BIG EARS FESTIVAL

Watch: Rhiannon Giddens and Francesco Turrisi Play Towne Crier Cafe

The video may be a little shaky, but the performance is not: Last month, Rhiannon Giddens and her new Italian collaborator, Francesco Turrisi, played a small show at the famed Towne Crier Café in Beacon, New York. With Turrisi rendering prismatic piano and Giddens delivering mournful fiddle and vocals, they offered a new version of “Factory Girl,” a traditional folk tune about unrequited adoration between a rich suitor and a poor orphan. But Giddens recasts it with an addition that makes it a plea for workers’ rights, inspired by international tragedies. Listen as Giddens explains its timely origins—and then stuns with her take.

BIG EARS
03.27_03.30.25
Knoxville, TN · USA

Festival

Explore the lineup of upcoming Big Ears performances.

Explore

Discover travel, lodging, & dining options to enhance your festival experience.

Support

Big Ears is made possible by the passion & generosity of our supporters.

About

Learn more about what The New York Times calls “one of the world’s greatest music bashes.”