Aspen siblings perform together for first time with Roaring Fork Series

The second annual Roaring Fork Rising Series returns with Emery Major taking the stage at 7 p.m. May 22 at The Vault at the Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave. 

Hannah Koivu will open.

‘We are thrilled to have Emery Major returning for the second year of Roaring Fork Rising. The evaluation committee responded positively to his application again this year and it is a special opportunity to sustain this kind of investment in a homegrown musician like Emery. I’m looking forward to hearing how he has grown and developed as an artist,” Executive Director Mike Harrington said.

The singer/songwriter and outdoorsman is currently Nashville-based, but he still spends a significant amount of time in Aspen — especially during the winter holidays, working, skiing and performing. During his upcoming show, he will be playing acoustic guitar and tambourine with a base kick.

Emery will also perform with a special guest: Maddy Major, his sister.

“We have never done a show together, and it’s the first time we played these songs together, so it’s definitely special,” he said. 

Maddy added, “This is the first time we’ve had to prepare to play with each other and, although it’s mostly Emery’s songs, I’m really excited to join him and support him and to be siblings on stage together.”

After growing up in the Roaring Fork Valley, Maddy went to Boston Conservatory for music composition. While she is LA-based, she will be the recitals coordinator for the Aspen Music Festival and School for the summer.

She will be playing piano and singing harmonies at Friday’s show.

“The Wheeler is my favorite place in the world, and I’m just so excited to get the chance to play there again and to bring my family and see the faces that I love and be a part of this community that I love,” Emery said.

He has released two albums: “Union Square Park” (2021) and “Farsick” (2025). He will bring some new songs and some old favorites.

“I try to figure out ways to make the show a little special for the crowd. It’s a lot of friends and family, and people I grew up with coming to the show,” he said. “I want to add something new to make it a hometown moment.”

He will be performing fan-favorite “Minivan,” featuring kazoos and a song called “Live” that is brand new. He will also perform “Idlewild,” which he co-wrote with Nashville-based singer songwriter Olivia Frances. 

“She’s fantastic. The song is about loving nature, and then finding peace and calm in this wild space that we love,” Emery said.

Earlier this May, one of his songs went viral for the first time on social media — “Tick Season,” a parody of Noah Kahan’s song, “Stick Season.”

“I was living in Tennessee, and it was one of my first springs. I was helping volunteer at Radnor State Lake Park helping build these bird aviaries for nature conservation. I looked down, and I was covered in ticks,” Emery said. “It was just itchy for weeks. The final straw was that I was sitting on my bed watching TV, and a tick crawled on my laptop, and it was just staring at me. I thought, ‘You have got to be kidding me.'” 

He will be performing “Tick Season” at the Aspen show.

“It just exploded. We’re at over three million views across social media platforms. There are 1.9 million for an Instagram video alone. It’s been this kind of crazy wave,” he said. 

For more information, visit wheeleroperahouse.com/event/roaring-fork-rising-emery-major-with-hannah-koivu.