Runaway June brings its country harmonies to the Gorge

MOSES LAKE — There’s a new sound rumbling on the horizon that they hope will take the country by storm. Their three-part harmony is rapidly becoming a new voice in country music.

Billboard Magazine calls them the “Next Hot Trend in Country Music,” but all Wheelhouse Records act Runaway June can tell you is that they are staying true to their roots and chasing the dream.

Central Washington country fans will get a chance to hear this new female trio — Naomi Cooke, Hannah Mulholland and Jennifer Wayne — at the Watershed Festival, which runs on consecutive weekends, July 29-31 and Aug. 5-7, at the Gorge Amphitheatre.

Runaway June is up on Aug. 5.

They’re not trying to fit in. They’re not trying bust out. They’re just putting out the sound of three-part female harmonies with ringing strings and adding their voice to a new generation of country music.

“What we’ve done is written songs that are us, what we want to say and how we want to say it. We haven’t thought about fitting in or breaking out. We’re just doing what we do,” Wayne said in a telephone interview from Nashville. “The main thing is to be true to yourself.”

Cooke, who is the lead vocalist and guitar player, agreed “People can tell what’s real,” she said. “With our trio, I think a lot of it is vocals, but we love country instruments. We have dobro, we have steel (pedal), mandolin and fiddle. If the song is good enough, it can stand out on its own. Our goal is to write a song and be able to play it ourselves.”

Runaway June is already receiving rave critical notices from the likes of NASH Country Daily, Sounds Like Nashville, Taste of Country, The Morning Hangover and WhiskeyRiff for their brand of organic and melodic country music.

“I grew up in choirs singing low harmony. Jen naturally sings high harmony and Naomi has this perfect mid-range voice,” said Mulholland, who is the mandolin player of the group. “If we all switched positions, it wouldn’t be the same.”

Wayne gave up a professional tennis career to write songs in Nashville. Eric Paslay hit “She Don’t Love You” is one of hers.

With Runaway June, the songwriting process is a modern twist on a way-back sound that comes across in a new way of saying things. Kind of like a new crest on an old wave.

“Every once in awhile we’ll write a part. But we’ve been writing everything pretty much together,” said Cooke, who grew up in Florida and made her way to a stage in Nashville’s world-famous Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge. “It’s because we have such great chemistry in the writer’s room.”

Said Wayne, who is the granddaughter of Hollywood icon John Wayne, “I’ve been in Nashville 10 years, but I feel like I’ve written my best songs these past couple of years with the girls,” she said. “We all do a combination of everything, lyrics and melody. Some of us are stronger at certain things, but we all contribute.”

Their debut single “Lipstick” impacted as a Top 5 Most Added Song at U.S. Country Radio and is the mainstay of their live shows. To stream “Lipstick” go to smarturl.it/streamlipstick.

“I love playing live. That’s why we’re doing it. All the travel, no sleep and being away from home, it all goes out the window when you see people singing your songs back to you?” Wayne said. “We’re starting to see that a lot more now with Lipstick. It’s the most rewarding thing for songwriters and artists.”

Fans at the Gorge show can expect to see an up-and-coming act ready to take it to another level. Look for a song called “Train Whistle.” They can expect the Runaway June rendition of “She Don’t Love You” and of course “Lipstick” to wrap things up.

For more information on the 2016 Watershed Festival lineup, camping or other information go to http://watershedfest.com.

What: 2016 Watershed Festival

When: July 29-31 and Aug. 5-7

Where: Gorge Amphitheatre

Website: http://watershedfest.com

Special note: Runaway June plays on Aug. 5.