Today we’d like to introduce you to Minnesota’s Americana, Country, Folk music duo, Gospel and Gravel (G&G) featuring Emma Shukle and Tim Morin — Emma as vocalist and Tim on guitar and vocals. They shared their story about G&G with us below:
Today we’d like to introduce you to Minnesota’s Americana, Country, Folk music duo, Gospel and Gravel (G&G) featuring Emma Shukle and Tim Morin — Emma as vocalist and Tim on guitar and vocals. They shared their story about G&G with us below:
The duo’s music includes original songs followers enjoy as well as popular covers from artists such as Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Brandi Carlile, U2, The Eagles, Taylor Swift, Mumford, Merle Haggard, and more.
Emma and Tim began performing at open mic events in the Twin Cities’ western suburbs — namely Excelsior Brewing Company (EBC) in downtown Excelsior. Today, the EBC taproom is where the duo regularly performs (the last Tuesday evening of every month in 2023 has been a standard gig for the duo at EBC. The duo regards this as the “Hometown Gig” because that’s where the band was born).
G&G also performs at wineries, craft breweries, pubs and private events across the Twin Cities, Minnesota and the upper Midwest, including popular establishments such as EBC, Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee, 318 Cafe in Excelsior, Omni Brewing in Maple Grove, Omni Winery and Taproom in Rosemount, Ambi Wine Bar in Anoka, Red Wing Barrel House in Red Wing, and Forrestville Vines in River Falls, Wisconsin among others.
The duo is actively recording new original songs, including its most recent release “YOU KNOW WHO”. Many of G&G’s original songs are available on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other major streaming platforms.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
EMMA: When we met and started collaborating in 2019, it was pretty smooth sailing. Tim and I would meet up at the Music Coop in Excelsior (a local nonprofit studio making music accessible for all) where I teach voice and piano. Tim became one of my voice students, and we worked on original songs, and covers like the song “Rivers and Roads,” by The Head and The Heart. We then started performing at weekly open mic events, particularly at EBC, where we could share our craft with like-minded musicians and friends.
As we kept working and performing, we decided that this was truly something special that we could share outside of our open mic community. We started talking about band names, set lists, and a consistent rehearsal schedule. All of a sudden, the pandemic hit, and we were forced to stay in our homes, and social distance. This made continuing our work very difficult, and we did take some time away, but we kept in contact via text, email, and Zoom, and continued making plans as the pandemic went on. Eventually, we started rehearsing in person again, and we were able to resume our plans of turning our dream into a reality.
We worked up a set list, kept to a schedule, and through the sounds of our voices and our Minnesota roots, our band name came to life; Gospel and Gravel. We booked our first live show at the 318 Cafe in Excelsior in January of 2022 — which was a sold-out event, and ever since then we have been booking gigs, recording originals, and have been enjoying putting our spin on classic tunes that our audience loves! The first cover we started singing together — “Rivers and Roads” — is still a favorite of our followers today!
We couldn’t have done it without the support of our families and friends. With their support and spreading the word, many faces in the rooms where we play are people who have been with us from the beginning, and that’s what makes it so special! We also had the support of The Music Coop in Excelsior. The founders of our studio, Chris Fahey and Cooper Alt are not only my coworkers, but they are dear supporters and friends. They have helped us promote our music and shows, write originals, and continue to cheer us on the whole way.
TIM: As Emma mentioned, it has been a super smooth road since we started performing full live gigs at about the time the pandemic was leveling off and people wanted to get back to hanging out with family and friends in taprooms, wineries, cafes, and pubs. COVID-19 was for sure the biggest obstacle because it fired up just as G&G was getting started.
Another interesting and I’d say unexpected thing we’ve learned as a duo now that we are gigging regularly is our band’s name — Gospel and Gravel.
In a few instances — not many — but very occasionally our name creates misconceptions of our music and sound which is, what we call, Americana-Country-Folk. And when you hear us live or on the streaming platforms you’ll pick that vibe up pretty quick! But still, we get questions a few times a year from places we’re interested in playing along the lines of “Are you a praise band?” The short answer is no, we’re not a praise band — we have nothing against praise music (and in fact, the opposite happens a few times a year as well — people will come out to listen and wonder why we’re not playing more Christian praise-type music) but our style is on the roots side of things.
So, yeah, it’s all been super exciting along the way! It’s been a ton of fun! We love Gospel and Gravel because it reflects our down-home, authentic Minnesota roots that are woven into our music and are a big part of each of us as artists. We are Americana, country, folks from Minnesota!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
EMMA: I am a classically trained Soprano, and I have a degree from St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN in Vocal Music Education. I hold an MN K-12 Vocal and Classroom Music license and have been teaching music for 10 years. Nine of those years were spent in private and public school settings, teaching elementary music, directing choirs, and handbells, and putting on musicals with my students, even while pursuing my music. I now teach studio lessons, and I am still pursuing my music.
I am most proud of where I came from, which would be my musical and loving family. I was raised in a family who sang together and loved classic tunes by the Beatles, Mama’s and the Papa’s, Simon and Garfunkel, Pure Prairie League, Billy Joel, Elton John, and many others. Every Christmas, my siblings and I sing Carols in 3 part harmony, and my extended family sings “The Hallelujah Chorus” from “Handel’s Messiah” in four parts.
What I was raised on the most was musical theatre and choral music, which led me to voice lessons at the age of 12. As I grew older and continued to study, I sang Art songs and Arias in Italian, French, German, and Spanish. I gave two senior vocal recitals, one for high school, and one for college. After graduating from St. Kate’s, I began my teaching career but continued singing for churches. Participating in music ministry has always been a passion of mine. Outside of my teaching and Gospel and Gravel, I continue to sing for church services and weddings, funerals, and other church-related events.
I think what sets us apart from others is that my voice and Tim’s voice are very different sounds, but blend in a way that just works. When you listen to our sound, you can hear the tone of my voice as kind of a melody in the sky, and the deep-rooted sounds of Tim’s voice coming from someplace deep in the earth.
TIM: Actually, I feel like my vocal sounds like it’s one hundred percent Mississippi River mud and gravel material. It does feel like a nice balance and complement to Emma’s terrific voice. Anyway, back to your question, fundamentally, I’m a writer and a storyteller. The thing I dig most about music is writing a song, recording it, and then getting out on the road and sharing it with folks. It mostly starts with what I call “doodling” on the guitar which has helped me a ton get by day in and day out. I’ve been playing guitar for fifty-plus years. My wife, Mary Alice, says I get what she calls “the guitar-face” going when I’m into some serious doodling, which means while I may be in the same room sitting across from her, I’m off in a distant place, working out one thing or another in life. I think it’s led to Gospel and Gravel putting stuff out there that is pretty special.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
EMMA: If you would like to follow us and become a “Gravler”, go to our website: www.gospelandgravel.
TIM: As Emma mentioned, the G&G sound is a unique blend of two very distinct voices that come together into what we call ‘the sweet harmonies.’ We’d love it if you give us a listen on the streaming platforms or come see us live — our events are updated regularly on our website. You’ll find G&G is a kind of magic that happens when you hear our sound.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gospelandgravel.
com - Instagram: Gospel and Gravel
- Facebook: Gospel and Gravel
- YouTube: Gospel and Gravel
- SoundCloud: https://on.
soundcloud.com/ npDbfPkMSzHzkPJt7
Image Credits
Emily John Photography, Hannah Morin, and Chase Polk
