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Popular Husband-And-Wife Folk Duo Chatham Rabbits Headline Songbirds

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Returning to Chattanooga for the first time since 2023 is the American folk group Chatham Rabbits, composed of husband-and-wife duo Sarah and Austin McCombie, hailing from North Carolina.

The duo will be performing on Wednesday, October 29th, at Songbirds.

The band’s name originates in part from the county that Sarah grew up in, Chatham, where wild, massive rabbits were sold and hunted. Ultimately, Sarah and Austin found out that they had bought a home in the village of Bynum, where the former husband in the home was a string player for a band called the Chatham Rabbit String Band.

From there, the name was born, and they have gone on to create beautiful folk music that is rooted deeply in tradition, heritage, and storytelling.

While the McCombies started playing and creating music together in early 2013, they did not officially hit the scene until 2018, following a period where they had tried music on as a hobby before ultimately transitioning to it full-time.

Their music is often conversational and quite profound in its lyricism, while the melodies drift from a traditional folk sound to a more Americana, roots soundscape. Their songs reflect themes of deep Southern storytelling, drawing on personal stories and focusing on relationships and family.

One of their hit songs, “Chattanooga,” is actually not about either musician or the city, but instead about a friend of Sarah’s who lived in Hamilton County.

“Our song “Chattanooga” is a funny one because the city actually has very little to do with me personally and is actually a reference to a former friend who used to hang around Hamilton County. People always ask me about my connection to the city, and I have to sheepishly tell them that I don’t really have one. Singing “Chattanooga” in the namesake city is certainly surreal because faces light up in the audience and listeners tune in with an intensity. I love seeing it happen in real time.” Sarah mentioned.

In talking to The Pulse about her and Austin’s latest album and how their songwriting has evolved over the last decade or so, Sarah suggested that it has everything to do with challenging themselves to write about their own personal lives and explore that in the music.

“Much like our relationship maturing, our songwriting has as well. We challenged ourselves to write about ourselves, something we haven’t done very freely in the past. It is easier and more comfortable to write about places, other people, and general themes. It’s another to dig into things that hurt your feelings or make you feel insecure. Also, I have to say this album is so meaningful to us because we are genuinely so thrilled with how it turned out.”

When discussing how their relationship has evolved over time, both personally and professionally, Sarah mentioned that their process is much more collaborative now that they’ve had these years to work together.

“Making music together now is more collaborative because we understand each other’s strength better than when we started Chatham Rabbits. We are willing to ask for help from the other person and also know when it’s our turn to take the lead. We used to not share songs with each other until they were finished, and now we feel vulnerable enough to engage the other person when the ideas are still in their infancy.”

Their fourth studio album, released in February of this year and titled Be Real With Me, is a triumph in songwriting and a true evolution of their classic folk sound, recorded over two years at Small Pond Farm in Pittsboro, North Carolina. When discussing the record, Sarah mentioned it’s an album she is immensely proud of and listens to all the time.

“We approach songwriting certainly more like storytellers and less like musicians. We want to create connections between people by using words and melodies to evoke an emotion or build an image. The music somehow always comes to us too, but it’s the storytelling that we focus on and feel like is our strength. This is a little cringey to admit, but I listen to this album all of the time. It holds up so well from a listener's perspective, and I’m so happy we made something that we want to listen to ourselves.”

When discussing coming back to perform in Chattanooga for a third time, Sarah suggested that she is thrilled to bring a show full of positivity, humor, and connection.

“Our shows are lighthearted and full of positive energy. We want people to feel seen and engaged with, and a part of our community. If you like roots music, humor, and connection, you’ll find your place at our show. It’s a fun time, and we’re so thrilled to be rolling back through Chattanooga.”

Chatham Rabbits