Folk Bands and Artists
Lydia Luce
Naming the impressionistic songwriting of artists like Damien Rice and Joni Mitchell among her longtime inspirations, Luce first began writing songs of her own in her early 20s, expanding on the refined musicality she’d honed since taking up classical violin as a small child. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, she worked at world-music label Smithsonian Folkways Records, later relocating to Nashville and establishing herself as an in-demand session musician. In 2016, soon after making her debut with her 2015 EP The Tides, Luce founded Lockeland Strings—a Nashville-based community arts organization that hosts a monthly showcase of local artists accompanied by string quartet arrangements, alongside performances of new contemporary classical pieces from local composers. With past guests including country superstar Kacey Musgraves, Lockeland Strings’ profits go toward nonprofit groups like ACLU of Tennessee and Girls Write Nashville. “It started as a house show in my living room and grew so quickly,” Luce recalls. “I love being able to offer a way for people to experience string music without having to pay whatever it would cost to go to the symphony, and I hope to continue doing that for as long as I can.”
