Songs Inspired by Witness is a concept album that has been eight years in the making. Derrick and Jodi Mears, who comprise March to August (M2A), read the novel Witness by Karen Hesse and were compelled to write songs inspired by the work.

It is the fictional story of a small town in Vermont during prohibition that is infiltrated by the Ku Klux Klan, led by clergyman Johnny Reeves. M2A was “so intrigued by the resiliency of the characters and plot of the story, along with their own imaginings of backstories of each individual, that the writing of an album of songs began.”

The songs are written from the perspective of Reynard Alexander, who appears in three short pieces throughout the album referred to as “The Scribbler,” a term used for journalists during the period.

Additionally, songs introduce listeners to the evil Johnny Reeves (Perfect Son, his backstory, Johnny,  and Hellbound), 12-year-old Leonora Sutter (Leonora’s Dance, Leonora’s Dance-reprise and Every Girl), Diner Owner, Iris Weaver (Running Booze), General Store owners, Viola, and Harvey Pettibone (Viola) and also give a voice to an unnamed character who appeared very early in the book (Only The River).

Each character’s “struggle is expressed as they combat racism, injustice, and pure evil.” March to August feel that many of the issues in the book are still relevant today.

Hailing from diverse musical backgrounds, Derrick and Jodi Mears bring a unique blend of influences to their work. Their lyrics “often empower the voices of those silenced by circumstance, allowing each character’s narrative to be heard, while their vocals draw listeners into tales to create a unique melding of their rich Ozark Mountain sound infused with indie bluegrass, roots and Americana music.”

You can check out the previous Premier that we ran of their video from the album, “Running Booze”, right here.