Nebraska natives Chloe and Noah Gose met when they were in middle school in 2012. Within two years they had formed a folk Americana group called the Wildwoods. Since then, they’ve toured Europe and the United States.
They’ll perform Jan. 15 at the Lake County Folk Club, with their bassist Andrew Vaggalis. Noah plays guitar; Chloe plays violin and mandolin, and they harmonize with well-honed vocals.
When they first started, Noah said, “Our voices and instrumental skills were questionable, but we were having so much fun creating music together that we really didn’t care what we sounded like. We began dating at the time and spent almost every waking moment together.
“We just continued to work together, which over time, allowed us to grow as musicians. Our voices naturally started to blend due to the immense amount of time that we spent practicing, performing and writing throughout our time in high school and college.”
In 2022, they were named Best Band by the Lincoln Journal Star’s Lincoln’s Choice Awards in Nebraska. They are releasing a new album called “Foxfield St. John” in February.
Noah and Chloe Gose work hard on the vocal aspects of their music. “We naturally have very different sounding voices that although we shape vowels and write harmonies that allow our voices to blend, we still have to work through the vocal parts of our music every day to ensure that the part is in tune and is as smooth as possible before we perform and record the songs,” Noah said.
They also work hard on their writing craft. “Most of our songs come from little lines that randomly pop into our heads,” Chloe said. “We’re always writing things down in the notes app on our phones, notebooks that we keep with us, or on loose pieces of paper throughout our house.”
One of their latest songs, “Thirteen Sailboats” was inspired when they stayed with friends in a coastal town in Georgia. Both had just graduated from college and were conflicted about the direction their lives should take. Noah walked the beach at 6 a.m. and wrote a poem, envisioning himself as a sailor slowly moving forward as other sailors seemed to be going faster.
“That night, I read the poem to Chloe and we completed the song in just a few hours, which is something we’re rarely able to do,” Noah said.
“I had a bit of a melody floating around in my head and I knew I wanted the chord progression to mirror the somewhat mystical nature of the lyrics so we tried our best to emulate the emotions being conveyed through the words by utilizing gentle harmonies, swirling string parts and a chord progression and melody that pulls away from the home key of the song.
Their newest songs focus on future uncertainties, regrets and struggles with mental health, Noah said. The older songs were more “lovey-dovey,” he said. Their goal is for the audience “to feel comfort and perhaps find a sense of relief within their lives when listening to our music,” he said.
The Wildwoods
When: 7 p.m. Jan. 15
Where: Grayslake Village Hall, 10 Seymour Ave.
Tickets: $13-$18
Information: 847-602-8882, thelakecountyfolkclub.org
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Sheryl DeVore is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
More things to do this week
Indoor snowflake search
A winter scavenger hunt held inside runs 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Jan. 14 and 15 in Waukegan. Find seven hidden snowflakes and receive a treat bag. For adults and teens. Tickets: free. Waukegan Public Library, 128 N. County St. Call 847-623-2041 or go to waukeganpl.org.
Early music shines
Trobar, which plays music and tells stories from the medieval era, performs at 3 p.m. Jan. 15 in Grayslake. Tickets: $20 at the door; under age 16 free. Byron Colby Barn, 1561 Jones Point Road. Call 847-543-1202 or go to facebook.com and search Early Music at the Barn.
Calling all outdoor enthusiasts
Northern Illinois Outdoor Sports Show, featuring demonstrations and gear for active outdoorsmen from fishermen to hunters to birders, runs Jan. 19-22 in Grayslake. Tickets: $6-$12; ages 11 and under free. Lake County Fairground & Event Center, 1060 E. Peterson Road. Call 212-564-8823 or go to ilsportsshow.com.