Inspired by the stories of everyday life, Teni Rane is a folk-country singer-songwriter with a vintage vocal edge and a knack for capturing ordinary scenes in a way that is at once specific and widely relatable. Comfortable in everything from overalls to full-body sequins, Rane isn’t afraid to explore musical territory and synthesizes vocal and sonic influences into her own brand of country-infused, Americana-folk-pop with a jazzy vocal lean that feels simultaneously familiar and brand new. 

2024 sees her offer her first full length album to the world. Releasing in early August, listeners will find familiar a few of the tunes that were leading singles for the album in 2023, including the title track, “Goldenrod.” Taking shape at a time in Rane’s life when everything seemed to be up for re-negotiation, the arc of the album focuses on what it means to allow change to influence a life without eradicating the individual. Inspired by the shoulder season “as the summer fades into fall,” each track has a reflective bent that calls attention to the lessons, both cruel and kind, that are learned simply by looking around. 

Lyrically lead, each track on “Goldenrod” builds on the backbone of Rane’s acoustic guitar. The sonic landscape of the album boldly leans into cinematic, orchestral cello sweeps and gritty electric guitars while maintaining a balanced ability to tap back into intentionally crafted solo cello work and specifically placed acoustic guitar melodies. The body of work displays a strong cohesion of vision as well as an ability to sonically craft for each song’s storyline. 

“Goldenrod” came to life in Bristol, VA at Classic Recording Studio with GRAMMY nominated Mike Stephenson engineering and co-producing alongside Rane. Album credits include GRAMMY nominees Dave Eggar (cello, piano) and Phil Faconti (acoustic, electric, baritone, classical guitars and ukulele), past collaborator Roger Gustafsson (bass, steel guitar), and Rane’s own partner Jonathan Shumaker (bass). 

Rane grew up in and around a community of Chattanooga musicians who helped nurture in her an early love for musical expression. Her vocals carry power and finesse rolled together with perfect balance to evoke the emotional feel and imagery of her lyrics. As a child she was often found belting out lyrics in the back seat of a minivan on the way to just about anywhere. That six CD changer exposed her to the writing of Nanci Griffith, Carol King, Beth Woods, John Prine, The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Pierce Pettis, Buddy Mondlock, Cosy Sheridan and many other greats. The resulting flavor of her original work is an eclectic mix influenced by the earliest writing she encountered as well as by the contemporary music scene. 

Performing for nearly 15 years prior, her recording journey began in 2020 with the release of her first EP, “Heart in Tennessee”, which was heralded by Americana Highways as “the mesmerizing sound of an burgeoning and singular talent who is prodigiously steeped in the ability to express herself in a fresh and original manner.” In the summer of 2022 she took up a musical residency at Kneippbyn Resort Visby on the beautiful Swedish island Gotland in the Baltic Sea. During that time she connected with many talented musicians on the island and created the space to work with Sandkvie Studios to record 4 singles that were released over the course of fall 2022. The first of the quartet, titled “Meet Me in Stockholm” is a lightly bilingual invitation from a homesick Rane to her best friend to come help fill the lonely hours. The additional tracks focus on the winter and holiday season with inviting titles “Cozy Inside”, “Rosemary & Evergreen”, and “Tennessee Snow”. The collection of songs allowed for continued exploration and shared the “exquisite nature of her songs, their understated honesty, their deftness and delicacy, their combination of musical elegance and lyrical eloquence.” (The Big Takeover). These songs all have planned homes on future projects and currently stand alone as singles in Rane’s digital catalog.  

Teni thrives in listening room and house concert settings where she feels the most connected to the audience through the conversation and story lines of her music. She also loves playing in parks, botanical gardens, and really any outdoor venue. When playing live, she is often accompanied by her partner and spouse, Jonathan Shumaker, on the bass.