The Ruralists, a Sioux Center-based band consisting of primarily Dordt graduates and faculty members, will release their third full-length album titled Letting Go on September 18.
During the academic year, Dordt University’s faculty members can be found in various spots on campus—in the classroom, holding office hours, or perhaps even grabbing a bite to eat at the Atrium or a cup of coffee at Defender Coffee Co.
Off campus, students might be surprised just how many pockets of the local community they might find faculty members. From pulpit supply to picking sweet corn, Dordt’s faculty are engaging and serving in Sioux Center in vastly ordinary ways.
For Luke Hawley, dean for the arts and humanities and professor of English at Dordt, that includes making music with friends as part of The Ruralists, a Sioux Center-based band consisting of primarily Dordt graduates and faculty members.
What started 10 years ago as a casual group playing for a back-to-school parking lot party at the Fruited Plain has become a local musical treasure and inspiration. The band includes Hawley as lead vocalist and songwriter, philosophy adjunct and Dordt alumnus Laremy De Vries on guitar, Dordt alumnus Jake Miller on bass, Dordt alumnus Brody Joens on the saxophone (among other instruments), and Christian Lief on the drums.
Now, the group is anticipating the release of their third full-length album on Friday, September 18.
"...we try to let go and just enjoy making the thing, spending time together, and offering it back to the people we know and the community we live in. And there’s great and wonderful freedom in that—leaning into finitude."
As a band, The Ruralists have found the greatest reward to be the simplicity of making music together. “Much of the motivation behind making music for us is just to make something, anything at all really,” says Hawley. “The album is called Letting Go, and that’s one of the main themes throughout.”
“You reach a certain point in life and realize that whatever fame and fortune or festival circuits you might have dreamt about look more and more unlikely. And so we try to let go and just enjoy making the thing, spending time together, and offering it back to the people we know and the community we live in. And there’s great and wonderful freedom in that—leaning into finitude,” he adds.
For Hawley, being a part of The Ruralists is another way to share his gifts, connect with students, and contribute to the community he calls home.
“I think everyone should have a creative outlet, and this is mine,” he says. “I also taught a songwriting class last spring and was in the middle of writing the last few songs on the record. I brought at least one of them to class to have my students workshop—to let them see the process, hear my own critiques, and offer any feedback that they had. I think it made it easier for them to share their work.”
“We always hope [listeners] have a good time and enjoy the music,” continues Hawley. “And come out to see us play sometime—like September 19 at the Fruited Plain for the tenth installation of Pork and Bands. And mostly I hope the songs are helpful in some way. I’m a songwriter first and foremost, so I always hope that a listener might carry a lyric with them for when they might need it.”
Letting Go will be available on all major streaming platforms beginning September 18. The Ruralists will also perform on September 19 at the Fruited Plain during the tenth annual Pork and Bands event.
To learn more about The Ruralists, visit www.fullyruralized.com or follow the band on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The band can also be reached at fullyruralized@gmail.com.
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, alumni, and the broader community to work effectively toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life.
Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt offers undergraduate and graduate programs that help students live their faith in every area of life. Through rigorous learning, meaningful relationships, and whole-person formation, students gain the practical wisdom to serve God and neighbor through their work and in their communities. Dordt has been named among the nation's leading Christian universities by U.S. News & World Report, Niche, and other national publications.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has recognized Dordt University engineering professor Dr. Justin Vander Werff with its Region 7 Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award.
“Most people in college did not live through 9/11, but they’ve been taught about it. When people see the flags, I hope they remember the terrible events and the victims. I also hope they look forward to Christ and the renewing of all creation.”
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