The Crane Wives

About

The Crane Wives got their start in a pretty unlikely place: two aspiring solo musicians, Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury, were trying to dodge waiting tables at a Chinese restaurant in Grandville, Michigan, so they started playing weekend sets together instead. They named themselves after The Decemberists album "The Crane Wife", which itself draws from a Japanese folk tale. That Decemberists connection would come full circle later when frontman Colin Meloy spotted their debut CD at NPR and was photographed with it, setting off a wave of fan enthusiasm online. Based in Grand Rapids, the four piece built a reputation on three part vocal harmonies and a sound that pulls from folk, blues, ska, and even heavy metal, standing out in a local scene that leaned heavily toward indie rock. Their discography now spans five studio albums, from Safe Ship, Harbored in 2011 through to Beyond Beyond Beyond in 2024, with a sold out release party at The Intersection in Grand Rapids. Their popularity grew dramatically during the pandemic years, driven largely by their music resurfacing on TikTok and finding a passionate following among queer youth. Petersmark has spoken warmly about that community, saying she felt inspired by the beauty of queer youth finding meaning in the band's music.