Madisen and Ruth Ward are family members. Onstage, they’re the leading members of Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, a soulful folk band whose sound is anchored by twin guitars and two big, booming voices.
The music started in Kansas City, where Madisen grew up watching his mom perform cover songs at local coffeeshops. Before long, he was writing his own tunes, mixing the old-world influence of his family’s folk records with the unchained, energetic stomp of modern-day rock & roll. The two began playing entire shows together, ditching the cover songs in favor of Madisen’s original material. Both sang, both played guitar, and both watched as their band’s audience slowly grew.
Now they're on Behind the Spotlight talking about their journey.