The Ragbirds

Hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, The Ragbirds function as a progressive folk quintet. Multi-instrumentalist Erin Zindle leads the ensemble as its chief songwriter and vocalist, her pieces revealing influences drawn from Eastern European, Irish, and American folk alongside reggae, rock, and blues, while also containing the customary ingredients of pop, country, and bluegrass. In addition to electric bass and guitar, the musicians deploy an assortment of traditional folk tools such as fiddle, banjo, accordion, and percussion originating from African and Middle Eastern traditions. Their debut release, Yes Nearby, appeared in 2005, assembled chiefly by Zindle and drummer Randall Moore before the Ragbirds developed into a touring five-piece marked by rotating membership. Zindle and Moore wed in 2006 and subsequently delivered the albums Wanderlove and Finally Almost Ready in 2008 and 2009. During the intervening years the group maintained a busy touring schedule that included sets at Michigan's Rothbury Music Festival and New York's CMJ Music Festival. Travelin' Machine surfaced in 2012, with the live album We Belong to the Love following a year later. Early in 2015 the band entered the studio with producer Jamie Candiloro (Ryan Adams, Ed Kowalczyk) to record its fifth studio album, Threshold & the Hearth, which Rock Ridge Music released in 2016.