"Ben and Karyn have that indie folk je ne sais swoooooon that makes everyone in the audience feel like they are members of the band."
“Precious few shows are fun for both me and my 16-year-old daughter, but we had a blast together at Story & Tune. Karyn and Ben have such an infectious enthusiasm that you can’t help being drawn in!”
"They don't just write songs and perform them; they invite you into a beautifully safe and connected space where you can rest your bones, ease your mind, and heal your heart. That's the power of Story & Tune."

Story & Tune are a blend of Woody Guthrie’s commitment to a better world with the rise and fall drama of a ballad by The Civil Wars. They’re the story you tell about an evening in Over the Rhine’s barn where too much whiskey leads to a flirty, irreverent guest appearance by Johnny & June. Whether they are sharing unforgettable modern folk originals about ghosts, good boundaries, and hard goodbyes, or leading a bar sing-along of your favorite cover tunes, you won’t leave a Story & Tune show without feeling a little seen, a little celebrated, and a little more hopeful than you did before you came.

“Anyone still grieving the loss of hurts-so-good Americana duo The Civil Wars can march your weary earholes over to Story & Tune. There, you’ll find the delicately crafted lyrics and haunting harmonies you’ve been craving since John-Paul and Joy called the whole thing off.”

— Lindsay White, Singer Songwriter

Light from the Break

Light from the Break is a ten song tide of healing, heartbreak, trauma, loss, and hope, recorded in a year when we experienced each in turn. Some of the stories in these songs are true. Some are made up.
Most are somewhere in the middle, and every single one of them is for you.

Thanks to:

Jeff Berkley for the magnificent production.
Amelia Sarkisian and the Studio West/ Satellite team for the top-notch hospitality.
Mark “Robbie” Robinson for the game-changing mastering.
All of the gorgeous musicians and vocalists who contributed:
Jeff Berkley, Josh Hermsmeier, Ted Stern, Rick Nash, Aaron Bowen, Sharon Whyte, Flamy Grant, Lisa Sanders, Karen Hayes, Noah Heldman, Will Stucky, Jacobo Mendoza, Evan Diamond, Reyna Adams, and Fable Thurston.

REad the San Diego Troubadour's REview of Light from the break

Story & Tune · Light from the Break

TORCH

Ghosts, good boundaries, and hard goodbyes -

this is trauma-informed harmony.

Aussie singer-songwriter Ben Grace and Californian poet Karyn Thurston met for the first time weeks after they first said I love you, a blush-worthy whirlwind love story that landed them in a creative partnership writing a torrent of original songs.

Story & Tune is the marriage of her words and his melodies (though they’ve been known to switch roles from time to time.) Driven by folk-americana’s long history of lyrical storytelling, the harmony-driven duo’s songs are a unique blend of heart, ache, and laughter, all grounded in the unwavering belief that belonging is an essential human right.

“Story & Tune’s songwriting blows me away. Their songs are so rich and full of gorgeous visuals that take the listener on a journey. Each one was a total immersive experience - so much so that I found myself wishing they were trailers for movies I could watch someday.”

— Kari Gale, Author & Artist