{{Short description|Canadian folk music group}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2026}} {{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | name = The Be Good Tanyas | image = Be Good Tanyas 2.JPG | landscape = yes | caption = The Be Good Tanyas in 2006 | origin = Vancouver, Canada | genre = Folk | years_active = {{start date|1999}}–present | label = Nettwerk, Birthday Cake | website = {{URL|begoodtanyas.com}}{{dead link|date=April 2026}} | current_members = * Frazey Ford * Samantha Parton * Trish Klein | past_members = Jolie Holland }}
'''The Be Good Tanyas''' are a Canadian folk music group formed in Vancouver in 1999.<ref name="Hage">{{cite web |last=Hage |first=Erik |title=The Be Good Tanyas – Biography |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-be-good-tanyas-mn0000031969/biography |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170306164856/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-be-good-tanyas-mn0000031969/biography |archive-date=March 6, 2017 |access-date=March 25, 2017 |publisher=AllMusic }}</ref> Their influences include folk, country, and bluegrass. The style of music they perform can be referred to as alt-country or Americana.
==History== The Be Good Tanyas formed in 1999 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Samantha Parton had been living on the road as a tree planter and wandering and making music, when she met Jolie Holland. The two began playing songs, including one called "Be Good Tanya", which had been written by a friend of Holland's. They added a mutual friend, Trish Klein,{{R|McLaughlin}} and Frazey Ford, who had been planting trees with Parton, joined the trio. They went on their first tour, opening for Bill Bourne.{{R|Keyes 2000}} Holland left the band before the release of their debut album, ''Blue Horse'', on which she appears prominently.<ref>{{cite web|author=Erik Hage |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-be-good-tanyas-mn0000031969/biography |title=The Be Good Tanyas | Biography |website=AllMusic |access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref>
In 2000, the Be Good Tanyas embarked on a North American tour that ran from Vancouver to New Orleans, before returning to BC to record ''Blue Horse'', which was released in 2001.{{R|Donahoe 2005}} The record, described as a "simple yet provocative and enchanting collection of tunes", is said, in the same article, to have been recorded in a "run down shack on the outskirts of Vancouver...[which]...provided the perfect home for the Tanyas to spin their charming tales into songs".{{R|Waiser 2001}}
The group's second album, ''Chinatown'', followed in 2003. ''Times Colonist'' noted in a review that the album represented the group's "well-earned...unblemished reputation for interpreting traditional folk songs and penning moving originals".{{R|Good 2003}} Their third album, ''Hello Love'', was released on October 10, 2006, with one critic noting that "Ford's curiously breathy and intimate singing creates an immediate connection with the listener...''[and]''...all the music has a kitchen-porch feel punctuated by the meditative plunk of the mandolin and banjo".{{R|Chamberlain 2006}}
The Tanyas gained US exposure when the Showtime series ''The L Word'' selected one of their songs, "In Spite of All the Damage", for inclusion on its soundtrack. A live version of "In My Time of Dying" was also included in the third episode of the third season, in which Ford was featured as a nun and played the song in the opening sequence. The track "The Littlest Birds" was played during the first season of the Showtime series ''Weeds'' and was included on the soundtrack. The band's music has also featured in the CTV series ''The Eleventh Hour'' and in the film ''Because of Winn-Dixie''. Their cover of Townes Van Zandt's "Waiting Around to Die" was also used in "Bit by a Dead Bee", an episode of AMC's ''Breaking Bad''. Their rendition of "What Are They Doing in Heaven?" was played on the episode "Searchers" of the AMC series ''Hell on Wheels''.<ref name="Music in films and TV">{{Cite web |title=The Be Good Tanyas music featured in movies, TV shows and video games |url=https://www.tunefind.com/artist/the-be-good-tanyas |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220916023745/https://www.tunefind.com/artist/the-be-good-tanyas |archive-date=September 16, 2022 |access-date=September 16, 2022 |website=Tunefind.com }}</ref>
After the release of the first two Be Good Tanyas albums, Klein collaborated with Alison Russell under the band name Po' Girl.<ref name="Klein with Po girl">{{cite web|title=Po' Girl Alternative folk group|url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/po-girl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028211353/https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/po-girl|archive-date=October 28, 2020|website=Encyclopedia.com|access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> The Be Good Tanyas took a break from touring and recording in 2008.<ref name="Vogue">{{Cite web |title=The Be Good Tanyas |url=https://thevogue.com/artists/the-be-good-tanyas-2/#bio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823002703/https://thevogue.com/artists/the-be-good-tanyas-2/#bio |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |access-date=August 23, 2023 |website=Vogue }}</ref>
thumb|right|middle|Samantha Parton and Jolie Holland in Cambridge, England, 2017
In 2010, Frazey Ford released her debut solo album, ''Obadiah'', which featured Klein on guitar. Ford said making the recording allowed her to explore soul music more than she had with the Be Good Tanyas. She also noted that some of the songs reflected her role as a new parent, [and she had enjoyed] "exploring the concepts that are relevant to my life in terms of motherhood and generations".<ref name="NPR">{{Cite web |date=August 13, 2010 |title=Frazey Ford: A Soulful Return With 'Obadiah' |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129162365 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230823002156/https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129162365 |archive-date=August 23, 2023 |access-date=August 12, 2023 |website=NPR }}</ref>
In 2011, it was announced that the Be Good Tanyas would return to performing, beginning with an appearance at the Winnipeg Folk Festival.<ref name="Winnipeg folk festival">{{cite web|url=http://www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca/wp/festival/performers/ |title=Winnipeg Folk Festival 2011 Performer Lineup |publisher=Winnipegfolkfestival.ca |access-date=June 5, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615161645/http://www.winnipegfolkfestival.ca/wp/festival/performers/ |archive-date=June 15, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Devlin |first=Mike |date=February 9, 2012 |title=Tanyas' return fills a folk void |work=Times Colonist |url=https://archive.org/details/tanyas-return-fills-a-folk-void |url-status=live |access-date=August 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230821213549/https://archive.org/details/tanyas-return-fills-a-folk-void |archive-date=August 21, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Official tour dates">{{cite web|url=http://www.begoodtanyas.com/tour |title=Official tour dates |publisher=Begoodtanyas.com |date=June 1, 2012 |access-date=June 5, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120505062428/http://www.begoodtanyas.com/tour |archive-date=May 5, 2012 }}</ref> Following this, the band released a retrospective of their work, ''A Collection'' (2012), which featured selections from previous albums and two new songs.<ref name="Burliuk 2021">{{Cite news |last=Burliuk |first=Greg |date=July 21, 2021 |title=Be Good Vibrations |page=45 |work=The Kingston Whig-Standard |editor-last=Murphy |editor-first=Jan |url=https://archive.org/details/be-good-vibrations |url-status=live|access-date=September 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220917214342/https://archive.org/details/be-good-vibrations |archive-date=September 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> This release saw them touring throughout North America and Europe, including an appearance in San Francisco at the Outside Lands festival.<ref name="Outside Lands 2021">{{Cite magazine |last=Lipshutz |first=Jason |date=July 4, 2022 |title=Outside Lands 2012 Lineup: Stevie Wonder, Metallica, Neil Young Headlining |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/outside-lands-2012-lineup-stevie-wonder-metallica-neil-young-headlining-494090/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220917220734/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/outside-lands-2012-lineup-stevie-wonder-metallica-neil-young-headlining-494090/ |archive-date=September 17, 2022 |access-date=September 18, 2022 |magazine=billboard }}</ref> While there, the band was invited to Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir's studio, TRI Studios, where they recorded three songs.<ref name="Tri studios with Weir">{{Cite web |title=The Be Good Tanyas |url=http://www.begoodtanyas.com/news |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610024112/http://www.begoodtanyas.com/news |archive-date=June 10, 2022 |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=begoodtanyas.com |format=Webcast performance at Bob Weir's Tri Studio }}</ref>
In September 2012, Parton suffered a concussion as a vehicle in which she was a passenger was struck from behind by a pickup truck.<ref name="Patch">{{cite web |title=Campaign started to aid ailing Be Good Tanyas singer Samantha Parton |first=Nick |last=Patch |publisher=The Canadian Press |work=The Vancouver Sun |date=July 24, 2013 |access-date=May 29, 2015 |url=https://vancouversun.com/entertainment/music/Campaign+started+ailing+Good+Tanyas+singer+Samantha/8701351/story.html#ixzz2fNHFmj4k |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016085541/http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/music/Campaign+started+ailing+Good+Tanyas+singer+Samantha/8701351/story.html#ixzz2fNHFmj4k |archive-date=October 16, 2015 }}</ref> Medical procedures on her head during her convalescence revealed an aneurysm behind her left eye as well as a benign tumor. Parton took a leave of absence as the band continued touring North America and Europe in 2013, with fellow Vancouver musician and visual artist Caroline Ballhorn filling in.<ref name="Doole">{{cite news |last=Doole |first=Kerry |title=Being Good to The Be Good Tanyas Member |work=SamaritanMag.com |date=July 24, 2013 |url=http://www.samaritanmag.com/1599/being-good-be-good-tanyas-member |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530025155/http://www.samaritanmag.com/1599/being-good-be-good-tanyas-member |archive-date=May 30, 2015 |access-date=May 29, 2015 }}</ref>
In 2014, Ford released her second solo album, ''Indian Ocean''. It was recorded at the Hi Recording Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, with various members of Al Green's original backing band, the Hi Rhythm Section, and Trish Klein contributing electric guitar on two tracks. ''Indian Ocean'' is described by one reviewer as [striking]..."a fine balance between light and dark, between elegiac, soul-lifting musicality and confessional, soul-baring lyricism".<ref name="Marchand 2014">{{Cite news |last=Marchand |first=Francois |date=December 2, 2014 |title=Riding atop a tidal wave |work=The Vancouver Sun |format=Arts & Life |url=https://archive.org/details/riding-atop-a-tidal-wave |url-status=live |access-date=September 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220917231421/https://archive.org/details/riding-atop-a-tidal-wave |archive-date=September 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Ford toured worldwide in support of ''Indian Ocean'', and in 2019, she announced her third album, ''U Kin B the Sun'', released the following year to critical acclaim.<ref name="Petridis 2020">{{Cite news |last=Petridis |first=Alexis |date=February 6, 2020 |title=Frazey Ford: U Kin B the Sun review – bright shoots from knotted roots of American song |work=The Guardian |format=Album of the week |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/06/frazey-ford-u-kin-b-the-sun-review-arts-and-crafts |url-status=live |access-date=September 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206151147if_/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/06/frazey-ford-u-kin-b-the-sun-review-arts-and-crafts |archive-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Review">{{Cite web |title=Frazey Ford – U Kin B the Sun |url=https://www.killbeatmusic.com/frazeyford/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170637/https://www.killbeatmusic.com/frazeyford/ |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |access-date=September 18, 2022 |website=killbeatmusic.com }}</ref>
In 2016, Parton resumed touring,<ref name="Holland Parton">{{cite web |date=April 27, 2016 |title=Jolie Holland and Samantha Parton (California/British Columbia) |url=http://thefestival.bc.ca/artists/jolie-holland-and-samantha-parton/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161126132413/http://thefestival.bc.ca/artists/jolie-holland-and-samantha-parton/ |archive-date=November 26, 2016 |access-date=November 25, 2016 |publisher=2016 Vancouver Folk Music Festival }}</ref> accompanied by former band member Jolie Holland, and in September 2017, they released their long-awaited album ''Wildflower Blues'', on Cinquefoil Records.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Margasak |first=Peter |date=April 6, 2016 |title=Jolie Holland and Samantha Parton revisit the connection they forged in the Be Good Tanyas |url=https://chicagoreader.com/blogs/jolie-holland-and-samantha-parton-revisit-the-connection-they-forged-in-the-be-good-tanyas/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230821204706/https://chicagoreader.com/blogs/jolie-holland-and-samantha-parton-revisit-the-connection-they-forged-in-the-be-good-tanyas/ |archive-date=August 21, 2023 |access-date=August 22, 2023 |website=Chicago Reader }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jolie Holland and Samantha Parton |url=https://jolieandsamantha.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210203222/https://jolieandsamantha.com/ |archive-date=February 10, 2021 |access-date=March 23, 2020 |website=Jolieandsamantha.com }}</ref>
==Band members== '''Current''' * Frazey Ford – guitar, vocals * Samantha Parton – guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals * Trish Klein – guitar, banjo, vocals
'''Past''' * Jolie Holland
==Discography== '''Albums''' * ''Blue Horse'' (2001) * ''Chinatown'' (2003) * ''Hello Love'' (2006) * ''A Collection (2000–2012)'' (2012)
'''Singles''' {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Single ! Album |- | 2000 | "The Littlest Birds" | ''Blue Horse'' |- | 2003 | "It's Not Happening" | ''Chinatown'' |- | 2006 | "Scattered Leaves" | ''Hello Love'' |}
'''Other contributions''' * ''Live at the World Café: Vol. 15 – Handcrafted'' (2002, World Café) – "The Littlest Birds" * ''107.1 KGSR Radio Austin – Broadcasts Vol. 10'' (2002) – "Light Enough to Travel" * ''Northern Songs: Canada's Best and Brightest'' (2008, Hear Music) – "Ootischenia"
==References== {{Reflist|refs=<ref name="McLaughlin">{{Cite news |last=McLaughlin |first=John P. |date=March 20, 2003 |title=Not finished her wandering |work=The Province |url=https://archive.org/details/tanyas-sound |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220917025027/https://archive.org/details/not-finished-her-wan |archive-date= September 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="Keyes 2000">{{Cite news |last=Keyes |first=Bob |date=April 14, 2000 |title=Bill Bourne a slave to the road |page=53 |work=Argus Leader |location=Souix Falls, South Dakota |url=https://archive.org/details/playing-for-bourne |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220917033454/https://archive.org/details/playing-for-bourne |archive-date=September 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="Donahoe 2005">{{Cite news |last=Donahoe |first=Emily |date=November 17, 2005 |title=Down home sound |page=11 |work=The Independent-Record |location=Helena, Montana |url=https://archive.org/details/down-home-sound |url-status=live |access-date=September 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220915235542/https://archive.org/details/down-home-sound |archive-date=September 15, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="Waiser 2001">{{Cite news |last=Waiser |first=Jessica |date=August 23, 2001 |title=Tanyas' sound evokes feelings of being on the road |work=The Star-Phoenix |publication-place=Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |url=https://archive.org/details/tanyas-sound |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220916025630/https://archive.org/details/tanyas-sound|archive-date=September 16, 2022|access-date=September 16, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="Good 2003">{{Cite news |last=Good |first=Matthew |date=March 11, 2003 |title=The Be Good Tanyas ''Chinatown'' (Nettwerk) |page=17 |work=Times Colonist |location=Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://archive.org/details/cd-review-of-chinatown |url-status=live |access-date=September 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220917035523/https://archive.org/details/cd-review-of-chinatown |archive-date=September 17, 2022|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="Chamberlain 2006">{{Cite news |last=Chamberlain |first=Adrian |date=November 30, 2006 |title=Trio's musical journey gains momentum in U.K. |page=46 |work=Time Colonist |publication-place=Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |url=https://archive.org/details/trios-musical-journey-gains-momentum-in-u.-k. |url-status=live |access-date= September 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220915232024/https://archive.org/details/trios-musical-journey-gains-momentum-in-u.-k. |archive-date=September 15, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> }}
==Further reading== <!-- to be used to replace dead sources and for article expansion --> * {{cite book |last=Holt |first=Fabian |title=Genre in Popular Music |publisher=University of Chicago Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-226-35039-4 |pages=47–48}} * {{cite book |last=Larkin |first=Colin |chapter=Be Good Tanyas |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2011 |isbn=978-0-85712-595-8}} * {{cite journal |last=Loftus |first=Emily |title=The Be Good Tanyas, Down and Dirty |journal=Mother Jones |date=September 12, 2011 |url=https://www.motherjones.com/mixed-media/2011/09/be-good-tanyas-reunion-blue-horse |access-date=May 29, 2015}} * {{cite book |last=Weissman |first=Dick |title=Which Side Are You On?: An Inside History of the Folk Music Revival in America |publisher=A&C Black |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-8264-1914-9 |page=242}}
===Interviews=== * {{cite web |last=Reitnouer |first=Amy |title=Conversations with... Trish Klein of The Be Good Tanyas |work=The Bluegrass Situation |date=August 14, 2012 |url=http://www.thebluegrasssituation.com/conversations-with-trish-klein-of-the-be-good-tanyas |access-date=May 29, 2015 |archive-date=May 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530004051/http://www.thebluegrasssituation.com/conversations-with-trish-klein-of-the-be-good-tanyas |url-status=dead }}
===Reviews=== * {{cite news |last=Chilton |first=Martin |title=The Be Good Tanyas, A Collection 2000–2012, CD review |work=The Telegraph |date=September 26, 2012 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/cdreviews/9565444/The-Be-Good-Tanyas-A-Collection-2000-2012-CD-review.html |access-date=May 29, 2015}} * {{cite news |last=Davey |first=Alan |title=The Be Good Tanyas and Emily Portman – Barbican, London 03/02/13 |work=The Line of Best Fit |date=September 6, 2013 |url=http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/reviews/live-reviews/the-be-good-tanyas-and-emily-portman-barbican-london-030213-117591 |access-date=May 29, 2015}} * {{cite news |last=Denselow |first=Robin |title=The Be Good Tanyas – review |work=The Guardian |date=September 3, 2013 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/sep/03/be-good-tanyas-review |access-date=May 29, 2015}}
==External links== * {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20221206143123/http://begoodtanyas.com/}} * {{allMusic|artist/the-be-good-tanyas-mn0000031969}} * {{discogs artist|95402-Be-Good-Tanyas-The}} * {{IMDb name|2479449}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Be Good Tanyas, The}} Category:1999 establishments in British Columbia Category:Canadian all-female bands Category:Canadian indie folk groups Category:Musical groups established in 1999 Category:Musical groups from Vancouver Category:Canadian musical trios Category:Nettwerk Music Group artists Category:Female musical trios