Fox & Foal, an up-and-coming, folk-inspired worship duo from Fayetteville, Arkansas, came together when Dave Williams and Brooke Hobbs first began leading worship together at the University of Arkansas Wesley College Ministry in the fall of 2015. After a few years of serving on staff in the local church they began writing original songs together that were inspired by the move of God in their own lives. A call to lead their congregation in true surrender to a new life in Christ remains a constant theme in several of their songs, including “Overflow,” “I Am Yours,” and “Give It All.”

As the new songs continued to come, and the vision for recording them and offering them to the wider church started to form, Dave and Brooke settled on the name Fox & Foal to represent their musical pursuits. “Human nature’s inclination toward sin is represented by the cunning fox,” Williams explains, “While the constant presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is represented by the foal.” The two images poetically captured the emerging vision the duo was cultivating; to connect the people of God with the presence of God in a transformative, and artistic way.

Often leading worship as a duo in their early days, and deeply inspired by the modern Americana artists that made such a resurgence in recent years, Fox & Foal are drawn to the simplicity of two voices and a guitar, but are unafraid to take things farther when given the opportunity. They make a strong first statement on their debut EP, What Other Love. Produced in Nashville by John J. Thompson and Stephen Leiweke, and brought to life by a band of musicians that includes Aaron Smith on drums (Rich Mullins, The 77s, The Temptations,) Chris Donohue on bass, (Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Allison Krauss, Robert Plant,) Matt Slocum (Sixpence None The Richer) on cello, and Matt Stanfield on piano and keys (Corey Asbury, Kasey Musgraves, Keith Urban, Norah Jones, Kelly Clarkson,) this five-song introduction features melodies that stick, rhythms that move, and lyrics that matter. “We can’t wait for the world to hear each one of these songs,” Brooke adds. “And this is just the beginning!”

Fox & Foal’s ultimate goal is that their work would be a fresh expression of worship in a world desperately craving authenticity. “We pray that God would allow us to help people worship in spirit and truth,” Williams continues. “To sing of the promises of God, declare proclamations of faith, and to find hope in the storm for years to come.”