Phoebe Sanders is a young musician who became enamored with a banjo she found in the attic of her childhood home. These days, her tiny home in Southern California is filled with musical instruments, crafts, and other assorted kitsch. In her yard there are gourds, more kitsch, three chickens named Glinda, Squidward, and Button Bright, and her dogs Schmudge and Lolly. All of which defines Phoebe’s personality.
Her work has exploded in popularity since adding a fun new element. Jig Dolls are wooden toys with loose limbs that step dance on the end of a vibrating board or platform. Starting with one she named ‘Tiny Gilligan’, Phoebe repurposed her dolls by attaching strings to her strumming hand so they dance in time to her playing. She’s added more dolls including ‘Jeeves Jr.’ who — like ‘Little Gilligan’ — she bought. Others she crafted herself including reindeer, snowflakes, and a lifesize jig doll made mainly of cardboard named Herman.
Her infectiously quirky videos are whimsical and fun. Her joy and love of the music is evident in the performances. You can’t help but smile while tapping along. She’s doing more than bringing smiles with her dancing dolls and the occasional chicken cameo. She’s exposing the world to a type of music that doesn’t share the same crowded space as the overly produced pop schlock currently clogging the ether.
Call it Americana. Call it folk. At its heart there is honesty. There’s a level of realness that I respect in music. The connection Phoebe has with the songs guides the listener to a new perspective on a long-held tradition. In addition to the banjo, she has added a mountain dulcimer as well as a 150-year-old melodeon that she is currently working to refurbish. Above it all, there is an authenticity to the music and Phoebe herself.
As far as I could find, she doesn’t have a website but there are several ways to follow and support her work.
YouTube → youtube.com/@phoebesandersbanjo
Patreon → patreon.com/phoebesanders
Instagram → instagram.com/phoebesandersbanjo
TikTok → tiktok.com/@realphoebesandersbanjo
LinkTree → linktr.ee/phoebesandersbanjo
Cheers!
Stephen
