Virtually Famous: Lillie Mae

Still only 26, Lillie Mae Rische has the musical experience of someone twice her age.

A violinist from the age of seven, she played alongside her siblings in their dad’s bluegrass group, the Forrest Carter Family Band, living in a motorhome as they travelled from gig to gig across the US.

In her teens she had a record deal with the younger members of her family in a band they called Jypsi, releasing a debut album and a single that grazed the country music charts in 2008.

Today she still performs with her guitarist brother Frank and mandolin-playing sister Scarlett, but she also has a more familiar collaborator. She joined Jack White’s band when he toured as a solo act, sang on his Lazaretto album, and now he’s returned the favour by producing her debut solo album.

Forever and Then Some, which gets a full UK release today but has been on streaming services since its US release in April, has a warm but unpolished country-folk sound, led by her high, sweet voice. Her new punky hairdo is the only tough thing about her. The music is pure loveliness.