ABOUT US
L to R: Peter Anderson, Noah Neumann, Maygen Lacey, Nik Pellinen, Jesse Moravec, Chase Rabideau - Photo by Wolfskull Creative
The past few years have been quite a stir for the Minnesota progressive folk-rock-country sextet Maygen & The Birdwatcher. In late 2021 they released their debut full-length album, Moonshine – (which Americana UK wrote is “stunning”) – earning them Midwest Country Music Awards for Album of the Year and Americana Artist of the Year) and landed opportunities to join festival stages with bands like Old Crow Medicine Show, Paul Cauthen, Grace Potter, and even support a childhood favorite, Travis Tritt.
They continued the momentum in late 2022, releasing Moonshine’s companion EP, with the “lively and charming” (Adventures in Americana) Bootleggin’ At The Flower Shoppe. With Maygen & The Birdwatcher taking home wins for the 2023 Album of the Year and Americana Artist of the Year at the Midwest Country Music Organization’s annual awards for Bootleggin’ At The Flower Shoppe.
The Americana band adventurously blurs the sounds of country, bluegrass, folk, and blues. Lead singers Maygen Lacey, and Noah Neumann intentionally work to draw on their vastly different musical influences and vocal styles to bring a fresh and unexpected mix of songs to light. From beauty to grit, sadness to silliness, the common thread is that this crew loves music, and playing it together, and it shows.
This past October, Maygen & The Birdwatcher hosted and curated the inaugural Amerigrass Fest at The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge in Minneapolis. Maygen Lacey cherishes the special community of musical artists in the Midwest, and looks forward to celebrating what each genre, and fusion of genres can bring about at the new event Amerigrass Fest – “We are big fans of collaboration and love to play with the bands we share the stage with. Music is our love language and we’re very excited to play Amerigrass with the talented array of artists.”
In late 2023, Maygen & The Birdwatcher teamed up with the South Dakota Grasslands Coalition, a non-profit organization to help save North America’s most threatened ecosystem: its native grasslands. Together, they released an original song and music video, titled “Where Good Things Grow,” that they hope will raise public awareness regarding the importance of grassland ecosystems and generate support for programs and activities to encourage farmers, ranchers and state officials to develop programs and policies that preserve and restore the health of North America’s grasslands.
Maygen & The Birdwatcher are currently working on their next studio project with acclaimed producer, artist and guitarist-extraordinaire, Erik Koskinen, due out Spring 2024.
PRESS
“…With one highlight after another, Moonshine is a stunning album.” —Americana UK
“Maygen & The Birdwatcher have it going on, offering alluring vocals, tight rhythms, and fulgent streams of marvelous Americana.” —Guitar Girl Magazine
“[Maygen & The Birdwatcher] is capable of going full-on country as well as mastering a variety of other Americana sounds.” —Adventures in Americana
“‘Where Good Things Grow' covers carefully tending life and its pitfalls and joys to open up to bigger things where we reap what we sow. It’s lush and orchestral, yet still soft and absent enough to hold your thoughts.” —Mpls St Paul Magazine
“…The first thing that struck me was that although their songs were clearly well crafted, there was something so organic about everything happening on stage. Something about their performance made it feel so freeing. I’m already craving another night spent with this gorgeous band and their very down-to-earth and calming yet energizing aura.” —Girl At The Rock Shows
“Where Good Things Grow’ is a beautiful folk-fueled ballad chock full of classic acoustic guitar rhythms and stunning fiddle melodies, bolstered by lead singer Maygen Lacey’s rich vocals. Lines like “Take care of the land / It’ll take care of you / Tend to its roots / It’ll tend to yours too,” offer a simple reminder and message to the listener, and they’re delivered in a way that is both resonating and pleading.” —Music Mecca
ACCOLADES
2024 Midwest Country Music Organization Entertainer of the Year Nominee
2024 Midwest Country Music Organization Video of the Year Nominee for Where Good Things Grow
2023 In studio session at Radio Heartland with host, Mike Pengra.
2022 Midwest Country Music Organization Americana Artist of the Year Winner
2022 Midwest Country Music Organization Album of the Year Winner for Bootleggin’ At The Flower Shoppe
2021 Midwest Country Music Organization Americana Artist of the Year Winner
2021 Midwest Country Music Organization Album of the Year Winner for Moonshine
2021 Midwest Country Music Organization Female Vocalist of the Year Nominee
Minneapolis Public Radio, The Current 89.3FM featured Maygen & The Birdwatcher as a Minneapolis band to meet in 2021 and debuted their music video for “Dominé.”