About That Song: The Twins of Franklin
About That Song #44
In our special series, singer-songwriter Sarah Morris interviews artists about the songs that shaped them.
Hi! I’m Sarah Morris. I’m wildly in love with songs and the people who write them. There have been a few songs in my life that have been total gamechangers—songs that made me want to be a songwriter and songs I’ve written that made me feel like I am a songwriter. About That Song is a space where I can learn more about those pivotal songs in other writers’ lives.
In the 44th edition of this series, I got to talk to Becky Shaheen and Laura Lou DuSchane, aka The Twins of Franklin! These BFFs have been collaborating for ages, so I was excited to dig into their musical past to find out about the songs and artists that helped make them the magical act they are today.
The Twins of Franklin. Photo credit: Erika Osterbur.
Sarah: Hi The Twins of Franklin! Which really means…Hi Becky! Hi Laura!!
Not actual twins, but dear friends, you have been singing together for over 15 years. In addition to music you’ve released as solo artists, you are getting ready to release your second album as a duo—congratulations! This Life will be available everywhere on May 17th, and I’d love to talk about the songs that have made a difference in your musical journeys. Do you each remember the song you heard that made you want to be a songwriter? Tell us about that song.
Becky: I grew up with a rather prolific songwriter for a dad, so I thought writing songs was just a very normal thing! One of my favorite songs he wrote is “Raymond,” a lovely folk-pop song about a small town in Colorado. It’s good storytelling, so pretty, and very fun to harmonize on. Singing about whatever was on my mind was a very natural thing and seeing the songwriting process in real time with my dad at a young age made it easy to see how I could also use my voice, words, and melodies to tell my own stories and convey my feelings.
Laura: Does it count if my answer is kind of a movie/song combo?
Sarah: It sure does!
Laura: I have distinct memories of watching the movie Coyote Ugly (IYKYK) over and over again in middle school. The story revolves around a small town girl who leaves home to follow her dreams of becoming a songwriter and all the ups and downs along the way. It planted the idea in my head that maybe someday I TOO could dance on bars for money to help pay for my big dreams of stardom. (LOL JK…) But I remember seeing her sit with her guitar and write “But I Do Love You,” which inspired me to beg my parents to let me take guitar lessons. I didn’t have the guts to really start songwriting until much later in life, but the seed was planted in the year 2000.
Sarah: Um, Laura! That might just be my favorite ever songwriter origin story. And Becky, I love that you saw songwriting normalized through your dad’s writing. My own songwriting journey is closely intertwined with my early years as a mother, and I imagine on some level our kids are soaking up a similar sense around the act of writing songs.
Once you began writing, did you feel like a writer immediately? Was there ever a song that gave you that “a-HA! I AM a songwriter!” moment? Tell us about that song.
Becky: I had a lot of false confidence when it came to songwriting, probably because I grew up with it being a part of our family life. When I was in 5th grade, I wrote a song for the elementary talent show and performed it in front of hundreds of people (along with a backing track created by my dad). I still remember the thrill of it.
Two years later, I wrote my first song with original instrumentation. I remember going through the song with my dad and he rather bluntly told me the second verse could be better, along with a few other notes. At first I was angry with him for suggesting that this wasn’t already the best song he had ever heard?! But after workshopping it, I became so proud of the outcome. I think that’s when I realized there’s a lot more to writing songs than just putting the first thing you think of down to paper.
Laura: I wasn’t the most confident in my songwriting abilities when I first started, but then I wrote this song called “Tell Me How” that I was really proud of. I remember playing it for these two very accomplished songwriters (Becky and Joe) and both of them assured me that it was a great song. I wrote it about a decade ago,and I’ve had many moments of imposter syndrome in the years since. But ultimately, we STILL add it to some of our setlists and I am reminded that I’ve been writing music that people enjoy for a quite a long time now.
Sarah: I’m always fascinated by the moment two individuals decide to become a musical duo—was there a performing moment, a certain song you sang together that made it clear you had a specific “together magic”?
Becky: When we first started singing together we were mostly singing in ensembles and small groups. Then we had a moment in college where Laura started singing harmony on one of my original songs called “Puzzle Piece,” and something totally different clicked. More people started commenting on how much we looked and sounded alike, and we came to find that we had a lot of similarities (and plenty of differences) that also bonded us as close friends even before we were regularly singing as a duo.
Laura: We also had this amazing moment at my senior recital where we sang this duet called “Sull'aria” from the Marriage of Figaro and it felt very “sisterly” and incredible.
Sarah: Oh, that is such a beautiful song. I’ve never performed it myself but have many college memories of watching duos perform it in studio class!
Laura: I sang duets with my older sister throughout my childhood, so finding a stand-in sister in Becky came very naturally. I started going to more of Becky’s gigs and learning all the words and harmonies to her songs while sitting in the audience. Eventually I convinced her to let me sing with her on stage and, as they say, the rest is history.
The Twins of Franklin. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
Sarah: “Better Me” asks the question “Can I be better at being who I am?” OH HOW GRATEFUL I AM that you asked a question I relate to wholeheartedly in this fantastically catchy musical format. Can you tell us about that song?
Becky: This song was inspired by many friendship moments that Laura and I have shared. I’d been reflecting on a conversation Laura and I had about confidence and differences in personalities and coming to this realization that there are many moments of “neither of these ways of being are right or wrong.” I also took some direct quotes straight from Laura's mouth. I hope I’m always trying to become a better version of myself; in doing so, I know I’ll continue to treat the ones I love the most better as well.
Laura: Like many folks, I’ve struggled with insecurity and lack of confidence much of my life. I used to spend a lottt of time questioning myself—my choices, my looks, my inability to be like others I compared myself with (comparison is the thief of joy!!). Becky and I were talking these feelings through one day, and I’m convinced she wrote this song as a bit of an affirmative love note to me—and to herself.
This moment was an “aha” moment in our friendship. There’s nothing better than realizing that your best self is your truest, most honest, most authentic self, and being affirmed that your closest people love you just as you are.
Sarah: I agree. Also, the admiration you have for one another is so clear and lovely, what a joy to see! Your current single is “Look at All This Life,” and it’s a beauty. Your first album came out in 2020, and since then the world has undergone, oh…some big events, and also, you’ve both become mothers. I would imagine all of that living has found its way into this album, and perhaps particularly this song. Can you tell us about it?
Becky: When I was pregnant with my first child, I was feeling anxious about how I was going to be a parent while also pursuing a thriving musical career. I decided to reach out to a few musical mothers I knew, namely Lucy Michelle, and she said: “My writing exploded after having kids.”
She was spot on. The three songs that felt like they so easily flowed out of us were the ones surrounding motherhood and pregnancy loss. “Look at All This Life” was written one month into motherhood. It seriously just flowed out of me and I played it for my husband on his birthday—when I got to the third verse that talks about our eldest daughter, I could hardly get through it! Honestly I still tear up during this section.
Laura: It really has been a different experience releasing music with this new lens of motherhood at the forefront of our minds. I find myself thinking about how our kids will get to listen to these songs forever, how they’ll find their names on our album inserts, and about how we have these new big life experiences we can process via the outlet of songwriting. This Life has songs written from before we had babies and after. And like Becky said, it’s pretty wild how easily those parenthood songs flowed out of us.
Sarah: When I was new to songwriting and motherhood, most of my musical friends were guys. Younger than me, fantastic humans, but I didn’t really know any songwriting moms to ask questions of. Eventually I met so many wonderful music-making mothers in our community and it was an absolute game-changer for me. I’m grateful to any performing parent that shares about the intersection of art and parenthood.
In celebration of your new album, do you have any Midwest shows coming up in the next few months?
The Twins of Franklin: WE DO! We have a couple leading up to the release party, then our release party and a few summer things in the works. We’re also playing in Oconomowoc, WI in the Fall!
May 9th - Songwriter in the Rounds, 331 Club, Minneapolis
May 31st - Album Release Party, Icehouse, Minneapolis
July 24th - Music in the Parks, Lake Harriet Bandshell, Minneapolis
Aug 23rd - P.O.P at 50th and France, Edina, MN
Sep 28th - Magic Mansion Concert on the Porch, Oconomowoc, WI
Sarah: That looks like a wonderful summer. Thank you so much for visiting About That Song, and congrats again on your new release!
Celebrate the release of This Life with The Twins of Franklin at Icehouse in Minneapolis on Friday, May 31, also featuring The Lucy Michelle Band! Doors are at 6pm and music starts at 8. Get more info and tickets.
Listen to “Look at All This Life”
This Life Album Credits
Music and Lyrics by Becky Shaheen and Laura Lou DuSchane
Produced by Becky Shaheen, Kevin Bowe, Laura Lou DuSchane
Engineered and mixed by Kevin Bowe in The Kill Room
Mastered by Bruce Templeton at Microphonic
Becky Shaheen - Vocals, guitar, keys
Laura Lou DuSchane - Vocals, uke, guitar. Keys on Stuck Inside
Joe Shaheen - Bass, vocals. Additional instrumentation - Mandolin, keys, harmonica, organ on Look at all This Life. Tenor Banjo on Stuck Inside. Keys, Organ on Worry. Harmonica on To The Moon and All Your Love. Keys, organ on Worry
Brian Reidinger - Drums / Aux Percussion. Organ on Life By Design
Kevin Bowe - Guitar. Harpsichord on The Wait
Tommy Barbarella - B3 on Stay, To The Moon, All Your Love
Jillian Rae - Violin, viola on The Wait, Stay and Worry
Cierra Hill - Cello on The Wait, Stay and Worry
Patrick DuSchane - Whistling, backup vocals on Stuck Inside
Daniel Koza - Euphonium on Stuck Inside
Chris Koza - String arrangements for The Wait, Stay and Worry
Eric Sexe - Guitar on Life By Design
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Morris. Photo credit: Tom Smouse.
Sarah Morris is a superfan of songs and the people who write them, and a believer that certain songs can change your life. A singer-songwriter / mama / bread maker / coffee drinker who recently released her fifth album of original material, she’s been known to joyfully sing with people in her Big Green Bathroom.
