It’s always been about the music.

Born and raised in rural Maryland, Talbot grew up listening to her family play bluegrass, gospel, and traditional folk music; usually late into the night, usually on their historic farm, and always surrounded by family and friends. At the young age of 4 she joined her dad, her mom, her older brother, and her aunt and uncle in the family band playing the washboard and jug; by 6 she had started on the fiddle. Learning from family members and local teachers Talbot quickly became a proficient fiddler, performing at community venues and festivals with the family band and also competing successfully in regional music competitions. The fiddle may be her main instrument but at the age of 14 Talbot bought her first guitar (a Blueridge dreadnought that she still uses today) and taught herself how to play, kicking off what has become a lifetime of writing her own original songs. Talbot still performs with her family band (The Mayo Family) to this day and in 2019 she joined with fellow musician and songwriter Susie West to found the all-original Monkton Road Band.

Drawing inspiration from such varied sources as Robert Browning poems or high school nights spent playing bluegrass in smoky bars, Talbot’s songwriting doesn’t easily fit into any one genre. It is, however, strongly grounded in the old-time bluegrass sounds of her roots. Her love of traditional country and honky-tonk music adds an easily noticeable twang to many of her songs, and a passion for alternative rock ‘n’ roll lends a gritty edge wherever it’s needed. With often-witty lyrics and peerless vocals that have been described as a mix of Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, it’s easy to find the appeal in a Talbot Mayo performance.

Throughout her musical career Talbot has collaborated with various Baltimore-based artists in the form of session work (providing vocals and fiddle) and songwriting. She has released two studio EPs with the Monkton Road Band; “Fireball Sessions” in 2022 (self-produced) and “Hometown Poets” in 2023, which was recorded at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville and features music legends Matt Rollings (producer) and Ron Block. In early 2024 Talbot returned to Nashville, this time to record a solo EP of her original songs. Again produced by Matt Rollings and with associate production by Susie West, this project features such stellar artists as Matt Rollings, Fred Eltringham, Kris Donegan, Jimmie Lee Sloas, Jenee Fleenor, Buddy Miller, and more.

With a lifetime of experience already and a burgeoning solo career unfolding, there is one thing about Talbot Mayo that will never change; it will always be about the music.