Rising Appalachia

Rising Appalachia brings its folk concert to Assembly in Kingston, New York, for an evening of harmony-driven music rooted in Southern folk traditions, New Orleans swamp culture, and Atlanta street spirit. It suits anyone drawn to Appalachian string-band songs, roots music with a conscience, and the kind of live show where a room ends up singing together.

The band is led by sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith, who founded Rising Appalachia in the early 2000s. This Kingston, Hudson Valley date is part of the group's current tour.

What to Expect

Rising Appalachia is known for seamless harmonies, songcatching, and storytelling. Their sound draws on fiddle, banjo, guitar, upright bass, and layered vocals shaped by gospel, work songs, and mountain ballads. The band has released ten albums and has played across North America, South America, Europe, the Celtic Isles, and Australia, from the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and Red Rocks to NPR's Tiny Desk.

This tour centers on their forthcoming album, Trade My Troubles, due out in October 2026. They describe it as a soft light from a quieter, more introspective place, with songs that celebrate rest, renewal after burnout, and replenishment in the wilds and in tradition. The 16-song record opens and closes with a traditional Irish traveller song and an Appalachian fiddle tune, both nods to the sisters' ancestral lineages. Between them are songs about motherhood, moonlight, heartbreak, and birdsong. Special guests on the record include Aoife O'Donovan, Ayla Nereo, Bonnie Paine, and Brittany Haas.

Over the years the band has built a devoted grassroots following by traveling to communities big and small by train, horseback, bio-diesel bus, and sailboat.

About Rising Appalachia

Rising Appalachia is a folk duo founded by sisters Leah Song and Chloe Smith. Raised in Atlanta and steeped in the musical traditions of the American South, they merge Southern soul, Appalachian string-band music, and international roots traditions into a politically engaged sound grounded in environmental activism and cultural preservation.

Their approach stands apart from the mainstream Americana revival through its explicit weaving in of social justice themes, traditional medicine practices, and partnerships with Indigenous and immigrant communities. They place themselves within the Slow Music Movement, a philosophy that emphasizes sustainable touring.

The Venue

The concert takes place at Assembly in Kingston, New York.