MARE WAKEFIELD AND NOMAD

“Daddy was a seeker,” says Mare Wakefield. “Eventually he became a Salvationist minister. Mama was a gypsy, loving nothing more than a long stretch of highway.”

Born with wanderlust in her DNA, Mare lived in eight different places before she was ten. “It was a roller-coaster way to grow up, but my brother and I learned to fit in fast,” she says. “We picked up Wisconsin accents in two weeks. Eighteen months later we were drawling like native Texans.”

For Turkish-born Nomad, the journey was equally varied. His musical education began at the exclusive Istanbul Conservatory and continued with a scholarship to Berklee College of Music. Nomad’s gift for musical arrangements includes a full arsenal of classical, folk and jazz chops.

Versatility and travel-scapes are evident in their music. Listeners roam through Arizona deserts, Oklahoma oil fields and Amsterdam canals. Journeys go inward too, exploring hope, heartbreak and barroom brawls. Story and song are woven together by Mare’s intimate delivery and Nomad’s exquisite piano and accordion.
Currently based in Nashville, the pair were 2016 and 2015 Kerrville NewFolk finalists and 2015 Falcon Ridge Emerging Artists.