Local Hit Folk Band Mipso Plans to Split Up After Carrboro: Interview with Vocalist Joseph Terrell

ARTS & CULTURE

CHAPEL HILL, NC – Local band Mipso is calling it quits where it all started in Carrboro. The band has achieved success over the last decade in the folk/bluegrass genres.

The quartet met and formed at UNC-Chapel Hill. The band began with Tar Heels Wood Robinson, Jacob Sharp, and Joseph Terrell, then shortly after their inception, added Libby Rodenbough, another Tar Heel. They will have four shows over a three-night concert series of music and reflection from October 7th through the 9th, with two shows on the 9th.

Joseph Terrell, a vocalist and guitarist for Mipso, reflected on the band’s journey,

“(The) spirit of things doesn’t last forever, and it’s good to say goodbye to them. Sometimes we’re trying to do this on purpose. That’s all it is.”

He certainly seems at peace with his band’s decision. The band saw their work appear on the Bluegrass Billboard top charts, and their song, “People Change”, has almost 130 million listens on Spotify. Joseph said that part of the reason the band is splitting is that they have recently been operating on a part-time basis, with members working on other projects, and they wanted to give respect to the work they have done. He also talked about the band’s relationship,

“We love it. We love each other. It’s been an amazing thing to do together, and we are deciding to give it a rest, because it’s better to not do it at all than to do it half assed.”

He says with people living in different places and working on various things, it has made sense to, “give it a rest for a little while.”

The band has pursued various solo ventures. Fiddlist Libby Rodenbaugh has produced multiple solo pieces over the last few years. Wood Robinson’s work can be viewed under the name That Other Band. Jacob Sharp released multiple singles in 2023 to 2024. Joseph has worked on his own pieces as well, most notably, “Deny, Depose, Defend,” a murder ballad on the assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last December:

“I’ve been really interested in getting back to the basics of guitar and voice and singing a folk song.” Joseph said he’s inspired by the likes of Doc Watson and Bob Dylan with this music, “And that song you’re referencing, which I called deny, depose, defend, was sort of taking that gripping story and turning it into sort of a style of like a traditional folk murder ballad, which is a cool forum.”

The band has drawn a lot of inspiration from North Carolina as a state. Some of their work is inspired by time outdoors in the western part of the state. Joseph says it is something the band takes pride in.,

“I think people associated with us at this place, which I’m really proud of here. Most people who know us, know of us as a North Carolina band, which is cool, because I think a lot of our influences are people that make me stick around here.”

He referenced the Red Clay Ramblers and the bluegrass guitarist Tommy Edwards as some of those people. Joseph, a High Point native, speaks with immense pride for his state,

“I grew up in the Western Piedmont, grew up in these woods, and it’s still a very special place to me. I’ve lived in other places. I’ve traveled for a living for over 10 years. You know, I’ve seen, I’ve seen the world, and I live here on purpose.”

If you are a local to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area, you may be aware that the region has a rich music history. For decades, bands big and small have visited the esteemed Cat’s Cradle. Many bands have also gotten their start there.

Mipso is one of those bands. On a Friday night years ago they were given a chance to play, and took off from there. Now Mipso looks to end their time together with an epic finale of four consecutive nights at the place where it all started.

Terrell said that he and his bandmates loved Cat’s Cradle when they were students,

“Yeah, Cat’s Cradle was the end all be-all. I mean, Cat’s Cradle was the coolest place in town, and it was our first example of a great music venue, and it’s still my main example in the whole country.”

He went on to say that Cat’s Cradle stands out from other venues and spoke about how it’s the best spot to finish Mipso’s journey:

“(Other venues,) they have no soul, and they’re run by people who are primarily concerned with profit, and in a lot of cases, they don’t sound good or feel very good to hang out in, and the Cat’s Cradle is kind of the opposite of that. It’s got great spirit from people who care about the local music scenes, and a little grimy around the edges, which I think only adds to its charm. We figured it was the perfect place to finish up this era.”

He went on to talk about what fans could expect from their four nights at Cat’s Cradle,

“I don’t want it to feel like pure nostalgia, like, we’re gonna have a lot of friends join us as guests. We’re gonna try a bunch of new stuff.”

The band has sold out all four shows in Carrboro. However, if you can find a way to get a ticket to that concert, it may be worthwhile checking out some homegrown talent playing the music they love one last time.

Thomas Hicks is a journalist with video, PR, and writing experience who studied at UNC and the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. Thomas is always looking for work and the next story! He loves working with his camera or with his pen. This reporter can be contacted at thomasjhicks55@gmail.com, LinkedIn: Thomas Hicks and X: ThomasJ_H