The Mammals
It has been too long since the Fiddle has hosted The Mammals, one of the most popular groups on the folk music circuit. Led by Ruth Ungar, daughter of Jay Ungar ("Ashokan Farewell") and singer Lyn Hardy, and her husband, Mike Merenda, The Mammals are indie-roots trailblazers, offering high-octane Americana - from rafter-raising anthems to hear-a-pin-drop balladry. They'll be on tour across the US supporting their long-awaited new double album Touch Grass Vol 1 & 2.
“Equal parts protest, poetry and pure joy.” – Radio Woodstock
“A national treasure.” – Anais Mitchell
The Mammals are an indie-roots band from New York’s Hudson Valley led by singer-songwriters Ruth Ungar and Mike Merenda. Over two decades, this fiercely independent outfit has built a legacy of genre-defying, politically charged, and emotionally resonant folk-rock praised as “some of the best songwriting of their generation” (LA Times). Their music resonates with urgency and tenderness—amplifying the voices of conscience, connection, and the full spectrum of human experience.
Emerging in the early 2000s as “subversive acoustic traditionalists” (Boston Globe), The Mammals blend old-timey roots with lyrical fire and magnetic force. After a period of redefinition as Mike + Ruthy, the band reemerged in 2017 and have since continued to forge music that is as topical as it is timeless. The Washington Post writes, “They don’t suffer from multiple genre syndrome—they celebrate it.”
Their forthcoming 2025 double album Touch Grass Vol. 1 & 2 marks the band’s most expansive offering to date. A lyrical wake-up call and a tender salve, the album was recorded at their own Humble Abode Music studio over four years. Produced by the band and mastered by Greg Calbi, Touch Grass pulses with Americana soul, front-porch folk, and barn-burning electricity. Volume 1 channels defiant spirit with tracks like “Unpopular Ideas” and “Rolling Stone Refugee,” while Volume 2 invites introspection and healing with meditative songs like “Luna Light” and “Heal Our Heart.” “Doing good doesn’t have to mean do more,” they sing—reminding us that kindness and community are forms of resistance. Listen below:
Their previous release, Nonet (2020), was hailed as a landmark album that “marshals the defiant spirit needed to heal a damaged world” (No Depression), and the band continues to evolve with their sound, touring internationally and maintaining a vibrant creative base in the Catskills. Twice a year, The Mammals host The Hoot, a spirited folk festival they curate at The Ashokan Center, a nod to Ruth’s musical heritage—she’s the daughter of legendary fiddler Jay Ungar, composer of “Ashokan Farewell.”
With praise from fans, press, and peers including Anaïs Mitchell (“a national treasure”), The Mammals remain in the vanguard of today’s folk revival—musical storytellers rooted in empathy, joy, and fierce authenticity.
“Some of the best songwriting of their generation.” – LA Times
”A party band with a conscience” – Boston Globe
“Some of the best folk-rock music you will ever hear.” – TapeOp
“Equal parts protest, poetry and pure joy.” – Radio Woodstock
“A national treasure.” – Anais Mitchell
The Mammals are an indie-roots band from New York’s Hudson Valley led by singer-songwriters Ruth Ungar and Mike Merenda. Over two decades, this fiercely independent outfit has built a legacy of genre-defying, politically charged, and emotionally resonant folk-rock praised as “some of the best songwriting of their generation” (LA Times). Their music resonates with urgency and tenderness—amplifying the voices of conscience, connection, and the full spectrum of human experience.
Emerging in the early 2000s as “subversive acoustic traditionalists” (Boston Globe), The Mammals blend old-timey roots with lyrical fire and magnetic force. After a period of redefinition as Mike + Ruthy, the band reemerged in 2017 and have since continued to forge music that is as topical as it is timeless. The Washington Post writes, “They don’t suffer from multiple genre syndrome—they celebrate it.”
Their forthcoming 2025 double album Touch Grass Vol. 1 & 2 marks the band’s most expansive offering to date. A lyrical wake-up call and a tender salve, the album was recorded at their own Humble Abode Music studio over four years. Produced by the band and mastered by Greg Calbi, Touch Grass pulses with Americana soul, front-porch folk, and barn-burning electricity. Volume 1 channels defiant spirit with tracks like “Unpopular Ideas” and “Rolling Stone Refugee,” while Volume 2 invites introspection and healing with meditative songs like “Luna Light” and “Heal Our Heart.” “Doing good doesn’t have to mean do more,” they sing—reminding us that kindness and community are forms of resistance. Listen below:
Their previous release, Nonet (2020), was hailed as a landmark album that “marshals the defiant spirit needed to heal a damaged world” (No Depression), and the band continues to evolve with their sound, touring internationally and maintaining a vibrant creative base in the Catskills. Twice a year, The Mammals host The Hoot, a spirited folk festival they curate at The Ashokan Center, a nod to Ruth’s musical heritage—she’s the daughter of legendary fiddler Jay Ungar, composer of “Ashokan Farewell.”
With praise from fans, press, and peers including Anaïs Mitchell (“a national treasure”), The Mammals remain in the vanguard of today’s folk revival—musical storytellers rooted in empathy, joy, and fierce authenticity.
“Some of the best songwriting of their generation.” – LA Times
”A party band with a conscience” – Boston Globe
“Some of the best folk-rock music you will ever hear.” – TapeOp