For those unaware, on their sophomore album, Stone Sessions, The Waymores play authentic country music with an Americana flourish, combining elements of folk, blues and Honky Tonk into an instantly recognizable sound.

Willie Heath Neal’s husky baritone and the warm alto of Kira Annalise complement each other perfectly. Their lush harmonies, and down home lyrics echo the classic work of Conway and Loretta and Johnny and June Carter.

On stage, the duo has an easy-going sense of humor that makes every crowd feel like a room full of old friends. The singing, songwriting and guitar-playing duo met 14 years ago at a bar in their home state of Georgia.

“We were singing covers in a freewheeling ensemble called the No Count Palookas,” Annalise recalls. “We both had touring bands, which can stretch you financially. After years of struggling, we finally decided to collaborate and play locally, as a duo, when we weren’t on the road. The more we performed together, we knew we had something special. We’ve been at it ever since.”

A cover version video they made of the John Prine/Iris DeMent song “In Spite of Ourselves” earned the duo some followers. That was followed by their first recording, the Weeds EP, which was cut live in the studio with members of their touring band.

For the Stone Sessions (releasing April 8th, 2022), they enlisted the help of producer, songwriter and pedal steel player, Steve Stone. Most of the songs were written during the pandemic lockdown and the album was produced and recorded in 2020.

Annalise and Neal recorded their acoustic guitars and vocals in the studio and sent the tracks to the other musicians with Stone adding pedal steel and final polishing. The result has the feel of a live session, crackling with energy and driven by the duo’s robust vocals.

1. Heart Of Stone
2. Even When
3. Die right Now
4. Caught (feat. Dale Watson & Katie Shore)
5. I Don’t Like The Liquor
6. Road Worn
7. Bat Shit Crazy
8. When I’m Gone (feat. Johnny McGowan)
9. Roll That Chain
10. Ode To The Animals

This atmospherically charged, authentic and heartfelt album opens on the throaty, infectious guitar twang of Heart of Stone and a track that describes the lingering hold a self-destructive relationship can have, even years after it’s over, the emphatically upbeat rocker Even When and backs those up seamlessly with their brand of old rolling country harmonies on the twangy guitar passages within Die Right Now and the free flowing hipsway of the cheatin’ song Caught (featuring writer Dale Watson and Asleep At The Wheel’s Katie Shore on fiddle).

Next up is the thigh slapper I Don’t Like The Liquor (written by their friend Anders Thomson) and the gently frenetic melodies of Road Worn which are in turn followed by the train track vibrancy of the brilliantly titled Bat Shit Crazy, the lonesome ode of a break up within When I’m Gone (featuring Austin’s newest rising star, Johnny McGowan) is up next, the album rounding out with the accelerated rhythms of Roll That Chain, coming to a righteous close on the acoustic, bare-boned and raw Ode To The Animals.

The duo produce, book and manage themselves and love being on the road. This strong and dedicated indie work ethic has led to touring 200 days per year (pre-pandemic), 100,000 All Time streams on Spotify, several awards and Kira being sought after by a huge booking agency for her touring and routing skills.

As the world continues to open up, so will The Waymores live schedule.

The proof is in the pudding, or should we say the touring vehicle: “Some people assume it’s hard touring together as a couple and living out of a van for more than half the year. It’s not for us. If we’re home too long, we start to get snippy with each other. Once we’re on the road, life is blissful. He’s my best friend and I’m truly honored to be working alongside him.”

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