Ellie Turner’s Debut When The Trouble’s All Done Is A Lovely Lesson In Folk Music Meditation

Article Contributed by IVPR | Published on Friday, February 3, 2023

Like any good folk songwriter before her, Ellie Turner hones in on the twists and turns of her journey—not so much her destination—to tell the collective story of her debut album, When The Trouble’s All Done. And Turner’s path has taken quite a few twists and turns. Originally from Dallas, Texas, Turner has always been creative, although her passion was initially channeled into visual art and design. “I was all set to attend Savannah College of Art and Design,” she explains, “but a last-minute conviction of spirit led me elsewhere. I ended up at The University of Arkansas on a total whim where I studied Economics, and more importantly, where I fell in love with folk music. It filled me up like nothing else ever had. I couldn’t get enough… I think that was probably when I first started to understand the power folk music had to stop time.”

After a few years working as an analyst for Southwest Airlines, she “finally mustered up the courage to leave my corporate gig for something more creative,” although she still didn’t pursue music. It would take one more year and a brief stint at the interior design company The Citizenry before she finally gained the confidence to say yes to the thing she truly loved. “I was at breakfast with my Dad on a Saturday morning when I made the decision to quit my job, sell my house, and move to Nashville. It was July of 2018, I was 26 years old, and I felt so behind,” Turner says. Fast forward to current day where Turner is on the cusp of releasing her first album, surrounded by friends and community and a steadfast dedication to crafting folk songs able to “stop time”—Turner’s songs do seem to exist on their own metaphysical planes, as meditations of sorts.

Today, Under The Radar premiered the first track from When The Trouble’s All Done, “One More Day.” The last song written for the album, “One More Day” features Turner’s signature soft yet piercing vocals, which feel like a secret told to a best friend, floating atop a lightly-grooving bed of acoustic guitars and upright bass. Album producer, and fellow recording artist, Jack Schneider sings the low harmony on the song’s refrain: “Just one more day until tomorrow / One more day you’re on my mind.”

“Do you ever put off reading the last page of a book because you’re not quite ready for the story to end? Even if you pretty much already know what’s to come in the sentences waiting so patiently in line for you? That’s sort of what this song was for me,” Turner explains the impetus of “One More Day.” “ The end of the story. The bird’s eye view. The frame in full focus, finally, and at last. It is a song of acceptance and about learning how to move forward in life holding joy and sorrow at the same time in a single hand’s grip. Life is anything but black and white, and this song is a surrendered recognition of the gray.”

Listen to “One More Day” now at this link, and pre-order or pre-save When The Trouble’s All Done ahead of its March 24th release right here. Turner will be performing in the Northeast beginning February 12th in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. A full list of upcoming dates can be found below.

When The Trouble’s All Done Tracklist:

One More Day

The ‘I Love You’ Song

Daughter

Wandering

A Little Farther Down The Line

Katabatic

If That Ocean’s Still Blue

Holyoke

Oh, Sister

When The Trouble’s All Done

More About When The Trouble’s All Done: Through every element of her album’s creation, Turner has taken care to retain a specific presentation of her songs. Most of the tracks feature just acoustic guitars, upright bass, and vocals. “The album was performed and recorded live-to-tape at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, Tennessee,” she says. “This was a very conscious decision made by myself and my producer, Jack Schneider. We would play the song live until we felt like the most honest version of the song had been performed and captured. The imperfections and unexpected little moments of each performance are where the magic of the record lives. I wanted it to feel as if I was in someone’s living room and was handed a guitar to play.” Save for one cover of Bob Dylan’s “Oh, Sister,” all of the songs from When The Trouble’s All Done are originals written by Turner or co-written with Schneider.

Catch Ellie Turner On Tour:

February 12 - Portsmouth, NH - The Press Room

February 13 - Boston, MA - Club Passim

February 18 - New York, NY - The Church of the Epiphany

February 19 - New York, NY - The Scratcher Bar

March 16 - Chicago, IL - Montrose Saloon

April 28 - Nashville, TN - The Station Inn (Album Release Show)

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