Lovewhip was a stratospheric band that recorded five exquisite albums between 2003 and 2010. The group was made up of Erin Harpe (guitar, vocals), Jim Countryman (bass), and Richard Rosenblatt (harmonica), inventing an eclectic electro-funk sound that embraced the most advanced forms of experimentation. In 1999, Erin had married Jim, and after Lovewhip ran its course, the three of them formed The Delta Swingers in 2010 to focus on the blues. Earlier on, Erin had already released two country blues albums that clearly hinted at what her future path could be. The Delta Swingers released their debut album in 2014, followed by two more records, until in 2020 Erin and Jim released their first album as a duo, "Meet Me in the Middle."
In this latest album, which pays tribute to legendary blues artist Mississippi John Hurt (1893–1966), Harpe celebrates the Delta artist’s fingerpicking style with a technical brilliance achievable only by well-established traditional guitarists. But it’s not just her string technique that makes Erin Harpe a powerful and compelling artist, her vocal harmonies directly evoke her heroines Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie, bringing a reflective authority that positions her as one of the most musically captivating and intelligent women of our time.