When Mike and Ruthy Ungar Merenda married, so too did music and family.
The recording of the folk duo's first release was a wedding present from producer Jose Ayerve. The album's title, “The Honeymoon Agenda,” perfectly captures the priority of its completion for the newlyweds.
The two first met in New York City in 1999. After friends introduced them, Mike and Ruthy each shifted their interests from theater to playing music together.
“We've been making it work ever since,” Mike said.
“Honeymoon Agenda” was the fullest collection of love songs to date for Mike and Ruthy, who often use their string-based sound and harmonic vocals in service of topical songs. “Alone on the Homestead” protests the ban on publishing photos of killed U.S. soldiers' flag-draped caskets coming home from Iraq, and “Bush Boys” “names names and points fingers,” Mike said.
“Agenda” selections such as “All the Time” and “For This Love” find Mike and Ruthy singing with eyes turned toward each other.
“It's impossible to ignore some of the really horrible stuff going on in the world, but there's a brighter side,” Mike said. “The challenge is putting together a program that's demonstrative of the whole human experience and not too much of one thing.”
Several of the songs Mike and Ruthy will perform at the Morgan Opera House this weekend will be pulled from other projects. The two toured folk festivals in Australia, Europe and the United States with the Mammals, and each has released several albums of solo material.
“They all interweave into a tapestry of Americana,” Mike said.
No matter its origin, each song is performed with only the duo's instruments to create an intimate atmosphere. Mike credits Ruthy's talents as a source of the harmonic strength of the duo.
“I'm lucky as a songwriter to have someone that can play those parts,” he said.
Having recently welcomed a child into their family, Mike and Ruthy - who live in Woodstock - are scaling back their full-time touring schedule to permit them more time at home. By already recording their next album at home, Mike and Ruthy are balancing out their union of family and music.
“We're lucky enough to be doing it full time,” Mike said.
David Wilcox
253-5311 ext. 245
david.wilcox@lee.net
Mike and Ruthy's songs in Mike's own words
“All the Time” - “This was written before we got married. It tells the story of Mike and Ruthy.”
“For This Love” - “It's about the struggle and effort that has to be put into keeping a relationship going healthy and strong.”
“Something's Got a Hold on Me” (by Etta James) - “This is a real show stopper we've been doing pretty regularly.”
“I'm Going to Get My Baby Out of Jail” - “It's a political song that's not so polarizing. It's about the civil rights movement, and how important it is to speak out about a cause and even go to jail for it. It's romantic to have someone to bail you out and pace around the room while you're gone.
If you go.
What: Mike and Ruthy
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13
Where: Morgan Opera House, 370 Main St., Aurora
Cost: $10 adults, $8 students/seniors and $5 children
Info: Call 364-5437
The two first met in New York City in 1999. After friends introduced them, Mike and Ruthy each shifted their interests from theater to playing music together.
“We've been making it work ever since,” Mike said.
“Honeymoon Agenda” was the fullest collection of love songs to date for Mike and Ruthy, who often use their string-based sound and harmonic vocals in service of topical songs. “Alone on the Homestead” protests the ban on publishing photos of killed U.S. soldiers' flag-draped caskets coming home from Iraq, and “Bush Boys” “names names and points fingers,” Mike said.
“Agenda” selections such as “All the Time” and “For This Love” find Mike and Ruthy singing with eyes turned toward each other.
“It's impossible to ignore some of the really horrible stuff going on in the world, but there's a brighter side,” Mike said. “The challenge is putting together a program that's demonstrative of the whole human experience and not too much of one thing.”
Several of the songs Mike and Ruthy will perform at the Morgan Opera House this weekend will be pulled from other projects. The two toured folk festivals in Australia, Europe and the United States with the Mammals, and each has released several albums of solo material.
“They all interweave into a tapestry of Americana,” Mike said.
No matter its origin, each song is performed with only the duo's instruments to create an intimate atmosphere. Mike credits Ruthy's talents as a source of the harmonic strength of the duo.
“I'm lucky as a songwriter to have someone that can play those parts,” he said.
Having recently welcomed a child into their family, Mike and Ruthy - who live in Woodstock - are scaling back their full-time touring schedule to permit them more time at home. By already recording their next album at home, Mike and Ruthy are balancing out their union of family and music.
“We're lucky enough to be doing it full time,” Mike said.
David Wilcox
253-5311 ext. 245
david.wilcox@lee.net
Mike and Ruthy's songs in Mike's own words
“All the Time” - “This was written before we got married. It tells the story of Mike and Ruthy.”
“For This Love” - “It's about the struggle and effort that has to be put into keeping a relationship going healthy and strong.”
“Something's Got a Hold on Me” (by Etta James) - “This is a real show stopper we've been doing pretty regularly.”
“I'm Going to Get My Baby Out of Jail” - “It's a political song that's not so polarizing. It's about the civil rights movement, and how important it is to speak out about a cause and even go to jail for it. It's romantic to have someone to bail you out and pace around the room while you're gone.
If you go.
What: Mike and Ruthy
When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13
Where: Morgan Opera House, 370 Main St., Aurora
Cost: $10 adults, $8 students/seniors and $5 children
Info: Call 364-5437
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