Alan Sparhawk finds his voice after loss on Trampled by Turtles collaboration

Alan Sparhawk has spent decades shaping the sound of Northern Minnesota’s music scene — first with his late wife Mimi Parker in the groundbreaking band Low, and now through a new collaboration that straddles both grief and renewal.

After Parker’s death in 2022, Sparhawk said he wasn’t sure he could find his musical voice again. But in the studio with longtime friends Trampled by Turtles, a casual recording session blossomed into more than expected. His new collaborative album is transformative and raw, while feeling alive with both sorrow and hope.

On Sept. 6, Sparhawk brings this deeply personal new chapter to Grand Rapids Riverfest, opening a day of music along the Mississippi River.

In a recent conversation on KAXE, he talked about going into a recording session with Trampled by Turtles without expectations. They, too, were grieving the loss of Parker, and walked with him through the process.

"It was really beautiful," Sparhawk explained. "When we lost Mim, I didn't have the desire to write about it."

He explained how he had never thought of himself as an intentional writer. "It's more just that I try to do my best to open the window and see what comes in," he said.

The new album has been described by Pitchfork as "a raw snapshot of perfectly articulated hurt and the first steps of navigating it for the rest of one’s life."

Lorie Shaull

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KAXE

Music

Album of the Week: 'With Trampled By Turtles' by Alan Sparhawk

Kari Hedlund

'With Trampled By Turtles' by Alan Sparhawk is KAXE's Album of the Week for June 2-8, 2025.

The members of Trampled by Turtles have been supportive of Sparhawk through his journey.

"I was in good hands," he said. "Those guys had taken me in the first summer after to ride along on some shows, just to be friends and you know, be supportive."

What emerged in the recording session with the band was a surprise.

"I was nervous about singing, I had still been struggling with that. Hearing my voice without Mim was kind of a shock and kind of disorienting for me at first."

But being with trusted friends opened something in him. "I wanted to do my best because they were bringing themselves to it 100%," he said.

Minnesota Music

Low's Alan Sparhawk turns to joy of music in his grief

In an interview with KAXE Music Director Kari Hedlund, Sparhawk said it's a relief to be playing with a band without being its leader — particularly at this moment in time, just months after the death of his wife and Low bandmate Mimi Parker.

Listen • 25:15

In White Roses is My God, his first album without Parker released in the fall of 2024, he found himself using an effect on his voice to change the sound. He described it as a doorway to being able to sing without hearing his own voice, like a costume to sidestep his own ego.

For Sparhawk, the process of making With Trampled By Turtles made him comfortable with what felt like the right way to reintroduce himself to singing.

The reach of Low

Sparhawk’s songs have reached far beyond Minnesota, inspiring artists across generations. Mavis Staples, Chrissie Hynde and even Blondie’s Debbie Harry have performed Low’s music. But perhaps the most surprising fan is rock legend Robert Plant.

Sparhawk recalls how Plant discovered Low by chance after a CD got stuck in his car stereo on a long drive. The former Led Zeppelin frontman fell in love with the music, began covering Low’s songs, and even included them on his own albums. Low's "Everybody's Song" is the first single off Plant's new release Saving Grace.

For Sparhawk, the recognition is meaningful, but he says the greater satisfaction comes from staying true to his voice and writing songs with honesty, no matter the audience.

Grand Rapids Riverfest

Contributed

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Emily Bujold

When Alan Sparhawk takes the stage to open Grand Rapids Riverfest on Sept. 6, it won’t just mark another festival set, but is a homecoming of sorts and a moment of renewal.

Growing up in Northern Minnesota, Sparhawk has long ties to the region, and now he returns with music forged in friendship and loss. Backed by his son Cyrus and longtime collaborator Eric Pollard — with special contributions from Dave Carroll from Trampled by Turtles — Sparhawk’s performance promises to be both intimate and powerful.

He is sure to set the tone for a day of music rooted in connection, resilience and the spirit of Northern Minnesota.

Listen to the full conversation above.

Coming to Grand Rapids Riverfest? Tickets are still available!