A Conversation with the Whitmore Sisters

About this Episode

It is a cliché that blood is thicker than water, but its also true. And my next guests are living proof. Bonnie and Eleanor Whitmore of the Whitmore Sisters have just released their first album as a duo. Ghost Stories is an emotional powerhouse. And it is full of inspiration. Eleanor and Bonnie have been in and around the Americana genre for pretty much their whole lives. Eleanor and her husband Chris Masterson make up folk rock duo The Mastersons, and they also play in Steve Earle’s backing band The Dukes. Bonnie, meanwhile, has released a number albums over the years and has played with a who’s who—James McMurtry, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis, on and on and on. Despite their roots, Ghost Stories is their first album together, and let’s hope there’s more to come. We talk about four songs —Hurtin’ for a Letdown, Ghost Stories, Greek Tragedy, and The Ballad of Sissy and Porter. We talk about death, drugs, influences, and, of course, songwriting. We also talk about life—celebrating and appreciating the simple act of being alive. This interview gets pretty heavy at times, so be ready. It is my high honor to welcome Eleanor and Bonnie Whitmore to For Songs.