IN CONCERT

The Be Good Tanyas with Lucy Wainwright Roche

When: Sunday, 7 p.m.

Where: Alix Goolden Performance Hall

(907 Pandora Ave.)

Tickets: Sold out

The Be Good Tanyas never officially broke up, but for the better part of three years, the Vancouver trio stopped being a fully functioning unit.

The stretch of inactivity led to all sorts of speculation, some of which suggested the Be Good Tanyas couldn't stand the sight of each other during their final tour in 2008. That's news to Frazey Ford, whose recollection of the events leading up to the trio's extended hiatus are considerably less salacious.

"It just kind of happened," Ford said. "We all put creativity first and we were feeling urges toward other things in our lives. It was left open-ended because we were all ready to do other things for a little while."

The absence of one of B.C.'s brightest groups created a void in the Canadian folk field that was refilled last year when the Juno-nominated act announced it would regroup for a pair of summer concerts. The concerts, held in Winnipeg and Vancouver to support the 10th anniversary vinyl reissue of its 2001 debut, Blue Horse, received an overwhelming response, resulting in a U.S. tour of the West Coast in August that drew similar raves.

Looking back on the early days of the group, Ford couldn't help but imagine how her life would have turned out had the group, which also includes Trish Klein and Sam Parton, done things differently.

"It all happened so fast," she said. "We were suddenly touring all the time, but none of us were used to committing to a project for that long. We all had things in mind we felt like doing. I had an urge to do a different style of music, and I had a son. Trish wanted to travel and Sam wanted to go to school and study. It was never totally closed; I think we all just needed a break at that point."

The reunion train keeps on rolling for Ford and her bandmates. More concerts are forthcoming, although only two dates are currently on the books at the moment — a Vancouver stop on Saturday and a date Sunday at Alix Goolden Performance Hall, the band's first local appearance since 2006.

Not surprisingly, tickets for the Victoria date have sold out in advance.

"This thing has its own momentum, it seems," Ford said. "It's got its own life."

The Be Good Tanyas are known for their harmonious sound, an amalgam of country, folk, soul and Americana that radiates warmth. Pleasant-sounding roots music was the band's calling card at first, but over time, their songs grew darker, the sounds more fleshed-out. The trio will be joined Sunday by bassist Mark Beatty and drummer John Raham, though fans can expect to hear generous helpings of the three-part harmonies that earned the group such strong notices out of the gate.

Ford said her excitement over the group's return matches that of any fan. "I missed the harmonies and the textures of the band. All that stuff happened when we were so young, so now that we've come back to it, I finally understand what about that sound is compelling to me. It's always been a really healing sound, and for whatever reason, the three of us singing together is a source of strength for us."

The Be Good Tanyas came and went before their time, yet their reach spread far across the continent. A month ago, during a string of solo dates that took her through North Carolina, Ford came across a children's clothing store in Asheville named after Littlest Birds, the group's most popular song.

Moments like this remind Ford of the group's impact and of the sense of empowerment she feels when she's on stage with Parton and Klein.

"When I listen to our old records, there was a wisdom we had that was kind of beyond us. It was coming through us collectively. In some ways, I think it saved us. We all managed to find a real strong source in our music, and continue to do so. There's something really special about that particular group."

mdevlin@timescolonist.com