Five Questions With...Sons of Daughters
The BC modern country duo of Chrystal Leigh and Jimmy Thow is making a mark in Nashville. Here they discuss their move to Music City, their creative evolution, and a new single.
By Jason Schneider
Sons of Daughters are a modern, gritty, country duo comprising Chrystal Leigh and Jimmy Thow, hailing from Vancouver, BC, and now based in Nashville, Tennessee.
The move to the home of country music proved to be a game-changer for the duo. Since then, they have appeared on CTV's The Launch, collaborated with numerous Grammy-nominated songwriters, and have showcased at the famed Bluebird Cafe, The Listening Room, and Nashville’s favourite Monday night party, Whiskey Jam. They also landed a U.S. tour with acclaimed indie folk-rockers Birdtalker, and spots at large-scale festivals such as CMA-fest and Boots & Hearts.
Working with Grammy and CMA-nominated producer Brad Hill (Brothers Osborne, Maren Morris), the duo released three songs this summer including, “Can’t Find Love In A Bar,” “What If We Stay” and their latest “Ain'tGonna Be Lonely Long,” which displays a catchy, up-tempo pop-meets-country vibe.
Sons Of Daughters are committed to carving their unique sound in the modern country scene through captivating vocal harmonies, swampy guitar riffs and catchy lyrics, and many in Nashville seem to be behind them. You can follow their progress at sonsofdaughters.com
What makes “Ain’t Gonna Be Lonely Long” stand out from your previous singles?
Chrystal: It's a little more upbeat and radio friendly.
Jimmy: I’m proud of our previous work, but I feel we’ve come a long way since our move to Nashville. We’ve written hundreds of songs and I’ve been dialing up my production chops. I feel a much deeper involvement creatively in “Ain't Gonna Be Lonely Long”, and we’re proud of it.
How difficult was the decision to move from Vancouver to Nashville, and how has the transition been?
Chrystal: The decision took less than a second to make! Our management asked us if we would consider moving to Nashville and we packed our bags that day. It's been a very smooth transition; Nashville is an amazing city. It's been hard on my liver but great for everything else.
Jimmy: It’s always hard being away from family but I feel so much support coming to us from Vancouver. Nashville is a fantastic place to grow and be challenged. I always want to have a foot in both cities.
How would you describe your artistic evolution so far?
Chrystal: I feel we are continually evolving as artists. We come from such different diverse musical backgrounds, and each project has been so different from the last. I don't think Jim or I would ever repeat ourselves. I find I am always changing and growing and my music reflects that.
Jimmy: We’ve been through a lot of growing pains creatively. I feel sometimes it’s like parenting. Sometimes you have different ways you want to raise your child. But we always seem to find our way somehow. Creatively I feel like we’re hitting our stride.
What do you have planned so far for 2019?
Chrystal: As of now, a trip to Mexico! We also excited to be playing the Bluebird Café again in January.
Jimmy: We can’t wait to play more and get on the road. We’ve spent a lot of time developing and sometimes it feels more like a songwriting or production gig. But now that we have songs out it’s go time. Bring on the road!
If you could fix anything about the music industry, what would it be?
Chrystal: Publishing and streaming percentages, along with rights. I would like to see the artists and writers make more money for all the work they put into music.
Jimmy: I’d like to see a better balance of guys and girls on the charts. Let’s not deprive the world of the next Shania Twain right?
