Artist Spotlight: Tift Merritt
For me, the N.C. State Fair is a constant reminder of the magic and excitement of fall. Occasionally, that magic extends beyond the fairgrounds. Tift Merritt is a perfect example. Submitted for your approval: 1997. Fall semester. UNC-Chapel Hill. Two college students, Tift Merritt and Zeke Hutchins, meet in an American studies class. Soon, they form a little band called The Carbines, which plays local venues The Cave, Cat’s Cradle, the front porch of the General Store in Bynum, among other locations. Fast forward five years. Merritt releases Bramble Rose to critical acclaim, followed two years later by her second…