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Time to 'Holler': The Watson Twins work with legend on new album, set to perform at Tumbleroot
Chandra Watson is bummed that she鈥檚 going to be a few weeks late to see the hot air balloons at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
Though, she remembers seeing plenty of them growing up in Kentucky.
鈥淲hen I was a kid growing up, there would be a bunch of hot air balloons that would fly around the time of the Kentucky Derby,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t was always magical to see. Though I understand the Albuquerque event is like no other.鈥�
Though a few weeks late, Watson comes to Santa Fe, along with her sister, Leigh, as The Watson Twins open up for Band of Heathens on Friday, Oct. 27, at Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery.
The Watson Twins recently released the album 鈥淗oller.鈥�
Their musical journey began when the twin sisters were growing up and found that music was an outlet they both loved.
They moved from Kentucky to Los Angeles and began their own band called Slydell.
Time to 'Holler': The Watson Twins work with legend on new album, set to perform at Tumbleroot
By 2006, they formed The Watson Twins and released the debut EP. That same year, the duo backed up Jenny Lewis on the album, 鈥淩abbit Fur Coat.鈥�
In an instant, their life changed.
With 鈥淗ollers,鈥� Watson says the album came about in a fun way.
鈥淚n the past, my sister and I would write separately. Then Leigh and I would come together and produce the songs. All the songs were written by either one of us. With 鈥楬oller,鈥� it was the next step.鈥�
The Watson Twins got in the studio with Butch Walker, who took the helm of producing 鈥淗oller.鈥�
鈥淪ecretly, we wanted Butch to do a record,鈥� she says. 鈥淏utch asked us if we would record more music with him, and we did.鈥�
Working with Walker, Watson says he was able to pull out more of the Americana vibe from each of them.
鈥淲e had about 15 or 16 ideas for the album,鈥� she says. 鈥淭en of those songs made the cut for the album. When we first began, it was supposed to be an EP. When we were in the studio, by the third day, we had gone through all the tracks.鈥�
The Watson Twins had worked with Walker before on singular projects for other musicians.
鈥淲e鈥檙e often brought in to record backing vocals for other artists,鈥� Watson says. 鈥淏utch brought us in to work on tracks for Harry Connick Jr. We鈥檝e known his work from those times working with him. For him to produce our own music felt like a full circle moment for us. He just brought the best out of us.鈥�
With a lot of hard work, The Watson Twins have made a name for themselves in the music industry.
They are forever grateful to Lewis for the 鈥淩abbit Fur Coat鈥� album because it introduced the duo to the world.
鈥淚 remember we were playing the Ryman Auditorium and it鈥檚 a big deal,鈥� she says. 鈥淛enny, Leigh and I were in a huddle before the show. Jimmy Buffett was guesting that night and he stuck his head into our circle and he told us, 鈥楧on鈥檛 forget to enjoy.鈥� This meant so much to me at the time and I still carry that advice with me.鈥�
