Renée Fleming and Béla Fleck
Madison Thorn/Courtesy 2b Entertainment
At first glance, a crossover project between operatic soprano Renée Fleming and virtuoso banjoist Béla Fleck might seem like an unexpected pairing. However, their Appalachian-inspired collaboration, The Fiddle and the Drum, arriving this Friday (May 29), is the culmination of a creative partnership nearly two decades in the making.
With a combined 23 Grammy Awards between them, the duo first began conceptualizing this project after a chance meeting at a Manhattan eatery. “Renée was considering a record in this vein, and for reasons I’m still not entirely sure of, my name was brought up as a producer,” Fleck shares, recalling his introduction to the project via Fleming’s team at Decca. “I didn’t hesitate; I was completely on board.”
“I have always gravitated toward profound female vocalists—everyone from Joni Mitchell to Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris,” Fleck notes. “I admired their records, even if they sat outside my own musical lane. The opportunity to work with someone of Renée’s caliber on a creative project was incredibly exciting.”
The Fiddle and the Drum—featuring an impressive guest list including Dolly Parton, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, and Sarah Jarosz—marks a stylistic shift for Fleming. The 10-track collection bridges the gap between public domain folk classics like “In the Pines” and “The Cuckoo” and contemporary compositions, such as the title track by Joni Mitchell and a haunting cover of “The Scarlet Tide” from the Cold Mountain soundtrack. It’s a departure from the works of Mozart or Verdi, certainly, but for Fleming, this exploration of Americana feels like returning home.
“I’ve always nurtured eclectic musical tastes,” explains Fleming, whose grandfather was a multi-instrumentalist in rural Pennsylvania. “Throughout my youth, I played the dulcimer and guitar, and performed in coffee houses. While my formal training was classical, I spent my Sundays singing with a jazz trio. Even then, I was drawn to the rootsy rhythms of the bands I saw during college—I didn’t know what clogging was at the time, but it felt like the only natural reaction to that music.”
Fleming credits the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack for reigniting her passion for these traditional sounds. That spark led the two to record early demos years ago, which—while never finished at the time—kept the dream alive through chance encounters over the years.
The album finally took shape in 2023 in Nashville, supported by a powerhouse band including Sam Bush and Stuart Duncan. “The chemistry in the room was palpable,” says Fleck. “Renée’s presence was both new and incredibly stimulating for us; everyone brought their absolute best.”
Fleming describes Fleck as her “secret weapon,” praising his collaborative, non-traditional approach to production. “His level of artistic investment was unprecedented in my experience,” she says. “In the classical world, the roles are often very rigid, but here we truly built this together. He was constantly iterating and refining—it was refreshing.”
For Fleck, the most striking aspect was seeing Fleming adapt her legendary voice to this new environment. “She revealed a different facet of her vocal ability in the lower register,” he says. Fleming adds, “I learned quickly that when stepping outside of the classical repertoire, I needed to manage my range carefully. By staying in a lower register, I found a more conversational, grounded tone. People who know my operatic work might not even recognize me here.”
The album concludes with a stunning, a cappella version of “Pretty Bird.” Fleck admits that while the song has been covered extensively, Fleming’s rendition forced him to re-evaluate his own perspective on the piece.
With a string of performances scheduled—from the Grand Ole Opry to Carnegie Hall—the question of a follow-up remains. “We haven’t discussed it yet,” says Fleming. “I was just hopeful it would find an audience. But it’s been a joy to step outside my comfort zone.”
Fleck is optimistic about the future. “There is a deep foundation of trust and friendship between us. The door is definitely open; it’s just a matter of timing.”
