August 18, 2015
It is said the deeper a tree’s roots run, the taller it can grow. For siblings Erika, Rachel, and Chloe Tietjen of the T SISTERS, their roots as songwriters are buried in a narrative of family and sisterhood.California born and raised, and now based in Oakland, the Tietjens have been singing together their whole lives. “We sang together when we were little, making up songs and writing plays together in the attic of our grandparents’ house,” says the trio. “Our parents were dancers and our father is a musician, so rhythm and movement were a constant backdrop for our experience of music.” Staging original musical theater productions together in college inspired Erika, Rachel and Chloe to write and arrange their own music, leading to the T Sisters. The three sisters accompany themselves on guitar, banjo, and percussion, and are joined by upright bassist Steve Height and guitarist/mandolinist Andrew Allen Fahlander. The addition of these talented fellows to the band have provided a grounding and depth to the music as well as a nice counter-balance to the feminine-forward nature of the band. The sisters captivate audiences with close harmonies, inventive arrangements, and plenty of sass. When performing their lively set of originals and covers—sometimes in arresting a cappella—they call to mind classic girl groups: from The Andrews Sisters and The Ronettes to The Roches and the Dixie Chicks. Touching on elements of folk, Americana, gospel, R&B, bluegrass and soul, the T Sisters weave evocative stories with a sound that is at once modern and timeless.
