Charlie Parr & Phil Cook

Growing up in Wisconsin with an obsession with all manner of American folk traditions, it’s little surprise that Phil Cook found inspiration in veteran Duluth songwriter Charlie Parr, whose ragged country blues seem rooted in both the Piedmont and Delta. While Cook and Parr share interest in the Southern folk vernacular, Parr’s stripped-down tunes—often built around just a resonator or banjo—show off his instrumental wizardry and gruff vocals, standing in stark contrast to some of Cook’s more ambitiously arranged songs, like his rousing, gospel-inflected reinterpretation of Parr’s “1922 Blues.” On As Far as I Can See, Cook’s recent release of solo instrumentals, the two feel like the kindred spirits who have collaborated together in recent years. After a week of shows together in the Midwest, this date kicks off their Southern run. Expect Cook and Parr to share the stage frequently while also ceding it to the occasional solo tune.