Whiskey Girl – Elena Flores Whiskey Girl – Elena Flores

It’s a special feeling when you think you have discovered something for the first time. Whether it be a perfectly spherical pebble or a talented new musician, the energy that emanates through your body can be exhilarating. Enter Minnesota-native, Elena Flores aka Ruthy.

[Energy emanating] Currently studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, Flores experienced “love at first pluck” only last summer when she stumbled upon a banjo at a garage sale.  Now Ruthy seems poised garner attention from new and traditional folk fans alike with her lo-fi sound that radiates simplicity and natural talent.

Flores isn’t the only musician to get his/her start at the Providence school. Fang Island, Black Dice, Lightning Bolt, Les Savy Fav, and Talking Heads are all former RISD (ris-dee) students.  What strikes me about Flores in particular though, is her dedication to the folklore.  In her words, “if it tells a story, if it sets a comfortable environment to drink a lot of whiskey and/or beers and be around good people, I’m there.”

Flores is now with band, an indie folk outfit called Ruthy, Moonshine and the Ruckus Boys.  She is also a part of Paxico Records, a “camp of creative relatives involved in the preservation and propagation of folklore.”

—–> Ruthy, Moonshine and the Ruckus Boys on MySpace <—–

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Illustration by Melanie Steinway