bio

The mayhaw is the fruit of several kinds of hawthorn trees native to the low and swampy parts of the deep south. As the name implies, the fruit ripens in early May. Because hawthorn trees are covered in thorns and impossible to climb, folks used to go out and collect the fruit by laying a blanket under the tree and shaking the haws out onto it. The jellies and wines made from the mayhaw are considered to be amongst the finest in the world.

Like their namesakes, The Mayhaws are sweet and thorny, playing music rooted in American and American-immigrant traditions. Each member brings to the enterprise a wealth of musical experience, their combined talents resulting in a piquant mix of folk, honky-tonk, soul, bluegrass and old-school country. A Mayhaws set can run the gamut from traditional hill music to delta blues to pop songs re-imagined as jug tunes.

When Dave Leporati of Singing Biscuit signed on with Sharla June & The Mayhaws as occasional man of the mandolin, he couldn't have known that eventually it would lead to two bands merging into one. Upon original bass player Doug Morgan's departure, Carrie Hamby of Singing Biscuit—an accomplished songwriter and singer—joined in on upright for a series of gigs. It was apparent to everyone who saw these early shows that something special was happening, and it wasn't long before the two groups decided to activate their Wonder Twin powers and take the form of The Mayhaws.

With their roots in folk and country music and their hearts in the honky-tonk, The Mayhaws do rockabilly Stooges, samba Patsy Cline, and a wealth of originals (written by all three core members) that saunter, swing, or make folks weep into their shot glasses. Come and see them soon—you will be moved. You'll shake your tail feathers. You'll remember why they call it folk music.