Singer-Songwriter Duo Ordinary Elephant Release 'Once Upon A Time'

Captivating Singer-Songwriter Duo Ordinary Elephant Release ‘Once Upon A Time’

Today, acclaimed folk duo Ordinary Elephant (husband/wife singer/songwriters (Crystal Hariu-Damore and Pete Damore) release their newest track “Once Upon a Time” from their enchanting self-titled album, out May 3rd. Ordinary Elephant showcases gorgeous harmonies and mesmerizing fretwork that call to mind everything from Gillian Welch and David Rawlings to Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. The duo’s raw, vulnerable songs are permeated by delicate banjo, guitar, and octave mandolin. Watch the panoramic “Once Upon a Time” below.

Watch “Once Upon A Time”

Stream “Once Upon A Time” HERE

Pre-order the album ‘Ordinary Elephant’ HERE

The story of “Once Upon a Time” began as Crystal and Pete had just begun a tour in Australia as the pandemic announced its arrival. After many hours of travel, they finally found themselves at home. They share, “The quiet set in amongst the unknown and the anxiety, and we were suddenly thrust into a new world on our Louisiana back porch. We realize now that in times of intense uncertainty throughout history, we as humans turn to story for comfort, assurance, and direction. We wrote “Once Upon a Time” in the quiet, feeling helpless and scared, and searching for safety and truth.”

Ordinary Elephant was produced by multi-instrumentalist Dirk Powell (Joan Baez, Levon Helm), and recorded in Powell’s studio in Beaux Bridge, Louisiana, on the banks of Bayou Teche. The record itself is a work of profound self-assurance, one delivered by a duo whose personal and professional lives embody the limitless possibility of honest, organic collaboration.

Crystal and Pete’s journeys are interwoven in the lyrics, whether they are contemplating middle age on “Midlife,” choosing sobriety on “I See You” or exploring the process of self-love on “The Prophet.” The carefree song “Joy Has Not Forgotten Me” captures the essence of Ordinary Elephant. Crystal explains “Joy is always there if you’re willing to work for it, and it feels like that notion is at the heart of who we are as a band.”

Ordinary Elephant began in 2014, when Crystal and Pete left established careers to pursue their passion for music, jumping into an RV and hitting the road. After years of touring constantly and building a fanbase, the duo earned the International Folk Music Award for Artist of the Year on the strength of their breakout album Before I Go. They followed up with 2019’s Honest, which the Associated Press hailed as “one of the best Americana albums of the year” and PopMatters called “one of the best folk duo records in recent memory.”

The duo head out on tour on April 5th in Springville, NY. Dates are below and on their website HERE. Their shows, just like themselves, are anything but ordinary; transcendent and intimate, they focus on the magic and beauty hiding in plain sight.

Ordinary Elephant U.S. Tour Dates
April 5 – Springville, NY – Art’s Café with Peter Mulvey
April 6 – Rochester, NY – Café Veritas
April 7 – Albany, NY – The Linda
April 10 – Northampton, MA – The Parlor Room
April 11 – New London, NH – The Flying Goose
April 12 – Putney, VT – Next Stage Arts Project
April 13 – Portsmouth, NH – The Music Hall Lounge
April 14 – Haverhill, NH – Court Street Arts
April 16 – Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
April 20 – Middletown, CT – The Buttonwood Tree
April 21 – Frenchtown, NJ – Frenchtown Bookshop
April 24 – Hillsborough, NC – Eno House Artist’s Den
April 27 – Wilmington, NC – Live at Ted’s
April 28 – Bakersville, NC – House Concert
May 2 – Lewes, DE – The Listening Booth
May 3 – Washington, DC – Lucky Penny House Concert
May 4 – Chester, MD – Macum Creek Concerts
May 5 – Fruitland, MD – Delmarvelous Americana House Concert
May 8 – Roanoke, VA – 3rd Street Coffeehouse
May 11 – Hot Springs, NC – Rare Bird Farm with Tim Easton
May 15 – Columbus, OH – Natalie’s Grandview
May 16 – Marshall, MI – Northfield Mandolins Showroom
May 17 – Lake Orion, MI – 20 Front Street
May 18 – Grand Haven, MI – House of Lyrics
May 30 – Houston, TX – Mucky Duck
May 31 – Austin, TX – 04 Center