MEMBER FOCUS: Lauren & Daniel Goans of Lowland Hum
FIVE DAYS AFTER RECORDING THEIR SIXTH ALBUM, a tornado ripped through Lauren and Daniel Goans’ neighborhood, the strong winds knocking down a tree that smashed into their recording studio rendering it unusable. Already the husband-wife duo of hush folk band, Lowland Hum, were adjusting to a significant lifestyle shift having spent the past nine years on the road, touring across the US and internationally with the likes of Josh Ritter, Penny & Sparrow, Jesca Hoop, and The Oh Hellos. With the pandemic at large, their scheduled concert tours came to a halt. Cancelled and postponed shows meant a loss of income for the two full-time musicians who are expecting their firstborn the week of Christmas. The destruction of their studio from August’s tornadoes added an extra layer of financial stress on top of shelter-in-place mandates and global uncertainty. With the help of their fans and the community, they cobbled together a deductible and filed a claim to their insurance company. They soon, however, received yet another bombshell.
“They denied our claim saying that they assumed the studio was for hobby use and we should have had a business policy,” the Goans wrote on their Instagram. Despite appealing, the insurance company did not budge. Bootstrapped, the Goans launched a GoFundMe campaign (that expires at midnight on December 4) to help them repair their studio, release their new album, and support them during maternity and paternity leave. Being able to take pause to recuperate after birth is virtually nonexistent for two self-employed individuals, much less ones who are actively trying to save in order to rebuild their source of livelihood. When fans caught wind of what the Goans have been going through, they took to action, donating and re-tagging the company to hold them accountable. As a silver-linings kind of person, Lauren says, “I must say it was surprising and empowering to see that just a few of us ‘little’ people bringing some public transparency to the situation could cause a big corporation to be suddenly more interested in resolution.”
Although no resolution has yet been made with their claim, the Goans maintain a profound sense of patience, grace, and even humor. “It has been a year!” they start off saying, bringing levity to an otherwise very difficult predicament. Neither their personal hardships nor the global shutdown has not stopped them from creating; in fact, it has inspired an even deeper intimacy and honesty to their songwriting. On their new album (catch a preview on their GoFundMe video), they reflect on their recent experiences of hunkering down after years of being on the go. “We've realized we have a lot to learn about being in one place for longer than a few weeks at a time, from very basic things like meal planning, to more complex things like being a more regular part of a community.” Amid the backdrop of 2020’s geopolitical turbulence, their underlying message of slowing down, turning inward, and finding connection is a welcome reprieve.
“I think for so many people there is this constant layer being processed in the background (and often the foreground, too) of concerns relating to the pandemic and the divisive cultural-political moment our country is in. Even if we are just going about our days, I think our minds and bodies are working extra hard to process that stuff. It seems really important that we all be kind to ourselves when we feel inexplicably tired, anxious or overwhelmed. Even if we aren't on the front lines fighting these various ills, they are taking a toll. There is a lot on the album about the real need for kindness, grace, friendship in these times of weakness and exhaustion. There is also a lot about accepting and embracing change, as we've got a third family member on the way!”
Embracing change is part of their mantra. Over a decade ago, the Goans met in their hometown in North Carolina. Daniel, already a full-time musician, returned home after seven years in Nashville and connected with Lauren through mutual friends. “It was a magical time,” she states. Lauren had always been interested in music but “as a relatively shy person, I never got up the courage to do anything with it until Daniel asked me to sing some harmonies on a solo album he was working on back in 2010.” Their relationship bloomed. By 2012, the two married and formed Lowland Hum. The newlyweds released their debut album, Native Air, in 2013 and haven’t stopped making music since. In total, the Goans have produced four EPs and five full-length albums, which have garnered critical acclaim from NPR, the Washington Post, American Songwriter, the Wall Street Journal, and more. Currently, Lauren and Daniel have their sixth album waiting in the wings. Because their touring has temporarily stopped, part of the funds from their GoFundMe campaign will help cover costs for the final steps of production, marketing, and distribution.
Now more than ever, their trademark sound of spacious stillness (see their #supportquietmusic movement) is needed in the din of daily news and digital noise. Robin Hilton of NPR’s “All Songs Considered” described Lowland Hum and their vibe to a T when he said, “If you love sublimely beautiful two-part harmonies, you’re not going to do better than this band.” In spite of all their hardship this past year, the Goans still manage to find music, harmony, and hope in their daily lives. As they look toward rebuilding their studio, Lauren and Daniel are also looking toward greeting their little one in late December. “We are hoping to teach them gentleness and compassionate listening. [We] really want them to grasp as early on as possible that everyone is on a growth journey, no matter their age, and makes mistakes, needs forgiveness and can change.”
*Consider making a donation to support our friends the Goans and their growing family on their GoFundMe page.