The Felice Brothers

Born in and around Palenville in the Catskills north of New York State, The Felice Brothers formed in the mid-2000s around brothers Ian, James and Simone Felice. They first made a name for themselves busking in Manhattan subway stations, notably around 42nd Street and Union Square. Their music blends folk rock, country rock, Americana and roots rock, characterized by a deliberately rough sound, prominent keyboards and accordions, and songwriting that draws as much from traditional balladry as from American rock. The Felice Brothers released Through These Reins and Gone in 2006, Tonight at the Arizona in 2007, a self-titled album in 2008 and Yonder Is the Clock in 2009. After Simone Felice’s departure that same year, the band continued around Ian and James Felice, occasionally broadening their palette—most notably on Celebration, Florida (2011), which embraced rockier, more narrative forms beyond strict folk. Over the years they have played stages such as the Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo and Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble, toured with Bright Eyes and Conor Oberst, and continued to record regularly with Favorite Waitress (2014), Life in the Dark (2016), Undress (2019), From Dreams to Dust (2021), Asylum on the Hill (2023) and Valley of Abandoned Songs (2024).