Shook Twins

Shook Twins
Background information
Origin	Sandpoint, Idaho
Genres	Folk, pop, indie rock
Years active	2004-present
Labels	Self
Members	Katelyn Shook Laurie Shook Niko Daoussis Barra Brown Josh Simon
Past members	Lane Exworthy Kyle Volkman Colin Duclos
Website	www.shooktwins.com

Shook Twins is a folk music group originally from Sandpoint, Idaho and currently based in Portland, Oregon, formed in 2004. The nucleus of the band consists of identical twin sisters Katelyn (guitar, mandolin, banjo, ukulele, glockenspiel, telephone microphone) and Laurie Shook (banjo, guitar, upright bass, djembe, ocarina flute, tambourine, giant golden egg).

Their style of music is often referred to as "quirky folk", which incorporates acoustic instrumentation including banjo, guitar, upright bass, mandolin, ukelele, glockenspiel, djembe, and their signature golden egg. Twin harmonies layered on top of acoustic instrumentation are coupled with Laurie's beatboxing and inventive use of a looping machine, and Katelyn's repurposed telephone microphone. The use of electronics set their sound apart, creating an eclectic and eccentric blend of folk, roots, pop and fun. A Shook Twins staple is also the addition of choruses or lines from other contemporary songs (Edward Sharpe in Shook Twins "Toll Free," for example) to their own songs, remix-style. The band members have performed with or opened for Ryan Adams, Mason Jennings, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Sarah Jarosz, Laura Veirs, Trace Bundy, Jonatha Brooke, Michelle Shocked, Crooked Still, Jason Webley, John Craigie, Elephant Revival, The Head and the Heart and many more.

They have toured coast to coast performing at festivals including High Sierra Music Festival, Hulaweek, Summer Camp Music Festival, Electric Forest, Lightning in a Bottle, Joshua Tree Music Festival, Arise Music Festival, Four Corners Folk Festival, Fayetteville Roots and more.

History

Katelyn and Laurie Shook were born in 1984 and grew up in Sandpoint in the Idaho Panhandle. At a very young age, the sisters started singing, joining the choir in fifth grade which they continued in high school. They developed their musical repertoire and talent throughout their teen years and subsequently enrolled at the University of Idaho at Moscow in 2002 to pursue radio/TV/digital media majors. In 2004, they both took a year off from college and played their first paid gig at a restaurant. Soon after they secured a regular gig at a winery and established themselves as the "Shook Twins". The sisters played in and around Sandpoint and northern Idaho, releasing their first album "You Can Have the Rest" in 2008. Advancing their music career the twin sisters moved to Portland in December 2009, conceptualizing their 2011 release "Window." Kyle Volkman was an original member of the band joining in 2007 but left for a time and rejoined the sisters in Portland in 2009. Niko Daoussis (vocals, mandolin, guitar) formerly of The Bucky Walters joined the band as a full-time member in 2012 and often performs as his solo act, Cyber Cambel.

On April 6, 2012 an exclusive audio track "Hooks" was debuted on MTV Hive. "Hooks" was released on Shook Twins forthcoming album that was released in 2014. Shook Twins recorded in April/May 2013 with Grammy nominated producer Ryan Hadlock (The Lumineers, Milo Green) due out 2014 at his Bear Creek Studios in Woodinville, Washington. A new song/video premiere from their forthcoming album debuted on Relix on July 26, 2013. Katelyn and Laurie Shook's side projects include partnering with fellow Portland musician Ben Darwish with the group "Morning Ritual" on his folk Opera, "The Clear Blue Pearl." A recent Live Studio session from Oregon Public Broadcasting was featured on OPB's website. On April 5, 2018, Shook Twins debuted their latest single "Stay Wild" on Baeble Music.

Band members

• Katelyn Shook (vocals, guitar)
• Laurie Shook (vocals, banjo)
• Niko Daoussis (mandolin, guitar, vocals)
• Barra Brown (drums, vocals)
• Josh Simon (bass, vocals, electric guitar, synth)

Discography

Albums

• You Can Have The Rest (2008)
• Live In The Shop (2009)
• Window (2011)
• What We Do (2014)

Singles

• "Rose" (2011)
• "Holler It Down" (2013)
• "Shake" (2014)
• "Thoughts All In" (2014)
• "Hooks" (2014)
• "Awhile" (2014)
• "Call Me Out" (2016)
• "Mad Scientist" (2017)
• "Safe" (2017)
• "Shake" (2017)
• "Stay Wild" (2018)

EPs

• Live at The Triple Door (2013)
• 2 (2017)

References

• Black, Jessica (April 10, 2012). "The Shook Twins plus one: A Q/A with Katelyn Shook". Oregon Music News. Retrieved 2015-05-29. {{cite news}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Frye, Cory (September 14, 2012). "Time to Swim". Corvallis Gazette Times. Retrieved 2015-05-29. {{cite news}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Ham, Robert (March 27, 2013). "The Girls With The Golden Egg". Willamette Weekly. Retrieved 2015-05-29. {{cite news}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Teel, Eric (April 23, 2012). "The Muse Mix: 100 Songs That Cry Her Name". NPR.org. Retrieved 2015-05-29. {{cite news}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

Further reading

• Berry, Harrington (July 15, 2014). "Shook Twins to American Idol: Thanks But No Thanks". Boise Weekly. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
• Burke, David (April 15, 2015). "Shook Twins have identical tastes, too". Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
• Riggin, John (December 3, 2014). "Harmonious Shook Twins bring quirky tunes to Lost on Main". Chico Enterprise-Record. Retrieved 2015-05-29.

Interviews

• Ammann, Ana (May 22, 2015). "Shook Twins: Soul twins – Q&A from OMN the Magazine". Oregon Music Magazine. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
• Lindberg, Erica (June 2, 2014). "Shook Twins: Real Gals With Real Magic". 303magazine.com. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
• Pollstar (March 12, 2014). "One Half of Shook Twins". Pollstar. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
• Spruce, Lacey (October 23, 2013). "Brain Pickin': Shook Twins Bring Their Eclectic Sound to Denver". 303magazine.com. Retrieved 2015-05-29.

Reviews

• Mansfield, Brian (February 20, 2014). "Premiere: Shook Twins' Shake". USA Today. Retrieved 2015-05-29.

External links

• Official website
• shooktwins