Jeri Foreman and Grace Honeywell claim multiple places they call home. Foreman is from Adelaide, South Australia and has lived in Glasgow, Scotland for the last eight years. Honeywell is from Ashland, Oregon, but is often between the USA and Scotland, touring in both places.
As demonstrated by The Allure of the Honky Tonk, their debut album released this past October, the two women create a sound based in bluegrass. Yet given the fact that there’s only two of them, they’re quick to point out that it ought not be compared to the sound of a traditional five-piece line-up. “We take turns playing the guitar and about thirty percent of the time we play twin fiddles,” Foreman explains. “It’s definitely a blend of Americana, folk, bluegrass, old time, contemporary, and traditional influences. We’d say the sound is warm, joyful, hearty, a bit sassy, and full of character.”
It’s little wonder there’s such diversity. The pair cite such influences as Alison Krauss, The Chicks, Shania Twain, Molly Tuttle, Wailin Jennys, Della Mae, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, The Stray Birds, Del McCoury Band, Flatt & Scruggs, Hazel & Alice, and Ola Belle Reed, among the many. “We’ve both played bluegrass for a long time and we’ve both been the fiddle player in bigger bluegrass and country bands,” Honeywell adds. “This is an interesting project, as we feel we’re well versed in the traditional way of doing things, yet the nature of the duo forces us to find alternative and fresh sounds that are often bluegrass adjacent.”
Foreman and Honeywell learned about one another for well before they actually met. “We share a remarkably similar story arc despite having been born in totally different places in the world,” Foreman continues. “Both of us share the unique experience of booking one-way plane tickets out of our home towns, leaving behind our roles as ‘the fiddle player’ in our local bluegrass bands while heading off to chase fiddle tunes and adventure. When we finally met in Glasgow in May of 2024, it was just as the prophecies of all our friends foretold, and we became fast friends.”
Since then, Honeywell spent time crashing on Foreman’s couch at various times while Foreman, in turn, made contributions to Honeywell’s solo project. “Back in November of 2024, we found some gigs that needed to be covered and quickly pulled together a few sets to form what we jokingly call ‘a duo of convenience,'” Honeywell recalls. “It’s sweet because the way we formed is really based on how we became friends. We came together because we have this common language and sense of the world, and it’s translated into sharing this super fun collaborative project.”
The pair have played various concerts and festivals in England and Scotland and they’re currently engaged in a five week tour in Australia that has them promoting their debut album. While there, they’re playing several festivals and headlining shows in three of the country’s capital cities — Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide.
In addition. Honeywell has toured in Scotland and the USA and sh’’ll be promoting her solo project in Germany early next year. Foreman has chalked up appearances across the globe, including in Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Finland, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA.
“We started off the year performing at Celtic Connections in Scotland, and then played Hexham Bluegrass Festival in the middle of the year,” Honeywell said. “In the last few weeks, we’ve played Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival NSW, Mountaingrass VIC, and headlined at Wirrina Bluegrass Festival SA.”
As individuals, they’ve shared stages with a number of major artists. Foreman got a guest slot with Billy Strings on his first sold-out show in Scotland. Honeywell played with Kevin McGuire while opening for Marti Pellow this past July. On their current tour, the two have enlisted various guests, including Liv Greene, Daniel Watkins, Josh Bennett, and Justin Vilchez of The High Street Drifters. In addition, Cahalen Morrison guested on their album.
“From the gigs and festivals that we’ve played both in the UK and Australia, our music has been received warmly and enthusiastically,” Foreman says. “We’ve heard folks say, ‘I’m not a big bluegrass fan, but I love what you’re doing.’ Then there’s the personal favorite comment — ‘I never liked that song much ’till I heard your version of it.’ We have a bit of a penchant for taking old sexist bluegrass songs and turning them into a reclamation. The title track of our album is a nod to that. Here in Australia, folks have responded super positively!”
Foreman and Honeywell both write songs, but they also include songs by archival artists such as Flatt & Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, Ola Belle Reed, and Kitty Wells. “As much as we love to reclaim old songs, we also find that a lot of more modern repertoire from Maya de Vitry, Molly Tuttle, and Tim O’Brien suits our stories of travel and adventure,” Foreman mentions.
“I think bluegrass combines numerous musical elements, which means there’s often a little something in there for everyone,” Honewell suggests. “Whether you’re drawn to lyrics and storytelling, live improvisation, the acoustic sound, or the warmth of the style itself, it carries a dynamic array of touch points for audiences. Plus, I think it’s hard to resist tapping your toes and clapping along to a good ol’ bluegrass breakdown.”
Foreman concurs. “I think we’re seeing a reaction to AI and electronically generated things, and the fact that some of that is taking the form of interest in acoustic music,” she notes. “Then you get amazing bluegrass personalities like Molly Tuttle and Billy Strings who are great pickers and fun innovators, and who are able to build a big fan base. The rising tide is going to lift all ships. Bluegrass has an easy entry point – three chords on acoustic instruments — but it can be a real deep dive if you want to chase virtuosic solos and all of the old recordings. It’s an attractive thing to interact with at whatever level you want to hear it at. It’s a very exciting time to be playing bluegrass!”
The pair can be found @gracehoneywell and @jerifiddle on Instagram and TikTok.
