Article Contributed by Gratefulweb
Published on 2026-05-04
Photo: Matthew Chenet
After more than three decades writing songs for Grammy Award–winning artists and helping shape North Carolina’s rich musical landscape, songwriter and MerleFest favorite Laurelyn Dossett is stepping forward with her debut solo album. The Stokes County, N.C.–based Americana artist has shared the title single, “How Many Moons,” from the forthcoming album of the same name, due August 28 via Sycamore Road.
The album is produced by M.C. Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger and features guest appearances from Taylor, two-time GRAMMY winner Rhiannon Giddens, and Charly Lowry. “Laurelyn Dossett is a songwriter and human that I find immensely inspiring,” says Taylor. “A survivor and a wonder-er… I’m honored to have played a part in her new album.”
How Many Moons is a wide-ranging collection, moving from arm-in-arm country shuffles with traces of zydeco to swampy blues waltzes, back-barn country rambles, and late-night jazz-bar laments. Tracks like “You and the Moon” offer gentle, melodic hooks, while “Believe Me,” featuring Taylor, leans toward a soulful, Norah Jones–style intimacy. “Glory Glory” carries a serene, spiritual lilt rooted in Stokes County tradition.
Dossett assembled a deep roster of collaborators to bring the record to life, including Charly Lowry, fiddler Stephanie Coleman, sacred steel player DaShawn Hickman, bassist Jason Sypher, drummer Nick Falk, Riley Baugus, and Taylor himself. “The musicians on this project are so much more than ‘guest artists’ – they are family,” Dossett says. “It was like a reunion to get together and make these songs sing.”
Despite this being her solo debut, Dossett’s songwriting has long resonated across the Americana world. Her song “Anna Lee,” originally written for the 2006 play Brother Wolf, was recorded by Levon Helm on his Grammy-winning Dirt Farmer and later on Live at the Ryman. Another standout composition, “Leaving Eden,” became the title track for the GRAMMY-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops’ final album.
Bringing things full circle, Rhiannon Giddens joins Dossett on her own recording of “Anna Lee,” arriving alongside the album on August 28.
Beyond her work as a songwriter and recording artist, Dossett has built a wide-ranging career across theater, orchestral composition, and collaboration. She has written music for multiple professional plays, toured with Alice Gerrard and the North Carolina Symphony, and contributed to projects ranging from NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion to socially conscious recordings rooted in protest and community.
The rollout for How Many Moons follows a lunar-themed release schedule, beginning May 1 with the title track and continuing through the summer, culminating in the album’s August release.
Single Release Schedule
May 1 — “How Many Moons”
June 1 — “Believe Me” (feat. M.C. Taylor)
June 29 — “The Vision and the Call” (feat. Charly Lowry)
July 29 — “Glory Glory”
August 28 — “Anna Lee” (feat. Rhiannon Giddens)
Tracklist
The Vision and the Call
Anna Lee
War, WV
How Many Moons
The River’s Lament
The Mark of Kith and Kin
Run to the River
Believe Me
The Year of the Perfect Garden
Tomorrow Won’t Remember
You and the Moon
Glory Glory
Tour Dates
May 1 — Phoenixville, PA — The Bungalow
May 2 — Pine Grove Mills, PA — Pine Grove Hall
May 3 — Baltimore, MD — House Concert
May 7 — Woodstock, NY — Colony Woodstock
May 9 — Brooklyn, NY — Jalopy Theatre
May 24 — Carrboro, NC — Cat’s Cradle (full band)
May 30 — Greensboro, NC — Music at Big Purple
June 6 — Galax, VA — Blue Ridge Music Center
June 14 — Stokes County, NC — Ramble on Big Creek
