Dr. Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys - An influential figure in American music, Ralph Stanley has recorded more than 200 albums since he and his brother Carter founded the Stanley Brothers in 1946. Inspired by the dark emotions of Appalachia, their haunting mountain melodies made them stand apart from other bluegrass bands. When Carter Stanley died in 1966, Ralph carried on, and the Clinch Mountain Boys grew to be one of the most respected outfits in bluegrass. His music had a direct influence on Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, the late Keith Whitley and Ricky Skaggs. While he has long been revered by folk, bluegrass and country enthusiasts, thanks to the success of the film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", Stanley has become a star. In 2002, he won Grammys for "Best Country Male Vocalist Performance" and "Album of the Year" (for his part in the O Brother collection). He was profiled in The New Yorker by novelist David Gates and is the central figure in the D. A. Pennebaker/Chris Hegedus documentary "Down From The Mountain." In January, 2000, Stanley became the first artist to be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry in the new millennium. He holds the "Living Legend" award from the Library of Congress and was the first recipient of the "Traditional American Music Award" from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It was only fitting that Stanley was chosen to be the closing act for the 2002 Down From The Mountain Tour, a sold-out series of concerts inspired by the success of the O Brother, Where Art Thou? album. More Information ... Odetta - Raised in Los Angeles, Odetta's deep husky voice influenced artists including Janis Joplin and Joan Armatrading. She developed her strong folk style performing in west coast coffee houses in the early '50s. She moved to New York in 1953 and, thanks to appearances with Pete Seeger and Harry Belafonte, became recognized nationally. She began recording solo albums in the mid-'50s and has been touring and recording ever since. Odetta has performed with Count Basie, poet Langston Hughes, Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. The bassist on her early Vanguard recordings is Bill Lee, father of film maker Spike Lee. More Information ... |
Yonder Mountain String Band - Formed in Colorado, the Yonder Mountain String Band was formed to fill an opening slot of Boulder's Fox Theater. The quartet - featuring banjo player Dave Johnston, mandolinist Jeff Austin, bassist Ben Kauffman and guitarist Adam Aijala - quickly developed a following among bluegrass fans and jam band fans as they worked the bar and club circuit in the West, eventually landing shows at larger venues. In 2006, the group released both a live and a studio recording. More Information ... Tim O'Brien - Wheeling, WV native Tim O'Brien came to prominence with the Colorado-based bluegrass band Hot Rize, and its tongue-in-cheek country-Western alter ego, Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers. Since Hot Rize disbanded, O'Brien has been recording with his group the O'Boys, solo and with his sister Mollie. His last record, The Crossing, about the Irish immigration to North America, was inspired by the stories of his Irish great-grandfather. His current release, Two Journeys, described as "alternately melancholy and magical," explores ancient Irish folk, old time Appalachian music and bluegrass mutations. O'Brien has two new releases Fiddler's Green and Cornbread Nation and is featured on the cover of the October 2005 issue of Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. In 2006, O'Brien won his first Grammy, with his release "Cornbread Nation" winning for "Best Traditional Folk Recording," More Information ... |
Chris Thile - A relative newcomer, mandolinist Chris Thile came to prominence in the band Nickel Creek, but had been turning heads with his stunning playing since he was 12. In 2001, Thile was named "Mandolin Player of the Year" by the Instrumental Bluegrass Music Association while the band was honored as Instrumental Group of the Year. In 2002, Thile appeared on "Mountain Stage" with Bela Fleck and, in 2004, Thile, and Sara and Sean Watkins teamed up with Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and Elvis Costello sideman Pete Thomas to tour as The Mutual Admiration Society. More Information ... Dale Jett - The son of Janette Carter and the grandson of A.P. and Sara Carter, Dale Jett is a third generation member of the legendary Carter Family. Singing, and playing guitar and autoharp, Jett regularly emcees and performs at weekly shows at the Carter Family Fold along with his wife and longtime friend Oscar Harris. More Information ... |
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