Kaitlyn Finchler
Staff writer
In their second performance at Chautauqua, small-town sibling trio Girl Named Tom seeks to create harmony in a divided world.
At 8:15 p.m. tonight in the Amphitheater, Bekah, Caleb and Joshua Liechty will give Chautauquans a taste of their homegrown style.
“They’re returning because they resonated with our audience so much,” said Deborah Sunya Moore, senior vice president and chief program officer. “Our audience really connected with their family story. Our audience also recognizes excellence and loves song.”
The band made headlines after making history as the first trio to win NBC’s reality singing competition “The Voice” in December 2021.
Raised in Pettisville, Ohio, the siblings grew up in a town of about 500 people and no stoplights. Although the siblings were homeschooled, Girl Named Tom recently handed over their trophy from “The Voice” to the local high school, according to Country Now.
After their win in 2021, the trio’s father, Chris Liechty, died after a long battle with a rare cancer. A 2022 Daily article reported Chris “always encouraged the siblings to wholeheartedly pursue their dreams in every capacity, even during his final moments.”
In addition to their chart-topping covers “River,” “The Chain” and “Dust in the Wind,” their debut EP, “Another World” brings listeners into a reflective space to explore fond memories, global issues and intimate conversations.
Moore said the Week Eight theme, “Freedom of Expression, Imagination and the Resilience of Democracy,” allows Chautauquans to think deeply as they listen to the pop-folk band.
“We have to remember whatever interesting, tough, difficult (or) fascinating things we talked about (during) the day, our evening is here and in beauty together,” she said.
Girl Named Tom is based on a childhood nickname, “Thomas,” Joshua gave to Bekah when she was a baby. Noted on the band’s website, their style combines the “beautiful harmony” of classic artists Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills and Nash, with current pop artists Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Adrianne Lenker.
“Small-town siblings with a wide world-view, we seek to create harmony in a society divided,” the band said on its website. “We believe that as we share our music with our three unique voices, we can inspire the world with a common goal: to fly and help each other fly.”
During the group’s first year as a band, Girl Named Tom drove an old minivan cross-country in 2019, playing 67 shows in 27 cities. After winning “The Voice,” they went on a national tour with 95 shows in total.
This year, with a stage set to look like a living room, the group’s second national tour will include unreleased original music.
