmental phase, the question of The Church Sisters is if they will develop a more original style or stick with standards, and if they will have enough secular material in their mostly religious music lineup to create the type of widespread acceptance they would need to take it to the next level. Either way, The Church Sisters will surely be making new fans across the country as long as they keep singing.
The Cactus Blossoms
Maybe not with the commercial potential of the rest of the field because of their fairly traditional bent, The Cactus Blossoms from Minnesota are nonetheless one of the most engaging and enjoyable vocal duos out there that deserve to discover a wider audience and greater success. Page Burkum and Jack Torrey have definitely tapped into that Louvin Brothers / Everly Brothers mojo with the ultra-tight harmonies and ear for styling that can send shivers down the back of your neck. The unsigned duo is certainly worthy of a wider ear.
Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison and their “Bruce & Kelly Show” is another interesting candidate for The Civil Wars replacement. The husband and wife duo might be a more established duo like Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, but performing together specifically is a more recent incarnation for the Texas music royalty couple. With the backing of the strong base of Texas country listeners and a renewed spirit, Kellie & Bruce can do what The Civil Wars did, and then some.
Mandolin Orange and Carolina Story are other promising Americana duo.
The Urban Pioneers would be the underground roots entry into the singing duo that has the legitimacy of also being a real life couple. Cut from the cloth of Jayke Orvis’s now dissolved Broken Band, it will be enjoyable to watch how this duo develops.
August 6, 2014 @ 12:23 pm
Copper & Coal ?
August 6, 2014 @ 2:18 pm
There are a lot of great duos out there and I could list 100 of them here and with each one I list that would mean that much less time readers could spend with each. Copper & Coal are a great duo from the Pacific Northwest that I hope are bound for great things. The idea here was to try and find some duo who could truly rise to take the place The Civil Wars vacated where Americana substance interfaced with mainstream notoriety. In truth I think the amount of duos who are in a position to do that are very slim, probably the top three on this list. But I also wanted to give some attention to a few other worthy duos as well without getting too lost in listing off every single one.
August 8, 2014 @ 12:52 pm
So would you even cover the Civil Wars if they hadn’t achieved such recognition within the country music awards realm? You yourself have questioned their inclusion and call their style as hard to pin within a genre, so that basically leaves them at americana (where distinctive genres go to die but creativity flourishes). You also cover other americana acts around here but the Civil Wars seem to be on the fringes of the idea for you, so where would that have left them if they hadn’t shaken the country music landscape?
August 8, 2014 @ 1:54 pm
I’m not really sure what you’re asking with this question. It seems to allude to loaded statements that I may or may have not made in the past about The Civil Wars, when my answer to a comment was more about why this list was limited.
“So would you even cover the Civil Wars if they hadn”™t achieved such recognition within the country music awards realm?”
Actually I did cover The Civil Wars before they were big in the industry, at SXSW 2011.
https://savingcountrymusic.com/recap-south-by-southwest-2011
“The Civil Wars were an unexpected treat as well, though just like I tweeted afterwards, I have serious reservations that a duo that spends their whole set lovingly gazing into each other”™s eyes has any staying power or deep appeal. It”™s just too hokey, effeminate, and in the end inaccessible by most for admittedly bias and unfair reasons. Their vocal antics cannot be denied though. They were the best two singers I saw all week, and paired up they were better than the sum of their parts, but I walked away with question marks about their songwriting as they covered a nursery rhyme, and Michael Jackson”™s “Billy Jean”. They smacked of a trend.”
August 8, 2014 @ 2:18 pm
Pardon the question. I was just curious because I know that they aren’t necessarily your favorites (or at least that’s the idea I get from claiming they relied on “trends”). If I misquoted you, forgive me, I’m just curious. I missed your initial coverage of their appearance at SXSW 2011 because I wasn’t an SCM reader back then and I didn’t know what that was until I started coming to your site. However, your slight dissertation on their inclusion within Americana is what spurred me to ask my question, despite the differing subject matter.
If you’re at a loss for why I might ask such a question to begin with, it’s the fact that I tend to listen to a lot of what you recommend. At first, however, I expected everything covered here to be true blue country music (hence the name). While all of it can be traced back to country, quite a bit of the Americana covered here is not what I would call country music, like Jason Isbell. To my ears he’s more pop rock, but I understand the idea that he could be considered country. Needless to say, it took me a bit by surprise when I would listen to many of these albums that were recommended by Saving Country Music that didn’t really sound that country to me. You also take it a bit for granted in some reviews that readers know who you’re talking about and their place in the music world, of which I personally didn’t for Jason Isbell. Add that to the fact that he was an SCM artist of the year and it’s completely foggy to me. As such, when I read a few comments about your appraisal of the Civil Wars’ style (“When listening to this album, you wonder why The Civil Wars were ever classified anything close to country, or even roots or Americana, when really they touch much closer to a waxed-dripping candelabra version of some short-form classical format.”), it started me wondering whether you would cover them if they weren’t so popular, since you don’t consider them to be properly defined as a part of the genre. Of course, one could extend such a statement to the Luke Bryans and Taylor Swifts of the world, but they at least masquerade as country. The Civil Wars, in my opinion (and despite elements of their sound), don’t try to carry the torch of the genre. Does any of this make sense? Long story short, I was just looking for a bit of clarification regarding what you choose to cover and why since not all of it is standard country music.
August 8, 2014 @ 2:20 pm
If you feel the need, please respond using one of my earlier comments since the option to do so disappears after five or so comments, as you know. I’d love to hear your explanation since I’m a bit unsure of the standards myself.
August 6, 2014 @ 12:36 pm
I would love to see Bruce and Kelly get national acclaim for their great work together. However, they seem to keep the duo stuff a part time regional thing based on the desire to be there for their kids growing up. so I would doubt they have the desire to push that hard to take they due career to the next level.
August 8, 2014 @ 10:47 am
Huge fan or the Bruce & Kelly Show. However, I think many of us huge fans are ready for some solo music from both. Their recent “Our Year” nowhere near as consistent as “Cheater’s Game”.
August 6, 2014 @ 12:46 pm
Carolina Story is really good too.
August 6, 2014 @ 12:48 pm
Man, the Church Sisters never fail to impress me. Their voices are absolutely heavenly.
First Aid Kit is quite good as well, but I wonder whether their foreign background will hinder them in country music.
August 6, 2014 @ 12:56 pm
From a demographic perspective, the best female vocalists tend to come from Appalachia (e.g. the Carter Family women, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Patty Loveless, the Judds, Ashley Monroe), while the greatest male vocalists often come from Texas or Oklahoma (e.g. George Jones, Ernest Tubb, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Garth Brooks, Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt).
The ideal pairing then might be that of a Texan or Oklahoman male with an Appalachian female…
August 6, 2014 @ 1:06 pm
Not that they could replace the Civil Wars but that Brennen Leigh and Noel McKay album is pretty great.
August 6, 2014 @ 1:42 pm
It is a great record. Their approach is more of the quarreling love birds than the sentimental gaze, which makes for great country music.
August 7, 2014 @ 8:30 am
Thanks for turning me onto it, it’s in constant rotation.
August 6, 2014 @ 1:19 pm
Having just seen Shovels and Rope at Red Rocks I have to think they are going to become much bigger names when this album drops. Had concerns that they would be swallowed by that big outdoor venue as an opening act but they captivated the crowd from the first note til the last. A must see in my opinion as sparks fly between those two and you can feel their love for the music..
August 6, 2014 @ 2:03 pm
If you guys have not heard them check out Mandolin Orange. It’s not what i would consider country but falls within this folk category. Its a husband and wife duo from NC who have been gaining recognition the last 2 years or so. Had the chance to meet and talk with the guy from the group and you couldn’t meet a more polite and humble person. If you guys like folk duos, especially male and female harmony, check these guys out. you wont be disappointed.
August 6, 2014 @ 2:08 pm
The Cactus Blossoms kick ass
August 6, 2014 @ 7:06 pm
yeah they do. JD McPherson tweeted about a month or two back that he was doing some of the producing on they’re new record. can’t wait…
August 6, 2014 @ 7:10 pm
producing or production?…w/e, i’m sure you get what i mean. he’s gonna be a co-producer.
August 6, 2014 @ 3:08 pm
American Young’s Love Is War is a great song, and I’m hopeful for an album from them.
Secret Sisters have potential as you said, but T Bone kind of ruined them for me. I think you understated “over produced” in your review.
Thanks for the others.
August 6, 2014 @ 3:39 pm
American Young is an interesting duo, “Love is War” was in moderate rotation on my local stations, although never really caught fire. They released an EP a month ago. I wasn’t as impressed as I wanted to be, but I haven’t listened to it much. As far as harmonies go, in my opinion, they are not close to The Civil Wars technical abilities, but they still make a cool sound and “Love is War” is a solid song.
August 7, 2014 @ 2:17 pm
Never mind. Just heard their.new one in the car called I Wasn’t Going To Drink Tonight. It had a fiddle (briefly) and her voice was good, but was more pop/synth than anything. Not even close to The Civil Wars (which was the topic).
Meh.
August 7, 2014 @ 2:44 pm
Yeah, same feelings here about “Wasn’t Gonna Drink Tonight”. After hearing their EP, I’d put them closer to Band Perry, Gloriana, or Lady Antebellum than The Civil Wars. I think they have potential as writers and performers though.
August 6, 2014 @ 4:00 pm
I thought I was pretty brutal of T Bone in my review, but as much as I detest his contributions to that album, I thought the girls’ contributions shined through. Simple fact is though, his presence on the project means doors get opened and attention gets paid that otherwise wouldn’t. So from a pragmatic and publicity standpoint, his involvement in the project is good.
August 6, 2014 @ 4:35 pm
Yep, you were pretty brutal. I just think they didn’t “shine through” as much as you did.
But you’re probably right as to the positives. They signed some kind of deal for Cracker Barrel to carry the CD.
August 6, 2014 @ 6:57 pm
The Wind + The Wave! Check them out you won’t be disappointed
August 6, 2014 @ 8:51 pm
I always found The Civil Wars boring. They had a lot of fans though, so I’m sure I just missed the point. To each his own. Idk, though, duos don’t really seem to ever last. One becomes the prominent voice and decides they can take the whole pie to themselves, then always fail because they aren’t the duo anymore. Seems to always end that way anytime you have two equal stars in an act, be it any rock group that shares vocals (Pink Floyd), or just has more than one superstar that isn’t the main vocalist (Guns n Roses, Slash was as big a star as Axl, so he had to be fired), or any country vocal duo (Brooks and Dunn, or that other one where the chick always made duck faces when she sang and got tired of paying the other guys travel expenses, what where there names anyway?)…
August 6, 2014 @ 8:56 pm
“or that other one where the chick always made duck faces when she sang and got tired of paying the other guys travel expenses, what where there names anyway?)”
That’s the funniest description of Sugarland I’ve ever heard.
August 6, 2014 @ 9:49 pm
Well I hate to say it but the biggest selling duo of all time hasn’t split. Hall & Oates and whatever your opinion even I admit they made stellar straight ahead pop music.
But on the flip side internal turmoil in a bad seems to create some of the best music. The Police shows were so good because they hated each other and were always trying to one up the other on stage. But you are right most duos split I think none more famously than Simon and Garfunkel.
August 7, 2014 @ 7:13 am
probably the only duo I think had split on amicable terms would have to be Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd (AKA Foster and Lloyd) because prior to their reunion I think Radney still kept in touch with Bill and occasionally added him in his solo records either by songwriting or background vocals.
(could be wrong)
August 7, 2014 @ 8:37 am
“I always found the Civil Wars boring ..”
I ‘ve come a cross a few folks who’ve echoed this comment Nathan…not many , mind you . I always felt that the Civil Wars were in some respects like the band ” YES” . An interesting out-of-left-field comparison , I know . I think in both cases ,the magic and artistry of the music , being so unique and not as ‘commercial’ as their radio piers ,demanded more patience and a more “meet -you-half -way’ from listeners. But the rewards for doing so were immeasurable . Yes demanded a commitment of focus AND time from their listeners ( one piece could be 18 minutes long ) ..the ideas flowed fast and furiously in that time , however. . The Civil Wars absolutely enveloped you in 4 minutes if you committed to a song and didn’t mis-use it as musical wallpaper in the car or at work , which , of course , is what so much commercial music is aimed at. You have to give a little to get a lot from the Civil Wars. And all this is quite amazing when considering the fact that it was primarily a 2 vocal/one guitar duo finding a way to reinvent THAT form in such an arresting fashion .
August 7, 2014 @ 12:10 pm
I’m not quite feeling the Yes analogy, but your statement about Yes “demanded a commitment of focus AND time” made me think of how when I listened to “Close to the Edge” as teeanager, I would always listen to the whole song, even the spacey, slow part in the middle (which was the only part that tried my patience) because I felt I had to.
I will speak for myself in saying that I’m not big into the Civil Wars because their sound is a bit TOO commercial and not rootsy enough for me. As far as their vocal prowess goes, I often feel like the focus is so much on the vocal performance as opposed to presenting the song.
August 7, 2014 @ 5:45 pm
” I often feel like the focus is so much on the vocal performance as opposed to presenting the song.”
I hear ya Jack …and I’m in agreement . For me , the vocal performance , however , was what set them apart…as it did in such a pronounced manner with the Everly Brothers, Simon and Garfunkel etc..The Civil Wars had the talent ,the passion, the vocal chops , the unique sound of those harmonies as well as their respective individual vocal styles AND one hell of an acoustic guitar player . I’m not sure how many duos can boast having all of those things AND the writing facilities they did .
The tightly arranged vocal nuances were as if another instrument had been introduced and , granted , it was sometimes so achingly good that the lyric took a back seat .If you watch any live YOU TUBE of them performing , you will hear the audience reacting to those vocal nuances and inflections and the always-interesting intervals created .
I’m saddened by the news of their final split – one less worthwhile musical option for people to turn to as the mainstream deteriorates so rapidly. Perhaps they burned too hot too fast and we heard them at their zenith . Perhaps individually they will surprise us again with their passion and creativity
August 6, 2014 @ 9:32 pm
A personal favorite of mine would be Songs of the Fall. They are Stetson Adkisson & Cia Cherryholmes of the former bluegrass greats Cherryholmes.
August 7, 2014 @ 5:39 am
Can’t stand these names or most of the acts, even since Iron & Wine. Glad Kelsey have up on Anchor in the Valley. Anyway, keep an eye on three siblings and friends I’ve booked for http://gram2014.us, The Carmonas. May be too much for the hipsters, but I’m finding them superbly fresh sounding, with great songwriting. https://www.facebook.com/TheCarmonasMusic, Cheers, Will
August 7, 2014 @ 7:19 am
Sorry about the typos, was still half asleep. “ever since Iron & Wine.” and “Glad Kelsey gave up on…” and perhaps “three siblings and two friends”, wow sorry.
August 8, 2014 @ 3:46 am
Hmmm, love that Cactus Blossoms sound!!
What about My darling Clementine from over here in the UK? They manage to channel that classic Jones/Wynette sound spookily well!
August 8, 2014 @ 10:20 am
These are all great, each for different reasons. See also: The Grahams.
August 10, 2014 @ 4:09 pm
The Sweetback Sisters are the best kept secret in country music, look them up on Spotify and you will NOT be disappointed. With all the great discoveries I’ve made through this site, it’s hard to believe this awesome country duo has never been made mention of. And they absolutely KILL it live! Go see ’em if you ever have the chance.
December 21, 2017 @ 8:25 pm
What about Porter Union? I like mandolin orange and Carolina story
December 21, 2017 @ 8:49 pm
I’m not sure Porter Union even existed 3 1/2 years ago when this article was written. But I agree, they’re a great duo that could step up into this space.