Tanya and Michael Trotter, the married couple who’ve been performing for many years as The War and Treaty, bring a whole lot to the table, which shows in the heaps of awards and nominations they've earned. The duo has taken home an Emmy and two Americana Music Association awards, and notched nominations for two Grammys and for awards from the CMA, CMT and the ACM. Americana and country, rocking or contemplative, are the roots of many songs from them. That was up-front in the recipe of their 2025 record Plus One.
On Juneteenth, the pair released their fifth album The Story of Michael and Tanya. Like much of their work, the vital energy of classic soul and proto-funk is a key ingredient on this LP, and it’s the driving force of their recent appearance on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert video series.
It’s a good thing the performance space at the network’s headquarters is not too tiny, because the Trotters brought along an expansive band to bring this rich sound to life. The couple is up front singing, with Michael also playing keys, while the ensemble includes more keys, horns, strings and a glove-tight, fits-just-right rhythm section of guitar, bass and drums. They open up with “Are You Ready to Love Me?” a throwback to their 2018 album Healing Tide, then “Five More Minutes” from 2020’s Hearts Town, and then a trio of Story songs made up of “Don’t Say Goodbye,” “Shouldn’t Have” and “High Heels.”
Whether you love the group already or are just getting introduced, the gloriously maximalist performance shows off the Trotters’ finely tuned skills as both singers and frontpeople. Check out the whole performance in the video embed, follow the group on Instagram for updates, and make plans to catch them when they headline the Ryman on Sept. 13.
