COURTESY QUEBE SISTERS
on a gimmick, Grace says. “From here on, we’re viewing our music through the lens of, ‘Is this something that’s actually going to be worth listening to when we’re dead and gone?’” For the Quebes, the quest to come into their own as independent, adult musicians is made only more daunting by the fact that only recently have they taken full creative control of their act. Until 2013, the sisters had been following the lead of their band leader and longtime fiddle instructor, Joey McKenzie. It was McKenzie who’d
down. “If anything, I think we’re touring more now than we ever have,” Sophia says. “With every show we’re finding new ways to challenge ourselves and mature as players.” While the band’s basic setup — three fiddles backed by guitar and stand-up bass — has remained static through the years, that’s not to say their sound has. Looking to break free of their vintage Western swing image, the sisters have recently taken steps to redefine their sound in a more modern, Americana style. “As a grown child star, you can’t rely
noticed the potential in the three sisters, and trained them in the vintage Western swing style. “As the one with more experience,” Sophia explains, “Joey was the one picking the sort of tunes we played.” Though forever indebted to Mckenzie’s teachings, the sisters have found their vintage label a tough one to shake. “We’ll read articles trying to pigeonhole us into the nostalgia box,” Hulda says, “which is frustrating because that sort of reputation can limit an artist from playing
a major festival like Coachella — if they don’t think you’ll fit into their more modern lineup.” Since parting ways with their mentor and longtime guitar player in 2013, life for the sisters has, understandably, shifted dramatically. “It felt like jumping off a cliff, professionally and creatively,” Hulda says. “Everything is up to us now; this is purely our own creative endeavor. Even though I’ve done this my entire life, the past few years have felt brand new.” Taking full advantage of their newfound freedom, the sisters have begun making a variety of changes to their act — the most noteworthy being the new angle from which they’re approaching their music. “It’s an intense study of feel, rhythm and emotion,” Hulda adds. “When we were younger, we focused on the technical aspect of performing music, but as we’ve grown we’ve realized it’s really the emotion that defines the craft. That raw feeling is what transcends genres, getting you out of the boxes people want to put you in.” While years of practice have left their technical skills as honed and polished as can be, the Quebes are now coming to find that conveying new levels of musical emotion is an entirely different ball game. “It’s been a challenge,” Grace allows. “Our rehearsals are now turning into full-on conversations about music. We’ll tape all our shows and listen back. If we find we’re not conveying a certain feeling correctly, we’ll go find a record that does — to get to the core of what about it speaks to listeners.” In addition to shifting their approach to playing music, the sisters have sought to separate their current work from their past in another important way — by writing and performing their own original songs. Any Quebe fan will understand the true weight of this undertaking; for the majority of their professional lives, the group’s set lists have consisted solely of cover songs (albeit with the Quebes’ own unique arrangements and flair). Leading the band into this uncharted territory is the middle sister, Sophia. “Songwriting has always been an interest,” she explains, “but only recently did I have the courage to put one of my songs SUM M E R 2 0 1 8
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