Laurelyn Dossett Shares “How Many Moons” Music Video

North Carolina Americana songwriter Laurelyn Dossett has released the music video for “How Many Moons,” the title track from her first solo album.

The video introduces the album through a roots-focused country track that highlights Dossett’s voice and songwriting.

Although How Many Moons is Dossett’s first solo album, her work has reached prominent Americana recordings for more than three decades. Levon Helm recorded her song “Anna Lee,” first written for the 2006 play Brother Wolf, for his Grammy-winning 2007 album Dirt Farmer and later included it on Live at the Ryman. The Carolina Chocolate Drops also used Dossett’s “Leaving Eden” as the title track of their Grammy-nominated 2012 album.

Dossett enlisted several musicians with ties to North Carolina and the broader roots-music community. Charly Lowry contributes vocals to “The Vision and the Call,” while fiddler Stephanie Coleman, pedal steel player DaShawn Hickman, bassist Jason Sypher, drummer Nick Falk and Riley Baugus also appear. Taylor contributes acoustic and electric guitars as well as mandolin.

Dossett said many of the musicians have been longtime friends and collaborators. In addition, members of her family — including her daughters, nieces, sisters-in-law, and aunts — provide chorus vocals on “Glory Glory.”

Rhiannon Giddens also joins Dossett for a new version of “Anna Lee,” due Aug. 28. Their history extends beyond the studio: Dossett previously sang harmony vocals on Giddens’ Tomorrow Is My Turn tour, with appearances at the Grand Ole Opry, New York City’s Town Hall, Big Ears Festival and CBS Saturday Morning.

Beyond her recorded work, Dossett has written music for various professional stage productions rooted in regional folklore, including Beautiful Star: An Appalachian Nativity, Bloody Blackbeard, Providence Gap, Snow Queen, Radiunt Abundunt and Leaving Eden. She also co-founded the folk duo Polecat Creek, toured with Alice Gerrard, and worked with the North Carolina Symphony.