This year’s True/False weekend was full of artists from near and far; Folk band Blue-Eyed Mary hailed from very close to home. The two friends, Effie Lillig and Kathryn Myers, started singing and writing music together during their senior year at Hickman High School in Columbia. The duo has continued their musical journey in the last year at Washington University in St. Louis, and recently played at True/False’s Sentinel Park Showcase, a free outdoor concert on Saturday, March 2.

The band was excited, but calm about the show. “This is our first performance, and it’s been pretty chill, pretty laid back,” said Myers.

Lillig elaborates more about the band’s beginnings: “We clicked very immediately. We’ve been friends since middle school, but I don’t know, I think our sounds click incredibly well and our style of writing works really well.” 

Talking to Lillig and Myers, it’s clear to see how they click. Both have short brown hair, wear denim, and sport sandy-colored acoustic guitars, but their similarities extend beyond their appearances. Both have shared interests in writing and the outdoors, and these have led to an ease of songwriting between them, creating a sound that is reminiscent of nature. 

Later on, the two list off the genres and artists that inspire them in rapid succession, almost perfectly in sync:

“Folk, contemporary folk, and indie folk. Joni Mitchell. Big Thief, Adrianne Lenker. First Aid Kit, who we covered, Crosby, Stills, and Nash,The Decemberists, Karen Dalton, Vashti Bunyan. All those people, and various others.”

Weaving together complex vocal harmonies and acoustic guitar, Blue-Eyed Mary entranced listeners at the Sentinel Park Showcase.

Listen to their music here: