Sugar Hollow is an acoustic trio from Charlottesville, Virginia comprised of Emily Morrison (vocals/piano/banjo), Rusty Speidel (vocals/guitar), and Mike Burris (vocals/guitar/mandolin). The trio plays folk and Americana music from artists like Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Brown, John Hiatt, John Mellancamp, and Gillian Welch. Sugar Hollow is known for tight three part harmonies, exceptional musicianship, and a curated set of familiar favorites as well as original music.

Rusty Speidel is a long-time Virginia musician, producer, and songwriter, with credits as both as a solo artist and collaborator. With his band Speidel, Goodrich, Goggin and Lille, he’s traveled nationwide and released four full-length albums. He’s also shared the stage with numerous national artists, and regularly contributes to local and regional performances and recording projects as a singer, producer, arranger and instrumentalist.

Emily Morrison grew up in a musical family in southwest VA, where she started singing and playing music in church at a young age. The founder and former Director of The Front Porch School of Music, Emily believes in the transformative power of music to change lives and strengthen communities. Being part of Charlottesville’s community of musicians has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of her life. And while she never reached her goal of being one of James Taylor’s backup singers, playing music with Rusty and Mike is pretty darn close.

Mike Burris grew up in Coastal Delaware, spending most of his adult life in Burlington, VT, before relocating to Charlottesville in 2015. He is first and foremost a songwriter, influenced heavily by John Hiatt, James McMurtry, and Jason Isbell. He released his first record, “Goodbye Town” in 2022 with producer/guitarist David Grissom (John Mellancamp/Allman Brothers/Lucinda Williams). When not fronting the Mike Burris Band or playing with Emily and Rusty, Mike works as a recording, mixing and mastering engineer.