Joan Shelley

Kentucky singer/songwriter Joan Shelley has a warm and mellifluous voice which she applies to songs that evoke both American and U.K. folk traditions. With melodies that are often quiet but full of drama, her observant music often bears a dark and bittersweet quality as on releases like 2015's Over and Even and 2019's Like the River Loves the Sea. During her career, she has recorded primarily for the No Quarter label, working with producers like Jeff Tweedy and James Elkington and performing with her husband, guitarist Nathan Salsburg. Shelley's acclaimed ninth album, 2022's The Spur, featured guest collaborators like Meg Baird and Bill Callahan, and was followed in 2024 by the Mood Ring EP. Shelley's seventh album, Real Warmth, appeared in 2025.