Chattanooga Songwriter Teni Rane Readies Debut Album, Goldenrod

Chattanooga — Heralded Tennessee singer-songwriter Teni Rane is all set to release her greatly-anticipated debut album, Goldenrod, on the 8th of August. The excitement has been brewing, especially after she released the liltingly bright soliloquy, “Firefly”, and is readying its anthemic follow-up, “Small Steps,” scheduled to bridge listeners into the future from July 19th.

A Unique Blend of Sounds and Stories

Rane is known for her folk-country style with a vintage vocal edge. She has an uncanny ability to capture common scenes of everyday life and translate them into music that is both specific and widely relatable. Her signature sound melds country-infused, Americana-folk-pop with a jazzy vocal flair, creating a fresh yet familiar listening experience.

The album Goldenrod has been several years in the making. Rane notes that the recordings took shape during a transformative time in her life. The album’s theme delves into what it means to let change influence life without losing one’s essence.

“Penned at a time when a multitude of changes made life feel like every piece and part of me was up for re-negotiation, the collection of songs presented in Goldenrod explores what it means to make progress through life without erasing the lessons and emotions of the past and present. Holding space for knowing and loving myself for who I am and where I am, while also leaving room for all the places and versions of myself that have existed in my life up to now and will exist in the future. With imagery inspired largely by the shoulder season ‘as the summer fades into fall,’ the conversations, stories, and emotions explored on the tracks of Goldenrod are relatable: change, loss, fear, identity, loss of identity, strength.”

Crafting the Album: Goldenrod

Lyrically driven, each track on Goldenrod builds on the foundation of Rane’s acoustic guitar. The album contains cinematic, orchestral cello sweeps and gritty electric guitars but also maintains the ability to tap into crafted solo cello work and acoustic guitar melodies.

Goldenrod was brought to life at Classic Recording Studio in Bristol, VA, with GRAMMY-nominated engineer Mike Stephenson co-producing alongside Rane. Collaborators include GRAMMY-nominees Dave Eggar (cello, piano) and Phil Faconti (various guitars and ukulele), past collaborator Roger Gustafsson (bass, steel guitar), and Rane’s partner Jonathan Shumaker (bass).

Noteworthy Cover: “Killing the Blues”

The album features a unique cover of “Killing the Blues”, a classic tune with versions by John Prine, Shawn Colvin, and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss among others.

“This song has lived in my life for as long as I can remember. The John Prine version was the first one that I knew. As I was writing for this album and arranging the stories that felt relevant to the arc, ‘Killing the Blues’ kept playing in my head. Of course, the opening imagery was on point for the summer/fall landscape Goldenrod was living in, but there is also this melancholia of being herded away from familiarity and certainty.”

Chattanooga Roots and Musical Journey

Rane grew up around the vibrant Chattanooga music community, fostering her early love for musical expression. Her vocals are described as having both power and finesse, providing the perfect balance to evoke the emotional feel and imagery of her lyrics.

Her recording journey began in 2020 with the release of the 6-song EP Heart in Tennessee. In 2022, she expanded her horizons with a musical residency in Sweden, recording a series of singles at Sandkvie Studios.

The Magic of Goldenrod

Rane shares her deep connection with the in-between moments of the season, expressing how these natural changes parallel the difficulties and fears in her own life. The album’s tracks focus on what it means to allow change to influence life without losing one’s identity.

“The in-between moments in the seasons are my favorites. There is a small magic when the heat of summer is fighting giving way to gusty autumn evenings and bright crisp mornings. As much as I enjoy the tension of those moments in nature, I am less of a fan of that tension in my own life.”

Tour Information

Rane will be on the road to support Goldenrod throughout the summer and fall, performing in a variety of venues ranging from listening rooms and house concerts to parks and botanical gardens.