Six questions for David Mayfield and Abby Rose of Cave Twins

Musicians David
Mayfield and Abby Rose, otherwise known as the Cave Twins, released their debut
album, Best Friends for Now, last
month. The two will be playing a live show at Muddy Creek Café in Winston-Salem
on Thursday at 8 p.m. Tickets can be found here.

How did you both get into music and what was your inspiration?

Abby: Well, I grew up playing the flute and started playing the guitar when I was about 15 years old. Then, I started writing songs and I met David three years ago.

David: Yeah I grew up in a family bluegrass band so I grew up playing music at about 11 years old. I started on the bass because that’s what the family band needed. Then, I took up guitar and mandolin, which is what I play, mandolin, for Cave Twins.

Now you guys are so close that you jokingly call each other twins
who were separated at birth. How did you guys meet?

David: Well, we were born around same area of northeast Ohio but had never met. And then one day, I went to an open mic night about three years ago in Akron, Ohio. I saw her singing and I was instantly drawn to her voice and her music. Then we became quick friends and started writing songs together.

Abby: We had met like kind of a couple of times but we never talked to each other until that night. We’re both musicians in a smaller cities, so we knew a lot of the same people. I heard his name so much. But that night was the first time we met.

Why did you decide to start making music together?

David: Initially I asked Abby to come to a recording studio that I own. I asked her to come and sing some harmonies with me. And then, when we were working in the studio together, we realized that we shared a lot of similar musical interests and ideas. I started sending Abby some lyrics to a song because I wasn’t happy with the melody. A lot of our songs happen that way where I write the lyrics and Abby writes the melody.

Abby: I had never written music like this with anyone before. It’s very easy and collaborative. It brings joy; it’s fun. Sometimes I struggle with having words so it’s fun for me because I get to just create the melodies.

How would you describe your musical style?

David: I would say the safest description would be indie folk. We really try to just to be authentic and true to ourselves. We don’t take anything very seriously, especially not with our music. And you know sometimes, things are little goofy or silly but we’re always having a lot of fun.

Abby: Yeah, it’s a lot of fun.

So you both grew up in Ohio right? Did that influence your music
at all?

Abby: Yeah, we grew up in the Youngstown area, and later, we were both were in the Kent are and we were part of the music scene there that was happening.

David: Yeah, in Kent, they have a huge folk festival every year and it’s just kind of an area and a town that’s very accepting of the arts and music especially. Especially the bluegrass type of music, which is what I grew up playing, there’s a lot of that in northeast Ohio. Originally, it was coal miners who wanted to find better jobs… brought that music with them.

Abby: That history both influenced us.

David: It influences the whole scene.

What are your future goals for Cave Twins?

David: World domination is the end goal but we’re taking baby steps. Probably the next step is to build fans all over the US and hopefully we make someone happy along the way.

Abby: When we perform, it’s not about us. We try not to make it all about us. It’s more about everyone who has decided to participate and come to experience the evening.

David: We like the idea of thinking of ourselves as plumbers. Like people, they pay us, to come and entertain. We’re providing a service…. That’s something we always talk about.

Abby: We just want to have fun and try to be ourselves.