folk @ temperance | "The world according to Michael Hurley"

Sweet Lucy are a UK-based trio who have come together to celebrate the music, songs and spirit of the late Michael Hurley.

Johnny Fewings (banjo/guitar), Michele Stodart (bass/acoustic guitar) and Holly Carter (pedal steel/electric guitar) share lead vocals and close harmonies, bringing Hurley’s idiosyncratic songwriting to life with sensitivity, joy and affection.

Holly Carter, a two-time recipient of Instrumentalist of the Year at the Americana UK Awards, is a songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and one of the UK’s only professional female pedal steel players. Her debut full-length album Leave Your Mark is out now.

Michele Stodart is a multi-award-winning singer-songwriter, producer, musical director and multi-instrumentalist, best known as bassist, vocalist and co-songwriter of double platinum selling band, The Magic Numbers, and also three critically acclaimed solo albums. Her diverse skills have led to many collaborative projects on stage and in the studio. Michele is spending this year collaborating, writing and producing new music.

Johnny Fewings, the artistic director of Sweet Lucy, knew Michael Hurley personally and promoted several of his UK shows. Alongside his distinctive banjo style, Johnny weaves stories and reflections gathered especially for this project. Blues singer Geoff Muldaur has said: “Johnny’s soft and easy banjo picking is right up there with the late great Kate McGarrigle—always a joy to play with Mr Fewings.”

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In his later years, Michael Hurley (1941–2025) was based in Portland, Oregon. An enigmatic and singular figure - often labelled the ‘godfather of freak folk’ (a title he himself would have hated!) - his songs have been covered by artists including Cat Power, The Low Anthem and Calexico, and admired by the likes of Lucinda Williams, Yo La Tengo and Devendra Banhart, who invited Hurley to record on his own label.

Sweet Lucy’s performances combine live renditions of Hurley’s songs with recorded excerpts of stories shared by those who knew him, loved him and played with him - some for as long as fifty years: Loudon Wainwright III, Peter Stampfel (Holy Modal Rounders), Dave Reisch (his long time friend and bass player), Ken Irwin & Marian Levy (original founders of Rounder Records) and many more.

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