Bio
Madeline Dierauf and Molly Johnson have been building a sound together since meeting in 2021 at the Hagood Mill Fiddlers Convention, where they have each taken home multiple blue ribbons. Joined in 2025 by guitarist Audrey Neel, their musical chemistry was immediate and they've been refining their sound and show ever since.
The Wilder Flower blends Folk, Americana, Bluegrass, and Old-time influence into something new and fluid. They thrive vocally on three-part harmonies, whether a two-chord old-time ballad, or a modern, minor-filled melody, and instrumentally feature bluegrass banjo tunes, fiddle and clawhammer string-band songs, and everything in between. Their unique sound is centered around original songs and tunes that are thoughtfully arranged and adapted to showcase their tasteful instrumental sensibilities. They flex between genres and writers in each song, but there is something to their collective taste that speaks the same language, though switching dialects.
The Wilder Flower has opened for bands such as the SteelDrivers, Steep Canyon Rangers, and MIPSO. They play festivals such as Merlefest, The Earl Scruggs Music Festival, GreyFox Bluegrass Festival, Big Ponderoo Music and Art Festival, FreshGrass Festival, High Mountain Hay Fever, and Albino Skunk Music Festival. The Wilder Flower also teaches / does educational outreach, working with organizations like Junior Appalachian Musicians, Merlefest, Mountain School of Strings, Outlaw Strings Oregon, Red Wing Academy, and in one off workshops for festivals.
In the media:
“One of our favorite new regional acts of this last year is this trio from Brevard. We love their blend of bluegrass, old-time, and folks stylings – the kind of representation of Appalachian roots music we cherish here at WNCW! It’s especially refreshing to hear such an authentic representation of these traditions coming out of Gen Z. Check out their striking three-part harmonies and virtuosity of guitar, fiddle, and banjo.” - Martin Anderson, WNCW
“This hyper-talented young female-fronted group has only been together the past four years, and are rapidly establishing themselves as a fresh voice in the industry with performances at major festivals, from a base in the Carolinas. Their charm derives from a wealth of strong original material, and a ‘just right’ mix of old time and bluegrass sounds.” - John Lawless, Bluegrass Today
“Wilder Flower covers it all. The trio is fresh and new, lovely and brings songs and smiles to all who see and hear them.” - High Mountain Hay Fever
"The band’s debut release, If I Wait Any More, displays their neatly-formed blend of bluegrass, old time, and folk styles in a collection of primarily original material […] If I Wait Any More is a captivating debut. With youthful energy and creativity in their music, the Wilder Flower is a group bound for a solid, exciting future." - Braeden Paul, Bluegrass Today
“Don’t miss up-and-coming bluegrass and folk string band the Wilder Flower from the mountainy portions of the North and South Carolina line.” - The Bluegrass Situation
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