Ryley Walker & Gwenifer Raymond

Ryley Walker began his career in the early 2010s, after moving from Illinois’ provincial town of Rockford, and settling into Chicago’s independent scene. After a slew of cassette and vinyl releases, Tompkins Square put out his debut album in 2014, which was then followed up by the Dead Oceans released Primrose Green a year later. His most recent album, Course in Fable, was released on his own Husky Pants Recordings label in 2021. Having toured with the likes of Richard Thompson, and Dinosaur Jr. —as well as a tremendous Burt Jansch tribute show behind him, wherein his hero Anne Briggs called him the ‘c word’—Walker has rubbed shoulders with the very best.

Special guest Gwenifer Raymond began playing guitar at the age of eight shortly after having been first exposed to punk and grunge. After years of playing around the Welsh valleys in various punk outfits she began listening more to pre-war blues musicians as well as Appalachian folk players, eventually leading into the guitar players of the American Primitive genre. Her latest record on Tompkins Square is a turn in direction featuring a much more established personal style and adventurous embrace of compositional approach to the tradition.