By Glenn Rifkin

This is the sound of voices three, singing together in harmony…..  “One Voice” by The Wailin’ Jennys

The Wailin’ Jennys at the Groton Hill Music Center on Thursday, November 20.

The Wailin’ Jennys at the Groton Hill Music Center. Photo: Julie Pampinella

If ever there was a musical act and a venue perfectly suited to each other, it would have to be the Wailin’ Jennys, the harmony-laden Canadian folk trio, and the Groton Hill Music Center, the dazzling performance center set in the bucolic farmland and apple orchards northwest of Boston.

Having established a large local cult following after touring around New England for the past two decades and playing to adoring audiences on stages at Passim, the Somerville Theatre, Sanders Theatre, and The Cabot in Beverly, it was inevitable that the group would make their way to Groton.

It was appropriate that the Jennys — Ruth Moody, Nicky Mehta and Heather Masse — finally appeared on the stage at Groton Hill’s 1,000-seat concert hall on Thursday night in front of a fervent sold-out house. The Friday night show was also a sell-out, confirming the enduring popularity around the Boston area for the trio that emerged from the prairie town of Winnipeg 24 years ago. Like nearly every artist who has appeared at Groton Hill since it opened in 2022, the Jennys were taken by the venue, with its soaring ceiling, natural wood and stone interior, and world-class acoustics.

“This is heaven,” Masse exclaimed as the three women kicked off a set of their older classics and newer, some unrecorded, songs. Surveying the audience, it was surprising to realize that more than half had never seen the group before and many were making their first visit to Groton Hill. Word had clearly spread.

In a dynamic first set, demonstrating the soaring harmonies that have gained the group a devoted following, the Jennys did a rousing a cappella rendition of the Paul Simon classic “Loves Me Like a Rock,” before launching into Masse’s anthem “Cowboy,” followed by “Beautiful Dawn,” a favorite from their debut 2004 album 40 Days.

In a moving tribute to Warren Zevon, they did “Keep Me in Your Heart,” Zevon’s final recording before his death in 2003. They ended the first set with Moody’s traditional gospel number “Glory Bound,” for which the audience enthusiastically joined in singing the Hallelujah chorus.

The group’s musical virtuosity, supplemented by guitarist Ethan Sherman and Moody’s brother Richard on violin and mandolin, extends beyond their distinct voices. Masse, who joined the band in 2007, is a Maine native trained in jazz at the New England Conservatory of Music. She plays the upright bass and her strong alto voice is foundational to the group’s harmonies. Moody and Mehta, original Jennys from Winnipeg, have long since moved to other locales, but maintain a sisterly connection that brings the band together for short but regular tours. The Jennys’ appeal is rooted in the unpretentious and deep-seated love for the music they write and cover. They are also funny and charming and happy to share the stories of their evolving lives as they became mothers.

Mehta recounted a conversation with her 16-year-old twin sons who were impressed by the fact that their mother is a professional musical artist. “If it was just another genre,” one of the boys opined.

The second set was highlighted by Masse’s lusty “Cherry Blossom” and a cover of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers.” Moody’s beautiful “One Voice” ended the set to a loud standing ovation. When the three ladies came back out for an encore, they walked to the front of the stage without instruments and mics and sang the haunting traditional Irish farewell ballad “Parting Glass” to the awed crowd.

After the Friday night show, they were headed to Portland for a benefit concert and a final New England show at the Park Theater in Cranston, Rhode Island, on Sunday, November 23. They’ll be back in the area in April, including an April 25 appearance at The Cabot in Beverly. No future plans were announced, but it’s a fair bet they will make their way back to Groton sooner than later.

Glenn Rifkin is a veteran journalist and author who has covered business for many publications including The New York Times for nearly 35 years. He has written about music, film, theater, food, and books for The Arts Fuse. His book Future Forward: Leadership Lessons from Patrick McGovern, the Visionary Who Circled the Globe and Built a Technology Media Empire was published by McGraw-Hill.