About the Event

Since first lighting up the world with their glorious fusion of country and soul, The War And Treaty has steadily built a legacy as one of the most iconic husband-and-wife duos in music history. In the last few years alone, Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter’s phenomenal talent and daring originality have led to major milestones, like earning two Grammy® nominations, taking home the Duo/Group of the Year prize at the Americana Music Honors & Awards two years in a row, and performing at stadiums as support for superstars like The Rolling Stones and Zach Bryan—a triumph that’s won them a whole new legion of fans, thanks to the electrifying impact of their revelatory live show. On their new album, Plus One, The War And Treaty doubles down on the powerful sense of togetherness that’s always fueled their music, offering up eighteen life-affirming songs aimed at providing a shared experience of hope and healing and much-needed joy. 

“We see this record as an open invitation to be a part of what we’re doing—it came from wanting to be the hope we believe people need right now, as well as the hope that we need for ourselves,” Tanya says. 

Mainly produced by Michael and recorded at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Plus One marks their fourth full-length and follow-up to Lover’s Game—a 2023 LP whose standout track “Blank Page” nabbed a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song, with The War And Treaty nominated for Best New Artist. To create their most extravagant body of work to date, the duo enlisted their longtime live band and dreamed up a singular sound touched with elements of gospel, bluegrass, contemporary country, classic soul, symphonic pop, folk-rock, and more—creating a transcendent double album firmly rooted in their timeless musicality and forward-thinking vision. 

Both exquisitely gifted vocalists, Michael and Tanya trade off verses all throughout Plus One to share their distinct perspective on their one-of-a-kind love story. One of the most thrilling moments on the album, “Carried Away” revels in the unending passion at the heart of their fifteen-year romance. “So many marriages crumble a few years in, but with us it just keeps getting better and better with time,” Tanya says. 

Endlessly revealing the incredible depth of their musicianship, Plus One encompasses everything from the moody bluegrass romp of “Drink From Me” (featuring virtuoso guitarist Billy Strings) to the wildly ecstatic “Called You By Your Name” (a breakneck-paced rallying cry influenced by the Black gospel tradition of shout music). 

In selecting a title for the album, The War And Treaty chose to honor the once-in-a-lifetime connection evident in everything they create. Now based in Nashville, the two first met at a Maryland music festival in 2010 and instantly discovered an undeniable chemistry. Tanya grew up near Washington, DC, and found success as a teenage singer and actress, while Michael, an Iraq War veteran and wounded warrior, taught himself to play piano while encamped in one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces. Within several years of crossing paths, the duo co-founded The War And Treaty and set off on an unstoppable rise that’s now included sharing stages with such eclectic artists as Chris Stapleton and Al Green, performing twice at the White House, joining forces with Zach Bryan on his platinum-certified smash “Hey Driver” (nominated for a People’s Choice Country Award), and amassing an ever-growing list of accolades and award nominations. 

“We want our live show to be a place where you can be around other likeminded people, where we can all get together and let the love wash over all the pain we’ve experienced,” Michael says. “And if you can, we hope everyone will bring a plus one—someone who needs to hear what we’re saying, so that we can all grow together and extend that spirit of love as far as it can go.”