Our Story
At the heart of Story & Tune is the real-life love story of two artists from different corners of the world, who found their way to each other via Instagram and in spite of considerable odds.
The result was a whole lot of joy.
And a whole lot of songs.
Story & Tune performing “Torch” live in San Diego, CA
Aussie singer-songwriter Ben Grace and Californian poet Karyn Thurston met for the first time weeks after they first said I love you, a blush-worthy whirlwind love story that landed them in a creative partnership writing a torrent of original songs. Story & Tune is the marriage of her words and his melodies (though they’ve been known to switch roles from time to time.) Driven by folk-americana’s long history of lyrical storytelling, the harmony-driven duo’s songs are a unique blend of heart, ache, and laughter, all grounded in the unwavering belief that belonging is an essential human right.
Story & Tune live at Portland's EasyFolk Fest 2024. Photo by Julia Varga.
Story & Tune are a blend of Woody Guthrie’s commitment to a better world with the rise and fall drama of a ballad by The Civil Wars. They’re the story you tell about an evening in Over the Rhine’s barn where too much whiskey leads to a flirty, irreverent guest appearance by Johnny & June. Whether they are sharing unforgettable modern folk originals about ghosts, good boundaries, and hard goodbyes, or leading a bar sing-along of your favorite cover tunes, you won’t leave a Story & Tune show without feeling a little seen, a little celebrated, and a little more hopeful than you did before you came.
Photography by Rachel Hall