Fern Maddie
- Folk
- Singer/Songwriter
- Trad
Fern Maddie is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and experimental folk artist based in Central Vermont (N’Dakinna). Her debut EP, North Branch River, was named one of the 10 best Vermont records of 2020 by Seven Days. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, her debut album, Ghost Story, was released in 2022, and was named The Guardian’s Folk Album of the Month in July 2022, gaining a five-star review.
Blending driving, trancey instrumentals with crisp vocals and the simple lyrical rhythms of old folk songs, Fern’s unique sound is the child of many influences: Old-Time string band music, the revivalist balladeers of the 60s and 70s, dark country, experimental folk-rock, and the modern trad renaissance(s). Her sensibilities have been compared to the music of June Tabor, Kate Rusby, Sharon Van Etten, and Joni Mitchell.
Fern’s first two records were co-produced with Colin McCaffrey, a Central Vermont legend, who contributes exceptional musicianship and a traditional, pared- down aesthetic to the work.