Pharis & Jason Romero are pure craftspeople, top-notch instrumentalists, striking singers, and compelling songwriters. They’ve won three Juno awards and seven Canadian Folk Music Awards, connecting with audiences through their music, lifestyle, and the sense of joy and laughter from this small-town renaissance couple. They live in the wilderness town of Horsefly, British Columbia where they write songs, study old music, and work as renowned banjo builders J. Romero Banjos.
Their newest record, Tell ‘Em You Were Gold, was released on venerable folk label Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. The album, made in six days in their restored barn, is built around the beauty of their banjos and their deep psychic & artistic connection. With conviction and delicacy, they bring together their own songs with the traditional music they’ve always sung. There’s time to become absorbed in Jason’s solo banjo meditations, to move with the deep pulse of their guitar playing, to reflect on life’s beauty and knottiness, and to let the songs lift you into a state of well-being. They frequently engender a desire to play banjo, to sing with another person, and to dig up the oldest, scratchiest record you can find and write a song just like it.