Dan and Faith Senie, a captivating husband-and-wife duo hailing from New Hampshire, weave intricate tapestries of sound that they fondly describe as dream-inspired folk. Their music, a blend of Daniel’s deft guitar, banjo, harmonica, and vocal work, and Faith’s enchanting mandolin, acoustic bass guitar, ukulele, mountain dulcimer, and harmonies, draws deeply from the well of dreams and the everyday, crafting stories of real and imagined people and places.

With five studio CDs, a live EP, and a handful of singles under their belts, they've honed a sound that feels both timeless and deeply personal. In this interview, we dig into their latest album, ‘Who We Are’, exploring their creative process, the influences that shaped their music, and the powerful messages woven into their songs.

Lovely to speak with you both today, thank you for stopping by. When did you first start making music? Where did it all begin, and what inspired you?

“We both sang in high school. Faith was in her high school chorus as a singer, and then as the piano accompanist for two years. Dan was in as many as five choruses at one time, including the 350-voice All City Chorus in New York City and its smaller subset, the 50-voice Concert Choir. In college, there was no time to do music, so we both set it aside for careers in tech. In our early 40s, we discovered modern folk music through satellite radio (FolkTown on Sirius Radio), which inspired us to return to the music we loved, and led us to start writing, performing, and recording original songs.”

“Our inspiration comes from the music we grew up with, including Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Simon & Garfunkel, The Kingston Trio, and so many other acts of the folk revival era of the 1960s and 1970s. We were lucky enough to have mentors like Pete & Maura Kennedy, Kate Campbell, and Cliff Eberhardt to guide us as we grew our songwriting skills.”

Can you tell us a bit about your latest release and what it means to you?

“’Who We Are’ is our fifth studio album. The songs on ‘Who We Are’ are ones we feel vested in, and that mean a great deal to us personally. The album title comes from a lyric in the song ‘Love Is The Song’, but it also fits how we feel about the music — this truly reflects who we are and what we value. From very personal (‘Ghosts’, ‘Thanks For The Memories’, ‘Dance Izzy Dance’, ‘Brittle Bones’), to topical (‘My Name Is George’, ‘Se Llama Juanita’, ‘Dig A Hole’), to reflective (‘Twilight Time In The Meadow’, ‘Another Round Of Insomnia’), to just plain fun (‘Let’s Go For A Ride’, ‘You Won’t Leave Hungry Today’) and everywhere in between, we do our best to take our listeners on an emotional ride and leave them with hope.”

You’ve spoken about some of the artists that first inspired you, and the layers in the album, but were there any artists, moments, or experiences that influenced you when writing the release?

“Our producer, Joe Jencks, was a huge influence on this album. Joe has been a friend for many years. His solo career on the folk circuit spans 25 years, and he was one of the three members of the acclaimed folk trio Brother Sun. Our previous album, ‘Then And Now’, was self-produced, and we were looking for some guidance on our next project. We approached Joe at a point where he was just getting back on the road post-Covid, and he had the time in his schedule to work with us. He spent a week with us in April, 2023, during which we worked 8 days, 10 hours a day, playing through song candidates. After the first few days, we started polishing the top 18-20 songs on the list, tightening up lyrics, doing some additional arranging, etc”

“On two of the songs, ‘Se Llama Juanita’ and ‘I Want To Sing About Love’, his input was substantive enough that he earned co-write credit. By the end of the week, we had narrowed the list down to 17 songs. Throughout the process, Joe gave suggestions on improving our own tracks, what other instruments (if any) should be considered on various songs, and what other musicians would be good candidates to play those other instruments. In the mixing studio, his input with our engineer was invaluable for polishing the final mixes.”

What was your songwriting process for the release? How did it all come together?

“The majority of the songs on this latest album are based on song prompts. A song prompt is a word or a phrase that we use to elicit ideas for writing. Sometimes a prompt gives us an immediate idea of exactly what we want to write about, and sometimes it’s a challenge to come up with a direction. The title of our featured single, ‘My Name Is George’, was the song prompt for that song. Faith used that phrase to brainstorm ideas on where to go with it. A possible following line sprang to mind: “No one knows.” Why wouldn’t other people know what George’s name was? What were they calling him? And from there, the story of a trans boy unfolded.”

“We do the vast majority of our songwriting separately; we have Dan songs and Faith songs. Once one of us has a song drafted, we work through it together to figure out how to approach it as a duo. Is only one of us singing, or both? Do we swap verses, or is one of us singing them all? If harmonies are desired, where do they go? What instruments best support the story? For ‘My Name Is George’, it was clear that this should be a duet, with Faith singing the boy’s story and Dan singing as the boy’s father. In the process of working through the song, we changed the ending; the original draft did not have a happy ending, and we wanted it to model a positive outcome. When it came time to record the album, we workshopped a lot of songs with our producer, Joe Jencks, to get his feedback on what songs would be reasonable candidates. ‘My Name Is George’ was definitely high on that list!”

“We tweaked the lyrics a bit more with his assistance, both for ease of singing and to tighten the narrative. At recording time, we also consider what instruments will be played on the recording. How we perform a song live does not necessarily define how it will be recorded. Live, the instrumental solo in this song is done on the ukulele. We only recorded the ukulele solo to use in sending out demo recordings until we had the album complete, as we assumed we would replace it with another instrument. Once we were doing the mixing, the clarinet solo alone wasn’t quite the right fit, but adding in the ukulele solo with it worked surprisingly well. The interweaving of the ukulele and clarinet provides the first taste of the evolving conversation between the boy and his father.”

“Similar conversations happened for all of the songs on the album. What is a good tempo for the song? What instruments should we play? What other instrumentation would fit the song, if any? Once all of the tracks were complete, were there any that just didn’t fit the overall vibe, and should be shelved? What order should the songs appear on the album? It took us 16 months from our initial song workshopping with Joe to complete the audio recording, but all the listening and re-listening and talking through next steps helped turn the album into one we are all proud of.”

How would you describe the sound on your latest release? Has there been a change or evolution in style since you first began?

“Friends describe us as sounding like we just walked out of a 1960s coffee house in Greenwich Village, but with topics relevant to today. We grew up with the stripped-down folk acoustic sound of the late 1960s and early 1970s, with songs that tell stories, and speak to the struggles and triumphs of the times. Our duo harmony vocals are the foundation of everything we do, supported by fingerpicked guitar, old-timey banjo, mountain dulcimer, ukulele, acoustic bass or mandolin. For our recordings, we do invite friends to contribute, but are careful to retain the stripped-down sound we love. Adding a fiddle here or there, an Irish bouzouki, cello, or glockenspiel can help tell the story of a song without taking away from who we are, and what we do live.”

Is there a central message or theme you were trying to convey in your latest release? Is there a moment in the release that really captures that idea?

“The central message is love. Love each other. Love your children. Love people where they are. My Name Is George has a message of unconditional love and exemplifies the theme of the album. ‘Love Is The Song’ drives this home. There’s far more that unites us in this world than divides, and our goal is to lift spirits, bring hope, and spread understanding.”

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations as an artist? Where do you see yourself in the next few years, both musically and personally?

“As we play shows and festivals, small and large, our goal is to connect with people, share our stories, and listen to theirs. We will continue to travel and play our music, and explore the places we travel to. That last point is important. For us, we want to see the places, meet the people and hear the stories wherever we go. That’s what makes it all worthwhile.”

What's next after this release? Do you have any new releases or shows on the horizon?

“We have many songs waiting to be developed further for recording and performance. For the last three years, we’ve participated in February Album Writing Month, a worldwide project in which the goal is to write 14 songs in the 28 days of February. As we write separately, we have quite a collection of material to work through. There are highly topical songs, humour songs, melancholy songs and sweet songs all waiting for their chance to shine. When we have time in our home studio between tours, we have been working on demos of some of these songs. Expect our next release to include many of these works.”

What sort of reception have you had to your latest release? Are there any memorable moments that stand out?

“We have been really pleased with the response to this album. The response to the songs that tell heavier subjects has been particularly gratifying. When we sing ‘My Name Is George’, we have folks come talk to us afterward to tell us about their trans child, grandchild, cousin or friend, and thank us for bringing such a story to life. After singing ‘Se Llama Juanita’ (an asylum seeker’s tale), we have had folks who work with the immigrant community come up, in tears, to tell us how much it meant. And when we sing ‘Let’s Go For A Ride’ (a dog’s perspective on road trips) the audience erupts with laughter. Each song, even those that are most personal to us, touches others’ lives.”

Is there anything you would like to say to our audience? How can they connect with you and help support you?

“We thank you for reading about us and our journey. Please do connect with our music on streaming media, on our website, and by asking local radio stations to give our music a spin. If you like what you hear, tell a friend. We have not toured in Australia, but would be delighted to do so!”

From high school choruses to rekindled passions in their 40s, Dan and Faith's musical journey is a testament to the enduring power of folk. Their latest release, ‘Who We Are’, is a deeply personal collection of songs that reflects their values and experiences, from the poignant ‘My Name Is George’ to the reflective ‘Twilight Time In The Meadow’. The album, produced by Joe Jencks, showcases their ability to take listeners on an emotional journey, leaving them with a sense of hope and understanding.

Their commitment to connection and storytelling is palpable, and they hope their music continues to resonate with listeners, sparking conversations and fostering empathy. To join Dan and Faith in their journey, be sure to follow them on Facebook and X.