is known as a “triple threat” for his skilled flatpicking guitar style, his songwriting and his smooth baritone voice. Lowell has been an instrumental part of several touring bands, and visited Germany last year as part of the Growling Old Men.
In 2012, John Lowell released his long awaited solo CD “ I am Going to the West” to much acclaim and over 30 weeks on the American Radio Roots Chart.
John Lowell’s songs have been a staple on American radio for years, with one composition “Sarah Hogan” recorded 14 times by a variety of artists. He has toured the UK several times, and taught guitar, singing and songwriting 5 times at Sore Fingers Summer School, England’s prestigious music school. Make plans to hear this stellar musician..
Ben Winship is a multi-instrumentalist and was a founding member of Loose Ties, with whom he performed from 1986 to 1996. In the words of Tim O’Brien, “Ben is one of the acoustic music scene’s best writers.” In addition to the Growling Old Men, he also performs with Brother Mule, the Fishing Music Band and a local Dixieland band. Ben also runs a well respected recording studio, the Henhouse, and his CDs and soundtracks have appeared in numerous documentaries and everywhere from MTV, ESPN, NPR, Sirius to the World Café and Car Talk – a testament to Winship’s versatility and broad appeal. Despite countless hours driving around with windows down and running a chainsaw, Ben’s hearing is still pretty good.
Since graduating from his ‘Music and Music Technology’ degree in 2000 Leon has taken part in several notable ‘transatlantic’ recordings; Miles Apart (2004) Shuttle Diplomacy (2008) and Fishing Music (2009). These projects have included some of the biggest names in American traditional music; Viktor Krauss, Tim O’Brien, Stuart Duncan, David Grier and Matt Flinner to name a few.
Beyond proving his Bluegrass credentials, Leon has found himself in a diverse array of other musical settings; occasional live and/or recorded collaborations with Irish traditional music’s Michael McGoldrick and Flook, African Kora virtuoso, Sekou Kieta, and English Folk singer, Kate Rusby
Originally from Bozeman, Montana, Julie Elkins makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina. She teaches banjo, guitar and vocal lessons, occasionally flies around the country to perform with several different bands, conducts workshops, and has recorded all kinds of cool music on various projects throughout the past 15+ years. Elkins received her bluegrass education while performing a long stint with North Carolina's renowned bluegrass band, New Vintage. In 1999, she joined the trailblazing bluegrass/Americana band, Kane's River. Most recently, Elkins was awarded an IBMA award for "Recorded Project of the Year" for her contribution to "Back To The Well," with the Daughters of Bluegrass and released "My Feet Won't Miss This Ground," with friend and long-time musical collaborator, David Thompson.
Henrich Novak was born in Bratislava, Slovak Republic and started to play the resonator guitar (a.k.a. Dobro) in early 1980s after discovering Mike Auldridge’s playing with the Seldom Scene. Since then he was attracted to the unique sound of this instrument.
His recent band is top rated czech – slovak bluegrass band called Rough and Rocky Road (www.roughandrockyroad.com). Although his main band is Rough and Rocky Road and Henrich occasionaly works with Fragment too, his musical activities are much wider. He is a part of the project called The Bricks Trio is a combination between original acoustic music of banjo, resonator guitar and bass and spoken word in one interactive story. He is member of several local bands which cover wide variety of genres from bluegrass to pop country to acoustic folk. He also gives a private dobro lessons and continues teaching this instrument on several musical camps and workshops.
Richard Cifersky
Tom Murphy picked up the guitar at age 11 in St. Louis, and didn't put it down until he received a mandolin for high school graduation. Shortly thereafter, he heard the David Grisman Quintet's first album, and the mandolin quickly took center stage in his life. His inventive mandolin solos, driving rhythm, and tight harmony vocals add color to a variety of bands in his new hometown of Bozeman, Montana.
Tom has been invited to share the stage with Rodney Crowell, John Mayer, Tony Trischka, Jeff Hanna of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Billy Payne of Little Feat, Brewer & Shipley, and Michelle Shocked..
Ben Somers
Bands:
Growling Old Men
John Lowell Band
Two Bit Franks
