“Every note we play is a chapter in our story, a journey through the heart of American roots music. We’re The Wildwoods—where each lyric is a leaf in the vast forest of our sound.”
From the heart of Lincoln, Nebraska, The Wildwoods have grown into a folk/Americana trio rooted in rich harmonies and heartfelt storytelling. Formed by husband-and-wife duo Noah (guitar) and Chloe Gose (violin), and joined by longtime friend and bassist Andrew Vaggalis, the band crafts songs that feel both intimate and expansive—tales of home, hope, and the open road.
Their newest release, Dear Meadowlark (2025), is a love letter to the land that raised them. Inspired by seasons of touring, homesickness, and rediscovery, the album weaves chamber-folk arrangements with poetic lyricism, highlighting their signature harmonies and acoustic instrumentation. It follows a growing discography that includes Sweet Nostalgia (2017), Birdie & Goose (2017), Across a Midwest Sky (2019), and Foxfield Saint John (2023).
On stage, The Wildwoods have shared lineups with artists like Mighty Poplar, Sierra Ferrell, Aoife O’Donovan, Melissa Carper, Jaime Wyatt, and Joe Nichols, with appearances at renowned festivals including Summerfest, FreshGrass, and the Oyster Ridge Music Festival. Their songwriting continues to gain national attention—earning 2nd place in the 2024 Rocky Mountain Songwriting Contest for their song “Sweet Niobrara,” and securing semi-final spots in the International Songwriting Competition with “Untitled” and “Way of Train.”
The trio has also been recognized locally, earning the title of Best Band in the Lincoln Journal Star’s 2022 Lincoln’s Choice Awards and consistently receiving honors from the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards. They were finalists in both the FreshGrass Band Competition and the Gems on VHS “Gems in the Rough” contest in 2023.
Influenced by artists like Watchhouse, Nickel Creek, and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, The Wildwoods blend folk, bluegrass, and indie sensibilities into something uniquely their own. Their music is lush with nature imagery, layered harmonies, and an emotional sincerity that captures the quiet beauty of their Midwestern roots.
Whether weaving tales from their rural upbringing or capturing fleeting moments from life on tour, The Wildwoods create a sound that feels like home…wherever you are.
Joshua Finsel has wandered the mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania for most of his life. Born and raised in the backwoods of the Poconos, his formative memories were forged in nature, under blue skies, near cold mountain streams, with family, friends, and love. Music found him early, on the tapes played by his mother and father, the Wild Elders, while creeping slowly down the long narrow dirt road to his family’s cabin in a pickup truck.
He was a straight edge rocker by high school in the 90s, before becoming a mystical folk singer/songwriter/musician in a college town a few short years later. Josh spent some time strumming around out in Oregon for a few years before setting down roots back home and founding the bluegrass-inspired rock band Free Range Folk with friends in 2010 and Wild Elder Wine & Cider Co. in 2019.
Josh’s versatile vocal and instrumental style flows from Western-inspired laments to psychedelia. His solo work, although collaborative, showcases his subtlety and depth. Joshua’s music falls familiar on the ears, like the soundtrack to your dreams.
“A breathtaking dreamscape of through-hiking the Appalachian
Trail. A conversation between a child and mother nature. These
are some of the things you’ll hear from Joshua Finsel on his
gorgeous new record No Honey…”
-John Vettese WXPN Philadelphia
“A breathtaking dreamscape of through-hiking the Appalachian
Trail. A conversation between a child and mother nature. These
are some of the things you’ll hear from Joshua Finsel on his
Joshua Finsel has wandered the mountains of Northeastern Pennsylvania for most of his life. Born and raised in the backwoods of the Poconos, his formative memories were forged in nature, under blue skies, near cold mountain streams, with family, friends, and love. Music found him early, on the tapes played by his mother and father, the Wild Elders, while creeping slowly down the long narrow dirt road to his family’s cabin in a pickup truck.
He was a straight edge rocker by high school in the 90s, before becoming a mystical folk singer/songwriter/musician in a college town a few short years later. Josh spent some time strumming around out in Oregon for a few years before setting down roots back home and founding the bluegrass-inspired rock band Free Range Folk with friends in 2010 and Wild Elder Wine & Cider Co. in 2019.
Josh’s versatile vocal and instrumental style flows from Western-inspired laments to psychedelia. His solo work, although collaborative, showcases his subtlety and depth. Joshua’s music falls familiar on the ears, like the soundtrack to your dreams.
“A breathtaking dreamscape of through-hiking the Appalachian Trail. A conversation between a child and mother nature. These are some of the things you’ll hear from Joshua Finsel on his gorgeous new record No Honey…”
