An enduring friendship between Greensboro-based singer/songwriter Laurelyn Dossett and Winston-Salem author Candide Jones sparked the creation of a joint work that brings together music, literature, and art in a message of beauty and reassurance. Dossett’s newest album, Lullabies and Leave-Takings, was inspired by Jones’s children’s book with Hillsborough artist Steve Emery, In the Tree Top: A New Lullaby — a new, positive spin on the nursery rhyme “Rock-a-bye Baby.” Jones’s lyrical text evokes a sense not only of calm, but also of wonder at the hidden images within each watercolor illustration by Emery. The collaboration between Jones and Emery prompted Dossett to create her own ode to lullabies, updating familiar rhymes and forming them into her signature folk-tinged ballads. The songs feature guitar, banjo, mandolin, the sounds of nature, and, rising above it all, Dossett’s soothing voice.
In the Tree Top: A New Lullaby by Candide Jones, with illustrations by Steve Emery (Black Dog Cottage Publishing, 2015).
Lullabies and Leave-Takings, Laurelyn Dossett (Sycamore Road, 2015).
When it comes to spreading holiday cheer, the residents of this Chatham County town start early.
Our editor in chief shares a few treasured memories from her childhood home, a Christmas Eve night being one of the very first.
We took some, ahem, creative liberties when we combed through Our State’s archives to find a few favorite stories that carry the tune of a Christmas classic.
From decades-old family recipes to a centuries-old Carolina cookie, we’re filling our holiday tables with dishes that have stood the test of time.
