‘New Sounds of the American Revolution’ entertains and educates

Carla and Keyes, local songwriters and performers, brought history to life on stage at the First Presbyterian Church of Yorktown June 20, performing original songs inspired by documents from the American Revolution to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. Audience members were transported back to the nation's founding through music, storytelling and discussion during the show.

The married duo Carla Lynne and Jim Keyes began performing musical history lessons for children on Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

“The pandemic, in an ironic way, got us a lot of work,” Carla said.

Since then, their business has expanded significantly. They perform history-based programs at events and workshops, and host a podcast called “The History Twins.”

Their June 20 performance featured four original songs about the American Revolution, referencing several documents that played a pivotal role in the nation’s founding. The opening number, “Common Sense,” was influenced by Thomas Paine’s influential 1776 pamphlet. Its upbeat nature immediately engaged the audience and featured a sing-along section that encouraged crowd participation.

The second song referenced the Olive Branch Petition, adopted in July 1775. The ballad featured Keyes on piano and included the refrain “It’s not too late for peace.” The song’s solemn melodies and vocal harmonies reflected the petition's final attempt to reconcile before the colonies declared independence.

This petition laid the groundwork for the Lee Resolution, adopted in July 1776, which was highlighted in the next song. Taking a more optimistic turn, the piece emphasized unity, determination and hope for the future of the United States.

Lynne reflected on the writing process and how it can be a challenge to turn a historical document into music.

“I had never heard of the Lee Resolution,” she said. “You have to ask the questions behind the questions—things like ‘Why did they write this? Why is this such a big deal?’”

The final original song, “Life, Liberty and Happiness,” referenced the Declaration of Independence, also adopted in July 1776. Its upbeat tone brought the audience through the ideals that helped shape the nation and provided a fitting conclusion to the original compositions.

The duo also performed several tavern songs from the Revolutionary era, explaining how music was used to protest, spread news and display frustrations during the war. The performance blended education and entertainment while keeping audience members engaged throughout the evening.

“We like to make history fun,” Carla said.

“New Sounds of the American Revolution” was organized by Yorktown’s Lynn Briggs, New York state chair of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association. Briggs has made it her mission to highlight Yorktown’s historical roots and share them with the community.

“The origin of this concert came from thinking more broadly about the things that we could put together that might appeal to a broader audience,” Briggs said.

Briggs’ dedication to preserving local history, combined with Carla and Keyes’ musical talents and engaging performance, created an evening that connected audience members with the stories and documents that shaped the American Revolution.