Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Perform ‘Woodlands’ Track “Empty Trainload Of Sky” and “Look at Miss Ohio” on ‘Colbert’

Photo: Alysse Gafkjen

On Tuesday, May 6, Gillian Welch and David Rawlings appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, serving as musical guests on the outro of their 10th album release, Woodland. During their televised performance, the folk tastemakers nodded to their latest full-length drop by performing “Empty Trainload of Sky” and classic “Look at Miss Ohio.” 

Welch and Rawling’s arrival in the Big Apple for Colbert doubled as an entry into their current tour stops at New York’s Carnegie Hall at the Isaac Stern Auditorium on Wednesday, April 7, and Thursday, April 8, in support of the duo’s GRAMMY award-winning album for Best Folk LP. 

Establishing the sonic footing for their rousing 34-stop jaunt, the pair performed two numbers during their late-night performance at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater. Leaning into Woodland, the acoustic duo and stand-up bassist evoke scenes of rural life, mentions of rolling boxcar, amidst a tapestry of emotive strums which strike a sense of instrumental catharsis through lines of questioning: “Was it spirit? Was it solid?/ Did I ditch that class in college?”

“Look at Miss Ohio” solidified the pair’s solid-gold status as folk veterans and masters of the craft, exhibiting a definitive understanding of harmony to administer a full dose of Midwest nostalgia. 

Catch Welch and Rawlings on the road this spring and summer. For a complete list of tour dates and to purchase concert access, visit www.gillianwelch-davidrawlings.com.