Photo: Giant Eye Photography
Welcome to Misner & Smith
(my-zner and smith) Northern California-based duo Misner & Smith treasure the unpredictability of their band. Technically precise songwriting mirrored with an improvisatory spirit and soaring harmonies have made the band—consisting of Sam Misner and Megan Smith—one of the most acclaimed acts in the Americana world. Blending elements of that genre with bluegrass, traditional folk ballads, and more pop-leaning ideas, Misner & Smith makes music gloriously nonconforming. The duo first met at a Shakespeare festival as professional actors in California in 2002 but began working as a musical duo two years later when Sam and Megan discovered a mutual love of roots music, Woody Guthrie, and in particular, harmony singing. Before the release of their career-defining sixth LP ALL IS SONG, the duo had released five critically acclaimed records, including Halfway Home (2004), Poor Player (2008), Live at the Freight & Salvage (2010), Seven Hour Storm (2013), and headwaters (2017). It was that 2017 release that found the group stripping their sound back down to where it began, two voices and two instruments. headwaters was recorded live in the studio and features the duo doing what they do best. On their new album, All is Song, they build upon that momentum and turn in their finest work to date, a record of inspired declarations to the power of music, song, and, most importantly, collaboration. All is Song is due to be released April 12th!
NEW Single “Silence of the Sun” Out Now!
Click to watch NEW VIDEO for our single “Silence of the Sun” OUT NOW!
Americana Highways premiered our song, “Silence of the Sun” and our handmade stop-motion animated video that we crafted over the course of about a week. With over 2800 individual shots and lots of handmade artwork, it features the lyrics and puts a spotlight on the poetry and story of the song. Get the track HERE.
Praise
for
“Silence of the Sun”
“Misner & Smith search deeply in their songwriting, and their music is beautiful complex poetry … Listen to the lovely vocal harmonies and acoustic instruments in an existential slow dance.” - Melissa Clarke, Americana Highways
get the NEW SINGLE “ANTHEM” EVERYWHERE NOW!
Praise for “Anthem”
"...a light-hearted anthem with colorful melodies that swirl around the room in a hazy psychedelic light show reminiscent of Nickel Creek. Poetic lyrics jump off the track and paint vivid images for a lead single that encompasses the many emotions of evolving as a person."
"Brutally honest lyrics are set against an unpredictable arrangement for a new direction for the band that showcases their growth as musicians."
"Songs are small moments you can carry with you, Misner & Smith captured so many emotions and moments in the album’s six-year creation process, All is Song is gearing up to be the best music of their career. "
SEVEN HOUR STORM - OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Directed by DEB TULLMANN
Tamalpais - Recorded Live by Pint of Soul
Poor PLayer - Recorded live at the Palms Playhouse by Pint of Soul
LOVERS LIKE US - Recorded Live BY PINT OF SOUL
NEXT TIME AROUND-RECORDED LIVE BY PINT OF SOUL
It Makes No Difference - by The Band (with special guest Josh Yenne on electric guitar)
THE UPSIDE - RECORDED LIVE BY PINT OF SOUL (WITH SPECIAL GUEST JOSH YENNE)
The Making of Seven Hour Storm
A short look behind the scenes during the making of our fourth album, Seven Hour Storm. This video includes footage and photos from our time in the studio as well as insight into the choices that were made beyond the recording, the cover art, photos, and the other artists that we collaborated with while making this album.
If you would like to support our music by donating directly, you can use the buttons below. Thank you, we’re grateful to everyone who continues to show us that they believe in what we do, either by donating or by showing up at our live shows.