Bettman and Halpin bring fresh take on Americana to Bayou Theater

October 18, 2021 | UHCL Staff

If you've ever lost yourself in a ballad from Joan Baez or Emmylou Harris, you'll be right at home with Bettman and Halpin as they bring their unique brand of musical storytelling to University of Houston-Clear Lake's Bayou Theater on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

"Our music pulls on heart strings, and we play strings," said Stephanie Bettman, the duo's songwriter, vocalist and fiddler. "It's heartfelt, acoustic, a bit of bluegrass, a country influence, and overall, it's Americana and folk music. How's that for description?"

She believes that the music defies a single category because it's continually evolving, based on her life experiences and feelings at any given time. "We started out with a country vibe early on, and then gradually shifted to folksier tunes, and now we have an eclectic collection, from boot stomping to reflective," she said.

Bettman and multi-instrumentalist Luke Halpin have been a musical team for the past 15 years. Their paths crossed in Los Angeles, where Bettman's lyrics and Halpin's harmonies meshed with a range of instruments including fiddle, guitar, mandolin and banjo.

Since those beginnings, they've created six albums, with a seventh in the works. As with many other performers, the COVID-19 pandemic brought their touring to a halt, and they've only returned to the stage since August.

"Nothing beats performing for a live audience," Bettman said. "The energy drives our performance, and I love hearing comments from people who have connected with our music."

Embracing change is how Bettman describes her life in general. Before devoting her life to musical performing, she tried her hand at acting and was even an accomplished trapeze artist. Through it all, the common thread has been sharing her passion with the rest of the world.

Now, when the duo isn't on stage, they update fans through their website and Facebook, Instagram and YouTube accounts.

To purchase tickets for their November 11 show, and to learn more about upcoming events at the Bayou Theater, go online.