The Milk Carton Kids

The Milk Carton Kids
Appearing at 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. August 2, 2012
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Folk, Americana
Years active	2011–present
Labels	ANTI-
Website	themilkcartonkids.com
Members	Kenneth Pattengale Joey Ryan

The Milk Carton Kids are an American indie folk duo from Eagle Rock, California, United States, consisting of singers and guitarists Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, who formed the group in early 2011. The Grammy-nominated, flat-picking harmony duo have since emerged as a powerful voice defining the continuing folk tradition whose virtuosity defines The Milk Carton Kids to the delight of both traditionalists and newcomers to the folk movement alike. NPR has described their approach to music as "gorgeous contemporary folk" and "Gillian Welch & David Rawlings-meets-Simon & Garfunkel with a splash of The Everly Brothers", which fairly represents the band's music while also appealing to the intended audience. The band has recorded and released four albums: Retrospect, Prologue, The Ash & Clay and Monterey. The forewords to both Prologue and The Ash & Clay were written by singer-songwriter and producer Joe Henry. The band is noted for releasing their first two albums for free and for playing their vintage guitars; Ryan playing a 1951 Gibson J-45 and Pattengale a 1954 Martin 0-15.

Artists Ryan and Pattengale formed a duo after Ryan attended a solo performance by Pattengale in their shared hometown. "Both had long and largely unsuccessful careers as solo performers behind them, and each had reached a professional crossroads", which led them to form the musical duo now known as The Milk Carton Kids. The Milk Carton Kids released Retrospect, a live album recorded in Ventura, CA, in March 2011. Retrospect predates the band name, and was released under Kenneth Pattengale & Joey Ryan. After performing at SXSW in March 2011, The Milk Carton Kids joined Joe Purdy's North American tour as his opening act and backing band.

Grammy-nominated flat-picking harmony duo The Milk Carton Kids have emerged in the last three years as a powerful voice defining the continuing folk tradition.

A refreshing alternative to the foot-stomping grandeur of the so-called folk revival, an understated virtuosity defines The Milk Carton Kids to the delight of traditionalists and newcomers to the folk movement alike. Indeed, Garrison Keillor has called them "absolute geniuses in close-harmony", and has invited them onto A Prairie Home Companion three times in 2013, while cultural purveyors like T Bone Burnett and Billy Bragg continue to refer the importance of The Milk Carton Kids among a group of new folk bands expanding and contradicting the rich tradition that precedes them.