Rootwoman

The Songs

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lyrics &personnel

a conjure-workin’ Blues, a welcome into (re) memory.
Music & Lyrics, arrangement and production by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Lyrics
I’ll Tell You (Tell Me!)
I’ll Tell You (Tell Me!)
I’ll Tell You
Tell You What----
We Been Heah (Long Time!)
We Been Heah (Long Time!)
We Been Heah
Long Time Here
If You Wanderin’ (Wanderin’)
If You Wanderin’ (Wanderin’)
If You Wanderin’
Wanderin’, Sit!
Hand in the Water
Foot on the Ground
Hear My Call
Lay Your Body Down
Personnel
Lead Vocals: Karma Mayet
Background Vocals: Jadele McPherson and Karma Mayet
Electric, Acoustic and Resophonic Guitars: Marvin Sewell.
Upright and Electric Bass: Caylen Bryant
Violin: Chiara Fasi
Snare Drum Shuffle: Vishal Nayak
Additional Percussion Programming: Vishal Nayak, Ken Rich
Recording Engineer: Vishal Nayak
Recorded at Figure 8 studios, Brooklyn
Mixed by Ken Rich at Grand Street Recording
All rights reserved Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026
a story-song of Mississippi herstories and matrilineal complexities.
Written, arranged and produced by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Lyrics
Peaches and Pistols
Fingers and wrists
Steady in the Pockets
Of a Blue print dress
The Steel cool under her
Black, black hands
Ms. Mamie calls me
From a photograph
Big Tree out back, yo Mama clumb—
Ate herself sweet-sick
Peaches and Pistols
Only Two thangs
I recall
Grown folk would sit and tell
‘bout Ms. Mamie
Crackers tried
To steal her land
But Ms. Mamie
She wasn’t movin
She had somethin’ for ‘em
Sho Nuff.
She spoke to me. She said
You, child, you
Love sweet thangs just like yo Mama
But you cry
When you bite the hard seed
Just remember I done already seen
Every place that you gonna see
And I warned ‘em,
my Great Grandbaby’s comin’
Big Tree out back, yo Mama clumb
She ate herself sweet-sick
Peaches and Pistols
Only Two thangs
I recall
Grown folk would sit and tell
‘bout Ms. Mamie
Crackers tried
To steal her land
But Ms. Mamie
She wasn’t movin
She had somethin’ for ‘em
Sho Nuff.
Personnel:
Vocals: Karma Mayet
Bass: Fred Cash Jr.
Guitars: Marvin Sewell
Drums: Allison Miller
Percussion: Christelle Durandy
Recorded at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn
Recording Engineer: Todd Carder
Co-Produced by: Toshi Reagon
Mixed by Ken Rich at Grand Street Recording, Brooklyn
All rights reserved Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026
a sweetgrass braid of sacred erotic reverence.
Written and arranged by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Lyrics
Woman, Make My River Run
Personnel
All Vocals: Karma Mayet
Percussion: Karma Mayet
Guitars: Toshi Reagon
Recorded at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn
Recording Engineer: John Davis
Produced by: Toshi Reagon
All rights reserved Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026
a healing reclamation for the tender heart, Blue-sing Dolly’s Hill-song.
Music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. Arranged and produced by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Personnel
All Vocals: Karma Mayet
Guitars: Marvin Sewell
Viola: Melanie Dyer
Boot Stompin: Karma Mayet
Hand Percussion: Karma Mayet
Recorded at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn
Recording Engineer: Todd Carder
Co-Produced by: Toshi Reagon
Mixed by Ken Rich at Grand Street Recording, Brooklyn
Written arranged and produced by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Lyrics
Wyld, Free
Born under water
My Mother’s Daughter
One in a million
I’m too old and too young
Wyld, Free
You can’t make me!
Oh Mama, Star of the Sea
When you dream, do you remember me?
Wyld, Free
Just like you made me
You made me!
Personnel
All Vocals: Karma Mayet
Electric Guitar: Marvin Sewell.
Electric Bass: Caylen Bryant
Violin: Chiara Fasi
Percussion: (Shaker, Shells, Jingle Bells etc) Karma Mayet
Additional Percussion Programming: Vishal Nayak, Ken Rich
Recorded at Figure 8 studios, Brooklyn
Recording Engineer: Vishal Nayak
Mixed by Ken Rich at Grand Street Recording
All rights reserved Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026
a ragafied Spiritual blues lament of witness for lynching and for the restitution of (w)holeness.
Written and arranged by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Personnel:
All Vocals: Karma Mayet
Guitars: Toshi Reagon
Recorded at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn
Recording Engineer: John Davis
Produced by: Toshi Reagon
All rights reserved, Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026
an Appalachian traditional spiritual, approached as a grief-healing meditation, and orchestrated with seven Himalayan metal singing bowls.
Arranged and Produced by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Personnel:
Vocals: Karma Mayet
Additional Vocals: Barn Birds, Fly, and Creek
Seven Himalayan singing bowls: Karma Mayet
Percussion: Shawn Banks
Guitar: Jerome Jordan
Recorded at the Barn at Looking Glass Arts, NY
Recording Engineer: Rashaan Carter
All rights reserved Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026
a traditional Spiritual that rocks you in a cradle with soul stirring harmonies by one of my teachers, Sir Jason Charles Walker.
Traditional. Arranged by Karma Mayet.
Personnel:
Lead Vocals: Karma Mayet
Harmonies: Jason Charles Walker, Karma Mayet
Bass: Fred Cash Jr.
Drums: Allison Miller
Guitars: Marvin Sewell
Hammond B3 Organ: Sam Guillaume
Recorded at The Bunker Studio, Brooklyn
Recording Engineer: Todd Carder
Producer: Toshi Reagon
All rights reserved Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026
Braided melodies honey the heart toward Home
Written, arranged and produced by Karma Mayet Johnson.
Lyrics
Faith be my name
I heal the Healer
Sing a song
Bring milk from a stone:
Freedom in Forgiveness
Sweet Redeemer
We all got to find our way Home
I hear you callin’
I come runnin soon
Just like the River to the Sea
I come runnin’ soon
Born in a blood memory
I come runnin’ soon
Just like the wind become the rain
I come runnin’ soon
Just like the water knows your name
I come runnin’ soon
Personnel
All Vocals: Karma Mayet
Guitars: Marvin Sewell
Bass: Caylen Bryant
Violin: Chiara Fasi
Percussion Programming: Vishal Nayak
Recorded at Figure 8 studios, Brooklyn
Recording Engineer: Vishal Nayak
Mixed by Ken Rich at Grand Street Recording, Brooklyn
All rights reserved Karma Mayet Johnson © 2026

listen

  
    <a href="https://karmamayet.bandcamp.com/album/rootwoman">Rootwoman by Karma Mayet</a>

cover photo: Brandon Johnson

Come on in the Room

Welcome home.

Have a sit down. Front porch swing, back yard shade tree, kitchen table, guest bed, under the heirloom quilt. Pick your spot and settle in. Come on in the Room.

The vestibule of this Rootwoman’s home is a juke joint. Get low. Pass through the kitchen where ancestral stories infuse the aromas wafting through your soul. Move into the Healing parlor and lay down awhile. Rise and walk into the backroom Sanctuary where generations gone await to whisper sacred secrets in the stillness. Weep. Open your eyes and stroll outside, barefoot in the dew-kissed grass.

I’m beyond grateful to create with such gifted, generous and expert musicians as those featured on this record. Beacons amidst the intricacy of the terrain include Bassist Caylen Bryant’s lyricism on Wyld Free, I’ll Tell You and Sweet Redeemer; virtuosic Guitarist Marvin Sewell on just about everything; my dear brother Jason Charles Walker’s medicinal vocals on the traditional spiritual Come on in the Room; the exquisite ears of brilliant musician Rashaan Carter who recorded Bright Morning Stars in Marika Hughes’ barn at Looking Glass Arts, where we’re joined by the barn birds, creek and critters. There is a sweet conversational groove between Bassist Fred Cash Jr. and Drummer Allison Miller on Peaches ‘n’ Pistols, an ode to ancestral resistance to Jim Crow. Renowned multi-hyphenate artist Christelle Durandy also blessed us on percussion on Peaches. On the other hand, percussion for my version of Dolly Parton’s Little Sparrow consists of myself stompin’ my boot, accompanied by an egg shaker in my hand; Violist Melanie Dyer lends her exquisite hands to this Mountain wailing song. Ken Rich’s Virgociferous Magicianship at the mixing table simply cannot be overstated. Big loud shout to Monsieur Fred Kevorkian whose exceptional Mastering process took special care to embrace and deliver the nuance of resonance from my foot stomp on Little Sparrow, including the reverberation within the hollow mic stand itself, adding dimensions to the sound experience. My dear sister Vocalist and genius Jadele McPherson contributed some field hollerin’ on I’ll Tell You. On Sweet Redeemer, Wyld Free, and I’ll Tell You, Violinist Chiara’ Fasi’s prowess enlivened the harmonic architecture with some good ole classical fiddlin’.