Welcome to the fourth year of Twang Factor, where Americana UK sets out to find the best new and emerging americana acts. Got talent? This is the place to show us what you’ve got.
Jim Patton and his wife/musical collaborator Sherry Brokus have a knack for taking everyday circumstance and expanding those scenarios into stories that resonate with deeper meanings and life lessons that can be relatable to all. The duo’s new album, “Two True Loves”, released September 2025 via Berkalin Records, explores the decisions, desires, and shared instincts that govern most individuals while pursuing a pathway through life.
“We could just as easily have called it “I Want it All” or “Hard Times,” Jim suggested. “That title refers to ‘Art v. Love,’ but it really means that there are times when you have to choose between something you love and the one that you love. That definition could even refer to the cheating songs on the record. There are other themes running through the album as well — loneliness and the fear of loneliness, as well as consequences that arise from pure greed. In that regard, it expresses my disdain for people who think they know what’s best as far as somebody else’s life.”
The couple originally met at a bar in Arnold, Maryland, after Sherry approached Jim during a break in his set and asked if she could sing a song with his band. Jim subsequently suggested that she sing Neil Young’s ‘Cowgirl in the Sand,’ and the two have sung together ever since. Jim and Sherry now reside in South Austin, and they play a prominent part in a musical community that boasts any number of exceptional songwriters, many of whom are friends and collaborators. Since the pandemic, the pair have managed to release at least one album a year.
