Interview: The Wildwoods on Grenadine Red

The Wildwoods interview

The Wildwoods is a folk / Americana trio hailing from Lincoln, Nebraska: spouses Noah (guitarist) and Chloe (violinist) Gose, with their bandmate Andrew Vaggalist on bass. The trio just released a new song “Grenadine Red,” which starts off asking “when you were younger, did you smile more?” and moves to explore the feeling of belonging and home, a house the color of grenadine red. They are on the cusp of their tour this summer, where audiences will be treated to their lush harmonies, thoughtful music, and reflective, often nostalgic lyrics. We had a chance to chat with Chloe Gose about their new music and more.

Americana Highways: Your new song is named “Grenadine Red.” How did you come to name it that, and how did you decide to use the rich red imagery?

Chloe Goes: “Grenadine Red” is really tied to a specific season of our lives. Last summer, Noah and I bought our very first home. The house is a ranch style built in the 1950’s and the exterior is deep shade of red brick (Grenadine Red). That color naturally found its way into the song. The house was in pretty rough shape when we bought it and was a real labor of love to fix up. We spent every spare moment between touring, writing, and recording fixing it up with the help of our families. They even kept working on it while we were out on the road so it would be ready for us to move into in September.

Looking back, that time was such a whirlwind of a season. There was so much joy and excitement, but also stress, uncertainty, and honestly a little bit of burnout. There was even a surprising amount of sadness about leaving our little rental house on a small street in Lincoln called Chautauqua. We moved into it during COVID and absolutely loved that place. It’s where so many of our songs were written and where friends would come over and we’d all stay up way too late making music. We really grew into the band we are today in that house.

One morning after we’d finally moved in, Noah was downstairs in our basement studio writing while I was having a pretty tough mental health day. I went for a walk, and by the time I got back, he’d finished the song. I remember tearing up almost immediately when I heard the opening lines: “When you were younger, did you smile more? Can’t find your spirit, it’s somewhere in the bedroom hidden in the top drawer. Wish I could help you find your color in the gray… you’re on your own today.”

It felt like Noah had somehow put words to emotions I hadn’t really been able to explain.

To me, that’s really what “Grenadine Red” is about, but you really wouldn’t catch all of that from the name. The title is a nod to our “new” old red brick house, but the song itself is about learning to notice the beauty of living in the mundane. We spend so much time looking ahead to the next milestone or remembering the past that we forget to appreciate the place we’re standing right now. So often we don’t realize how meaningful a season of life is until it’s already behind us.

Americana Highways: What was the experience like working on it? Can you share a funny or interesting anecdote or two about the process?

CG: This song actually came together much faster than a lot of our others. Usually we’ll spend months tweaking lyrics or arrangements, but this one seemed to know what it wanted to be pretty early on.

One of my favorite moments came during the recording process. Traditionally, we’ve always recorded our vocals separately, and that’s what we tried first with this song. But no matter what we did, it just didn’t feel quite right. The harmonies sounded good, but they didn’t have the same life they have when we’re actually singing together.

So we decided to try something we’d never done before. The three of us stood in the same room around the microphones and recorded all of the vocals live together. The minute we did, it just clicked. You can hear us listening and responding to each other in real time, and I think that’s a big part of what gives the song its warmth. It felt much more like the way we naturally make music together.

AH: How much would you say “Grenadine Red” connects back with historical music genres?

CG: I think our music naturally borrows from a lot of older traditions/musical genres. We all love folk music, bluegrass, singer-songwriters from the ’60s and ’70s, and artists who focused on storytelling above everything else. (Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, CSNY, John Prine, Gillian Welch..etc.)

At the same time, we’re not trying to recreate an older sound. We want those influences to come through naturally while still making music that feels like us today. Hopefully Grenadine Red feels timeless more than nostalgic.

AH: You all live in Nebraska. How does Nebraska shape your sense of what’s of primary importance in music?

CG: Living in and being from Nebraska has definitely shaped the way I think about music. I think it’s really evident in Noah’s songwriting, too. There’s a lot of quiet here and a lot of wide-open space, and I think that naturally encourages us to slow down and notice the little things.

Most of our writing happens when we’re back home between tours. I think it’s really important as an artist to have a place to come back to that grounds you, a place that gives you both inspiration and the space to dream up honest ideas. For us, Nebraska has always been that place.

People here also seem to value authenticity. There’s no pressure to be flashy or impressive, you just need to mean what you’re saying. I’ve always admired that about our home state, and I hope that’s something people can hear in our music.

AH: Did each of you grow up in a music loving family, and how much or how little did your family support your musical growth and exploration as a kid?

CG: We were all really fortunate to grow up in families that encouraged music in different ways.

I started playing violin when I was very young, and my parents always made lessons and practicing a priority, even though it meant a lot of driving and time. My grandpa was also a huge part of my musical journey. He was a Czech farmer from St. Paul, Nebraska, who absolutely loved polka music. He generously paid for all of my music lessons and my older brother’s, too. Looking back, I don’t think I’d be where I am today without that gift.

Noah grew up surrounded by music as well, and Andy’s family was equally supportive of his musical interests. Noah and I met when we were 14 years old, and making music together from such a young age only deepened both our friendship and our love for it. We met Andy later in high school through our school’s show choir, and although we didn’t start playing together as a band until after graduation, music was something that connected all three of us from the very beginning.

None of our families ever pushed us toward music as a career, they simply encouraged us to keep exploring something we loved. Looking back, that’s an incredible gift, and I don’t think any of us take it for granted.

AH: How was it working with Anthony LaMarca as producer?

CG: We were honestly a little nervous going into the studio with Anthony at first. Before we started recording at home, we’d spent years making records at the same studio in Omaha with the same engineer we’d worked with since we were in high school. So between that and recording ourselves throughout much of 2024 and 2025, we’d gotten really comfortable in familiar environments. Heading to Youngstown to record these songs meant stepping outside of that comfort zone and opening ourselves up to someone else’s perspective, which can feel a little vulnerable when you’ve lived with the songs for so long.

But Anthony has such a calming presence. From the moment we started working together, he made the studio feel like a really safe, collaborative place to create. One of the things I appreciated most was that he listened first. He wasn’t trying to reshape who we were or leave his fingerprint on every song. Instead, he took the time to understand what made our band sound like us, and then found thoughtful ways to bring that out even more. It never felt like he was competing with the songs, everything he did aimed to always serve them.

AH: How is his sound a vital part of the album’s vibe?

CG: Anthony has a beautiful sense of atmosphere. He’s really good at creating recordings that feel warm and lived-in without becoming overproduced. After we first met him, I went down a rabbit hole listening to his own music, and I completely fell in love with it. PETRA and Aspiration are two of my favorite records of his. They have this warmth and intimacy to them that really stuck with me (heartbreakingly beautiful), and I remember thinking that if he can bring even a little bit of that feeling to our songs, I’d be thrilled.

He really helped us to lean into the quieter moments and have the confidence to trust simplicity; sometimes less is more. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons these new songs feel so honest and intimate, they have room to breathe.

AH: If someone hadn’t heard of your music in general, which 3 songs would you direct them to listen to, and why?

CG: I’d probably say “Grenadine Red,” “I Will Follow You to Willow,” and “Sweet Niobrara.”

“Grenadine Red” because it’s a good snapshot of where we’re headed as a band right now.

“I Will Follow You to Willow” because it really captures our three-part harmonies and the emotional, story telling side of our songwriting.

And “Sweet Niobrara” because it captures our connection to Nebraska and showcases the harmonies and acoustic sound that are at the heart of what we do.

AH: What’s on the agenda for you this spring and summer?

CG: We’ll be spending most of the summer out on the road, which is one of my favorite ways to spend the year. We get to visit so many places we love, play for familiar faces, and meet new people every night. We’ll also be making our first trip to Canada as a band, which we’re especially excited about. We’re also going into the studio at the end of July to finish recording our new album!

When we’re not touring, we’ll be back home in Nebraska writing more music, recording more field recording videos, and working on whatever comes next. I think we’ve learned that we need both. We love being out on the road, but coming home gives us the chance to slow down and find inspiration again.

Thanks very much for chatting with us, Chloe Goes!

Find the Wildwoods’ tour dates here: https://www.thewildwoodsband.com/shows

Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: The Wildwoods “Dear Meadowlark”

Tour dates:
Jul 9, 2026 South Burlington, VT at Higher Ground

Jul 10, 2026 Montreal, QC at L’Escogriffe Bar Spectacle

Jul 12, 2026 Northampton, MA at The Iron Horse

Jul 14, 2026 Portsmouth, NH at Press Room

Jul 15, 2026 Cambridge, MA at Lizard Lounge

Jul 16, 2026 Woodstock, NY at Bearsville Theater

Jul 17, 2026 New York, NY at Le Poisson Rouge

Jul 18, 2026 Saratoga Springs, NY at Caffe Lena – Saratoga Springs, NY (early show)

Jul 19, 2026 Vienna, VA at Jammin Java