The Sisterhood

At first, new power duo The Sisterhood might sound like an odd pairing.

- Andrew Paul

Many would think twice before starting their own musical career if they also came from rock and folk royalty. Comprised of Ruby Stewart (daughter of Rod) and Alyssa Bonagura (child of core members from the country outfit Baillie & The Boys), The Sisterhood has already defied both expectation and convention, putting a modern spin both on classic singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and collaborative efforts such as Fleetwood Mac. Their creative—and vocal harmonies are evident from the start, and already they’re making a name for themselves both at home and abroad. We spoke to Alyssa and Ruby about The Sisterhood’s origins, how important family is, and what it’s like opening up for Rod Stewart on tour.

How did you two team up?

Alyssa: The two of us were really surrounded by music our whole lives. The offspring find each other. [laughs] I met Ruby through Graham [Whitford, son of Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford], my boyfriend. She came over to Nashville to write with Tyler [Bryant]. I felt like I’d known her my whole life. We became friends first and foremost, and we kinda just started writing songs for fun. It turned out to be that it was really magical, so we decided we should start a band. It was actually Rod’s idea. He was like [in British accent], “You guys are really good, you should start a band.” So we took his advice, and we’re glad we did.

What makes The Sisterhood different from your solo works?