At 25, singer-songwriter Devon Sproule has already released four albums, lived on a rural Virginia commune, toured with the Dave Matthews Band and drawn from musical influences as diverse as Frank Zappa, Bikini Kill and an assortment of Canadian folk music.
A year after releasing her debut album (Devon) in 1999, she attracted the attention of Matthews and company, who offered her a spot on their tour; bassist Stefan Lessard even produced her sophomore album, 2001's Long Sleeve Story. Two years later, Upstate Songs coincided with a move to New York and represented a departure from the edgier sound that helped her gain national prominence. With its more folk-driven feel, the disc was a critical success, even making a year-end list in Rolling Stone.
Sproule's new album, Keep Your Silver Shined, documents the singer's return to Virginia. Produced in the Blue Ridge Mountains during her engagement to musician Paul Curreri, the disc reflects Sproule's easygoing country existence, complete with a splash of jazz and Appalachian folk.
This segment originally aired on July 24, 2007.
Copyright 2007 XPN
