About Me

Elsa Howell is a Richmond-based singer/songwriter, Old-Time guitarist, and Traditional Appalachian Ballad singer and teacher from Roanoke, Virginia. Her debut EP, released in September 2024, is a collection of original and traditional narratives combined in her own unique style.

Elsa grew up in the hills of southwest Virginia, dancing at square dances hosted by her father's band, the Black Twig Pickers, and singing loudly on talent show stages. Her interest in singing intensified after attending a youth crankie workshop taught by Elizabeth LaPrelle, a ballad singer and multi-instrumentalist from Rural Retreat, Virginia. Many years later, Elizabeth and Elsa formed a mentor-apprentice pair sponsored by the Virginia Folklife Program. They spent a year diving in to the old ballads of Virginia and beyond, with a focus on women singers and songwriters.

Now, Elsa writes her own haunting ballads inspired by her native region while honoring and treasuring the centuries-old tradition of Appalachian ballad singing. She is constantly blending language and melody from an older world with the imagery and stories of a modern one.

This summer, Elsa will be singing at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival as a part of the Archive Challenge hosted by the Library of Congress. You can find her original music on all streaming platforms and please reach out with questions, lesson or show inquiries, or anything else!

Elsa Howell, Richmond VA