Since joining the country music bandwagon over 20 years ago, I quickly learned that a lot of country music evolved from Bluegrass. I also learned that Bluegrass musicians are some of the most talented instrumentalists in the world. Calamity Jane also hails from that genre with a more modern twist affectionately labeled "Newgrass." 

Violinist Lucy Cantley and powerhouse vocalist Camille Rae founded Calamity Jane. They fuse Cantley's classical roots and Rae's strong vocals with a bold, boundary-pushing take on Bluegrass/Newgrass, crafting a sound that is both timeless and daringly modern. Their artistry has redefined the Newgrass space, blending precision musicianship with unshakable authenticity.

I spoke with Camille Rae about Calamity Jane. I wanted to know precisely what "Newgrass" meant. She told me, "Newgrass has the fundamentals of Bluegrass with class instrumentation and musical elements, but it adds in the modern things of country music, pop, and other genres."

Whereas traditional Bluegrass does not have a drum kit, Calamity Jane's music may have one if they determine it's needed. And while Bluegrass is known for its extensive, long-winded storytelling and ballads, just listening to the music is enough for me.

With Newgrass, the songs are more formal, with a verse, chorus, and bridge, making them more marketable for modern radio.

Rae is a musician in her own right and has been touring full-time for over eight years. When she met Cantley and they formed their duo in 2018 (with an impressive backing band), they focused on writing songs and performing as a pair.

Calamity Jane first made waves with their breakout cover of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," a release that earned widespread traction and even a personal nod from the late Charlie Daniels himself. Since then, they've built impressive momentum on streaming platforms, reaching up to 120,000 monthly Spotify listeners and earning placement on coveted editorial playlists including Grass Roots, New Grass, Fresh Finds, and Wild Country.

But it was "Better Days," their first original single, that firmly planted them on the Americana/Newgrass landscape. The hopeful song will lift your spirit as the banjo plunks and fiddle saws.  "Better Days" was aptly written during the COVID pandemic and reminds us to overcome as better days are coming.

Rae stated, "It's been one of our most popular songs streaming. We hadn't quite decided to transfer everything to Newgrass yet. We were still on our musical journey, but it just so happens that it fits into that category and works well with our shows, and was kind of the song that I would say is probably the turning point into the Newgrass genre."

In 2022, the duo released "The Ballad of Calamity Jane" to honor their namesake. Newgrass is the perfect musical genre for teaching the historical significance of Wild Bill Hickok's traveling companion, the frontierswoman Martha Jane Canary.

While Cantley is known for her inspired fiddling, her natural harmonizing with Rae is also to be commended. Rae explained, "Not every singer can harmonize, but it's always been important to me. Lucy picks it up like I do. Her talent bonded us. Her voice is beautiful."

Several of Calamity Jane's more recent songs are inspired by nature. Introed by a melancholy fiddle, "The Big Sky and Me" gained popularity in 2022 as the painful breakup song that metamorphoses into a healing anthem. Nowhere is their incredible harmony more evident as they croon All I really need is a thousand stars/ The home of a valley stream/ Eggs on a campfire for breakfast/ Just the big sky and me.

Other songs about nature include "You, The Mountain, and Me," "The River," "This Valley," and the recently released "The Mountains Are Calling." Rae shared, "I'm from Kentucky and grew up in the middle of nowhere on a family farm. Lucy visited Utah and said it was the most beautiful place she had ever witnessed. It really brought her peace to be out there with nature. A lot of our songs are about escaping to that place that brings you peace. That's where the inspiration comes from."

They reworked one of Rae's solo hits, "80 Down 65," and gave it the Newgrass vibe. The song is based on a true story of unrequited love. "You might think it can't be done because you have heard it a certain way for so long, but then you get in the studio in Nashville and they just blow your mind every time," Rae stated. They are exploring the possibility of reworking other previously written songs.

Calamity Jane's latest single, "Playing With Fire," is one of the most honest songs I've ever heard. Jake Fisher teamed up with the duo to bring this tastefully risqué tune about being happy with your current situation/partner, but also knowing that being around a specific other person is like "playing with fire." 

Rae confirmed, "When you're in a long-term relationship, you still have eyeballs. You still see people who are attractive or may have a little bit of a deeper connection when talking to someone for the first time, but it's like we talk about honest things and bring those things to light."  The song also features a striking three-part harmony.

Cantley is expecting a baby in early 2026, and the pair is taking a break from touring and social media. But when they decide to get back to writing and recording, you know what they bring will be solid gold goodness.

You can follow Calamity Jane on their website, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and all streaming platforms.

– – –

Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.