The Secret Sisters

Beginnings

Laura and Lydia Rogers are sisters from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. With a love for music coming from both sides of their family (their grandfather and his brothers forged a group called The Happy Valley Boys), they grew up with a zeal for country music and sang songs with their family by country music artists such as Don Williams. The girls first learned to harmonize through singing a cappella at their hometown church. Laura and Lydia never considered a singing career as a duo. Laura went to Middle Tennessee State University to pursue a career in business, while Lydia was considered the "real" singer of the family.

2010: Discovery and debut album

Laura traveled to Nashville, Tennessee for an impromptu audition at Hotel Indigo where music business record executive Andrew Brightman and producer Dave Cobb were present, looking to create a new singing group. Lydia could not attend the audition, so Laura traveled by herself, where she auditioned with "Same Old You" by Miranda Lambert. Representatives from the audition soon asked her to come back to Nashville, to which she asked if she could bring her sister Lydia along. Lydia showed up later and they were asked to sing together, resulting in the formation of The Secret Sisters. The girls were soon flown to Los Angeles for their first time in the studio to record a couple of demos. For Laura, it was her first time in an airplane. The demos were produced and record companies began responding accordingly. Within weeks, they were assigned to Universal Republic Records and the song selection process for their debut album began.

Their self-titled debut album consists of cover songs such as "Why Don't Ya Love Me?", "Why Baby Why", the Frank Sinatra song "Somethin' Stupid", and Nancy Baron's, "I've Got a Feeling". The album also includes two originals written by Laura Rogers: "Tennessee Me" and "Waste the Day". It was recorded in two weeks at Blackbird Studios and produced by Dave Cobb, who had worked with artists such as Waylon Jennings and Jamey Johnson. T Bone Burnett was the executive producer.

The Secret Sisters brought in studio musicians such as steel guitar player Robbie Turner and pianist Pig Robbins. The album was recorded with classic analog equipment. The production team and the sisters used vintage microphones and classic recording techniques, down to the same type of tape they would have used fifty years earlier. The album was released October 12, 2010. Laura tried to describe the experience: "In so many ways we are still the same kids who would perform songs in our parents' room, when we sang about silver threads and golden needles and cold-hearted snakes, and all that. Even with everything that's happened – getting that dream chance to make our own album, I really believe we've just found where we're supposed to be."

In addition to their debut album, they recorded "Big River" and "Wabash Cannonball", at Jack White's studio, with White on guitar. It was released as a 7-inch single.

Their song "Tomorrow Will Be Kinder", inspired by the novel The Hunger Games is featured on the album The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 and Beyond' but the song was not featured in the film.

2014: Put Your Needle Down

The duo recorded their second album in December 2012 and January 2013 at the Village Recording Studios, Los Angeles, with T Bone Burnett as producer.

The album, Put Your Needle Down, was released on April 15, 2014. It debuted at No. 110 on the Billboard 200, and at No. 18 on the Top Country Albums chart with 3,700 copies sold in its debut week. Reviews were mixed. Several critics expressed disappointment with the album's production and songwriting.

2015: Dropped by Republic Universal Records

They have been dropped from Republic Universal Records, but continue to make music. The sisters are working on their third album and have upcoming tour dates with Brandi Carlile and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Television appearances