Sara Watkins Is Joined By I’m With Her Bandmates on New Song “Tumbling Tumbleweeds”

Folk singer/songwriter Sara Watkins premiered a cover of Roy Rogers & Sons of the Pioneers’ “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” with an accompanying music video via Parade Magazine. On it, she’s joined by Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan, who make up the rest of their supergroup I’m With Her.

The cover is a cute take on the cinematic 1934 classic about living a nomadic lifestyle. Rather than all three of them singing in close harmony like the original, Watkins is clearly in the lead, backed by Jarosz and O’Donovan’s harmonies. Like much of Watkins’ recent music, it has a lullaby-like vibe, especially compared to the classic’s cowboy charm. Watkins and I’m With Her let the instrumental shine through more, with guitar picking, piano, fiddle and steel guitar all joining in together. 

“It was a delight to get to sing this old favorite of mine with two of my favorite people (and bandmates in I’m With Her), Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan,” Watkins told Parade. “On a personal level, I spent the first two years of my daughter’s life on the road with them (and Aoife with her daughter as well) and though my daughter will not remember that time, I will never forget the support and strength that they gave me as I was a new mother.”

In the music video, tumbling tumbleweeds bounce along through a quaint collage. It was directed by Mertcan Mertbilek, who also made the video for Watkins’ previous single “Night Singing.” The tumbleweeds pass by alpine countryside, windmills, ladders and rooms inside trees with little birds for occupants.

One of the scenes from the video is being used for Under the Pepper Tree’s artwork, which is the album that “Tumbling Tumbleweeds” is set to appear on. The record is due this Friday, March 26 via New West Records and will also include “Night Singing” and lead single “Pure Imagination.”