The Civil Wars performs at Bonnaroo festival with a very pregnant Williams | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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The Civil Wars performs at Bonnaroo festival with a very pregnant Williams

Jared Swilley of The Black Lips performs during the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tenn., Sunday, June 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

MANCHESTER, Tenn. - What's up next for The Civil Wars after a tour de force at the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival? Maternity leave.

The acoustic duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White played in front of a few thousand enthusiastic fans Sunday night, helping close down the four-day festival with a goosebump-raising performance that had Williams' unborn baby dancing around. Her due date is 10 days away.

"It was so fun. And the baby was just kicking like crazy," Williams said in her trailer after the show. "I think all that noise from the crowd in between the songs, there was no time for napping in the tummy. And the adrenaline, as well. I'm sure kept the baby up. It's bittersweet, as well. I'm kind of emotional about it. I blame the hormones."

Williams put together a 75-minute set with White as her husband and the duo's manager Nate Yetten watched with a beaming smile from the side of the stage.

The two-time Grammy winners played a selection of their most popular songs, leading a boy-girl sing-along on "I've Got This Friend" and taking a request for their popular "Billie Jean" cover.

Unsure what to expect with their first child, Williams and Yetten have been taking it easy. They hired backup midwifes for their last five tour stops and had their doula on hand Sunday while watching Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie and during their performance.

Williams also has White to lean on. While it's a first child for Yetten and Williams, White is a father of four and a good source of information.

The duo expects to be on hiatus through the summer and could return to the road in the fall. They'll play it by ear, though, after the baby arrives. They hope to write new material and begin recording. The duo told The Associated Press they recently decided to work with Nashville producer Charlie Peacock again after the breakthrough success of their debut album, "Barton Hollow."

After touring ceaselessly as they gained popularity, the duo is nervous about the downtime. They don't know what to expect when they return. White called it "a crossroads" and hopes they can pick up where they left off — with baby in tow.

"But much like your parenting advice," Williams said, turning to White, "I think you just strap in and hold on and hang on for the adventure."

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Follow Entertainment Writer Chris Talbott at www.twitter.com/Chris_Talbott .

News from © The Associated Press, 2012
The Associated Press

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