The Crane Wives
| The Crane Wives | |
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The Crane Wives in Winter 15. Pictured from left to right: Dan, Kate, Ben, and Emilee
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States |
| Genres | Indie folk, Americana, folk |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Labels | Unsigned |
| Associated acts | Fleet Foxes, Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, The Decemberists, Feist, The Tallest Man On Earth, Nickel Creek, Florence & the Machine |
| Website | thecranewives |
| Members | Emilee Petersmark Kate Pillsbury Dan Rickabus Ben Zito |
The Crane Wives is a four-piece Americana/folk band founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States in 2010. They refer to themselves as a "home grown indie-folk outfit from Grand Rapids, Michigan that defies musical stereotypes." They utilize three-part vocal harmonies, eclectic instrumentation, and a passion for songcraft to create organic music that is both accessible and innovative.
Emilee Petersmark (guitar/vocals) and Kate Pillsbury (guitar/vocals) were aspiring solo artists who were working in a Chinese restaurant in Grandville, Michigan. In an attempt to avoid waiting tables, they began performing weekends in the restaurant under the name The Crane Wives but were not well received.
The addition of Dan Rickabus (percussion/vocals), Ben Zito (bass), and Tom Gunnels (banjo) in late 2010 expanded upon the duo, but the name remained the same.
Petersmark and Pillsbury, both students at Allendale’s Grand Valley State University, joined fellow students Gunnels and Rickabus for the practice sessions in August 2010. The band played a few shows around Grand Rapids, and soon after, friend and fellow GVSU student Ben Zito (who ran sound for the band a few times) joined as the band's bass player, completing the sound.
The upbeat sound, folk influence, and use of three-part harmony set the band apart in the indie rock-dominated Grand Rapids music scene. While the band’s moniker came in part from The Decemberists' 2006 album, The Crane Wife, the members claim a wide variety of influences: folk, blues, ska, punk, and even heavy metal.
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