Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion | Common Ground Community Concerts

"Sarah Lee took the tradition that (her grandfather) Woody began with kids' music and made it better." -USA Today.

In 2005, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion released their first studio album together, Exploration. Now after five years of extensive touring as a duo as well as with the "Guthrie Family Rides Again" tour w/ Arlo Guthrie, which just hit 50 markets across North America, the husband and wife duo have recorded their much-anticipated second studio full-length album, Bright Examples. Without Gary Louris (The Jayhawks) at the production helm this time around but sharing back-up vocals and songwriting credits, Sarah Lee and Johnny teamed up with the psychedelic folk band, Vetiver on Bright Examples. A digital 7-inch will be released this fall and the full-length album is scheduled for release in January 2010.

Sarah Lee and Johnny have been busy on the road promoting their latest family album, Go Waggaloo, which is currently out on Smithsonian Folkways. Go Waggaloo features 13 tracks of children's music from Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family featuring her husband Johnny Irion, their two daughters, and a host of other family and friends including her father Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Pete's grandson Tao Rodriguez Seeger. Guthrie presents thoughtful yet playful recordings of traditional songs and new compositions on Go Waggaloo, including three songs featuring lyrics by her Grandfather Woody Guthrie from the Smithsonian Folkways archives never before put to music and eight songs written by Sarah Lee and family.

Sarah Lee was two years old when she made her singing debut as part of a children's chorus on Arlo's 1981 album, Power of Love.  Although growing up within a celebrated music family, it wasn't until after graduating high school that she discovered her love for making music. Upon tour managing for her father while he emceed the Further Festival in 1997, befriending Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes on that tour, and moving to Los Angeles and serendipitously meeting her life-long companion Johnny (Robinson convinced Irion to relocate from South Carolina to L.A. to join the band Freight Train after Irion's band Dillon Fence toured with The Crowes), Sarah Lee's path would forever change.  Together with Irion, the budding artist realized her true calling of being a songwriter. Sarah Lee would soon join Arlo on the road, forgoing college to carry on the Guthrie legacy for decades to come.  Irion is no stranger to the indie-folk/rock scene having been an influential member of such nationally known acts as Queen Sarah Saturday and Dillon Fence. Since the time Irion and Sarah Lee got married, he has released two critically acclaimed solo albums, entitled Ex Tempore (2007) and Unity Lodge (2001), and she released a self-titled solo recording in 2001.

Not since Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, Nicolette Larson and Neil Young or even Johnny Cash and June Carter have two voices blended together so honestly and seamlessly.  Sarah Lee and Johnny's music reflects the enduring tradition of age-old American folk music while embracing a fresh, poignant and up-to-date outlook on our often-turbulent times. Their music distinctly offer insights on an unsettled world amid the sanctuary of a lasting, loving relationship. Their upcoming studio release, Bright Examples, embodies the spirit of close friends and family playing together and capturing the spontaneity of the moment.  With little overdubs and years of collaborating with all of the musicians appearing on the album, Bright Examples marks an inspired contemporary folk-rock album drenched with sweet caressing harmonies, high-lonesome folk melodies and an incredibly rockin' backing band.