“Master of the Autoharp, Singer/Songwriter/Storyteller”

Born in Yorktown, Virginia, Bryan Bowers was raised in New Bohemia near Petersburg of the Civil War’s Battle Of The Crater fame. As a child, Bowers would tag along with the field workers and gandy dancers and learned to sing old call-and-answer songs. Bowers recalls, “The music I heard while working in the fields was mesmerizing. And, I’d see the gandy dancers coming down the tracks, setting the rails and getting their ties straight".
 

In the late ’60s, Bowers discovered music when he took up the guitar. “The roots of the music had gone real deep in me. Music was real fulfilling, unlike anything I had ever done before.” It wasn’t long before Bowers encountered the autoharp. “I ran into a guy that played several instruments and could get the harp in good tune. He played without any fingerpicks, just with his fingernails. He had a real sprightly style on it. It was the first time I’d heard someone play it in good tune and play it well. It opened my eyes and my ears. I went out and got one the next day.”

Bryan relocated to Seattle in 1971 and played for coins as a street singer and in bars for the right to pass the hat. 
 

Bower’s creativity and talent have won him induction into Frets Magazine’s First Gallery of the Greats after five years of winning the stringed instrument open category of the magazine’s readers’ poll.  This distinction put Bowers along side other luminaries, such as Chet Atkins, David Grisman, Stephan Grappelli, Itzhak Perlman, Tony Rice, Rob Wasserman and Mark O’Connor, recognized for their personal accomplishments.  In 1993, Bryan was the first living member inducted into the Autoharp Hall of Fame to stand only with Maybelle Carter, Kilby Snow, and Sara Carter. 
 

From his rather unglamorous beginning as a street singer, Bryan Bowers has become a major artist on the traditional music circuit. He has redefined the autoharp and is also well known as a singer-songwriter.  Bryan has a dynamic outgoing personality and an uncanny ability to enchant a crowd in practically any situation.  His towering six foot four inch frame can be wild and zany on stage while playing a song like `Dixie’ and five minutes later he can have the same audience singing `Will The Circle Be Unbroken’ in quiet reverence and delight.

Website: www.bryanbowers.com

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6TR7I6t4-Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFKyIKOlmTY

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Jenner Fox & Jeremy Elliott first assembled as an acoustic duo for a 365 mile cargo bicycle tour across New England in 2022. It clicked. They shared a sensibility for deep listening, guitar textures, and flat tires. The seeds from that first tour grew into their critically acclaimed debut LP, “The Moon That Moves The Sea,” released February, 2024.

“A stunning album that should make many a sleeper “Best of 2024” list.” – Glide Magazine
“This album, with just the two guitars and vocals, is evocative and revelatory…reminiscent of children’s books much loved by adults.” – Americana UK

Jeremy Elliott is a multi-genre spanning guitarist, composer, producer, and songwriter hailing from the guitar mecca of Macon Georgia. He brings a wealth of blues, rock, bluegrass, country, and West African elements into his unique style of virtuoso.

Jenner Fox is a prolific troubadour with eight original albums in ten years on the road. His award winning songwriting tells the stories of people and places with unparalleled compassion and respect. Fox’s artful tone, poetry, and fluency on his guitar do something only the brave ones do: let us in.

Jenner designs and teaches songwriting intensives for clients including Sisters Folk Festival, Path With Art, Bellingham Folk Festival, and the Sierra Nevada Field Campus. He also leads whitewater and music adventures in the US and abroad.

The acoustic duo is based out of Bellingham, WA.

Website: https://jennerfox.com/

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLZucz_qosA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4mAyxSD3oc

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The Horsenecks play hard-hitting and heartfelt, traditional and original roots music. Their sound is centered around the pairing of the signature rhythmic Appalachian fiddle style of Oregonian Gabrielle Macrae and the inspired guitar and driving yet subtle banjo playing of Liverpudlian Barry Southern. 

Gabrielle's playing style is the result of being raised in the Old Time music hotbed of Portland, OR and being exposed to the fiddle traditions of the Southeast US through years of traveling to festivals and learning from some of the greatest players in the genre. Her love of traditional music brought her to North Carolina as a teenager where she fully immersed herself in the music of the region and gained notoriety in the Old Time Music world as a clawhammer banjo player after releasing an album with the Macrae Sisters in 2008 that received glowing reviews and became one of the iconic Old Time albums of it’s generation.

Barry’s banjo playing ranges from thrilling and high-octane to moody and captivating, and his versatility shines whether playing clawhammer or driving three-finger banjo. Also an accomplished guitarist, Barry has been consistently active in Liverpool's music scene for over 20 years, playing lead guitar with cult heroes Tramp Attack (Must Destroy Records) and on the UK Old Time and Bluegrass scene playing with multiple groups.

Harmony singing and thoughtful song writing bring The Horsenecks to the stage with a compelling take on the music that moves them: foot-stomping dance tunes, innovative fiddle-banjo compositions and heartfelt and inspired lyrics and harmony singing. Whether they are singing centuries-old ballads, their own songs, or getting you up and dancing with a barn-burning fiddle tune, they remain firmly rooted in tradition, paying homage to the depth and richness of the music they have immersed themselves in for the last two decades. The Horsenecks continue to set a new standard in today's traditional music scene with years of touring under their belts appearances at major festivals in the US and the UK.

Website: https://www.horsenecks.net/

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OKxGfgUV2w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhS9eZJi8qE

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Singer-songwriter acoustic duo Kristen Grainger and Dan Wetzel’s performances resonate deeply with audiences listening for well-crafted songs, skillful instrumentation, and gorgeous vocals. The alchemy of their interlocked voices with the warm, spare loveliness of Dan’s handmade guitar deliver the goods — that indescribable feeling that is part joy, part longing, a deliciously sweet ache haunting the darkest corridors of the heart.

Kristen continues to earn national recognition for her songwriting, most recently showcasing at SXSW on the USA Songwriting stage; winning Common Ground on the Hill’s Acoustic Roots songwriting contest and on Hope Rises II, a tribute to excellence in social change songwriting curated by Noel “Paul” Stookey of Peter, Paul & Mary.  

Kristen was named, alongside Brandi Carlile and Dolly Parton, one of the Women Who Wrote Our 2020 Soundtrack by The Bluegrass Situation. She has won or been a finalist in national songwriting contests at Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Wildflower, Merlefest, and Kerrville Folk Festival. 

An accomplished singer-songwriter who toured nationally as a solo artist, Dan Wetzel is also a luthier who handcrafts musical instruments, including those used in performances, that look and sound beautiful. His superb skills as a vocalist and on guitar, both flat-pick and finger style, give the duo’s songs their warm sound and driving groove.

Website: https://www.truenorthband.com/

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKuZwjpDGZg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvouYDeLvLQ

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An Irish singer-songwriter, Pat Byrne has come a long way since his first deal with Universal. In late 2017, Byrne began his migration to Austin, Texas. In 2019, Pat took the US by storm, with breakout performances at the 30A Festival, SXSW, Kerrville Folk Festival and the Americana Festival. Being immersed in the Texas music scene, Pat's sophomore US release, Into the Light, has an edgier feel underscoring both emotional depth and greater confidence, while blending new influences with his rich Irish heritage.

“The raspy melodic soul of Byrne’s voice recalls the emotional spells the late Austin troubadour Jimmy LaFave used to cast, though Byrne’s songwriting bears a distinctive Irish stamp. He’s more contemporary than strict traditionalists, putting him more in the league of Glen Hansard or Luka Bloom.” - Peter Blackstock, The Austin American Statesman

“The overall sound draws easy comparisons to modern gritty Americana artists like David Ramirez, Ryan Adams, and Jason Isbell. Byrne deserves to be in that company with his gritty vocal and poignant lyrical style.” - Ear to the Ground Music

Website: https://www.patbyrne-music.com/

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjIkd4znW5Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7iA0ZYO8So

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Sunny South is a bluegrass band playing in the Portland, Oregon region.

Sunny South plays bluegrass with an emphasis on traditional style like Flatt and Scruggs, Doc Watson and Bill Monroe. Sunny South started playing in the 80's with Sonny Hammond as lead singer and band leader. They played all over the Pacific Northwest and produced two albums.

After Sonny passed on, the band has continued playing bluegrass and honoring Sonny. Mike and Dave are founding members of Sunny South and have added Steve Reischman, Dee Johnson and Nancy Padilla to fill out the band. Sunny South is an experienced band, both professional and comfortable on the stage.

They put on a great show that audiences enjoy.

Website: https://sunnysouthbluegrass.com/

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxejPuUsigQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vlvZHPLOKA&t=156s

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Rio Con Brio enchants audiences nationwide with their intimate performance of choro, the early 20th-century street music from Rio de Janeiro.

Guitarist Mike Burdette and mandolinist Tim Connell bring passion and finesse to the music, showcasing their deep love for choro and their connection with the audience.

An evening with Rio Con Brio offers a captivating mix of Brazilian rhythms, classical technique, and jazz improvisation.

Website: https://www.rioconbrio.net/

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDCDHQHJy6w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deNUwsKtAig

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"Experience pure joy with every Katie Jane Band performance!"

The Katie Jane Band, a high-energy Celtic fiddle group from Portland, OR, is led by "Portland's hottest fiddler," Katie Jane. Known for her virtuosic fiddling, infectious smile, and lively dancing. The band performs both traditional and original fiddle music from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, and the USA. Their music weaves a joyful journey through Celtic folklore, while their storytelling connects the audience to the sweetness of everyday life.

The Katie Jane Band shares their dynamic performances at Celtic festivals, Scottish Highland Games, and theaters across the West Coast. Notable appearances include the Pleasanton Scottish Gathering, headlining the Celtic Fantasy Faire, the Douglas County Scottish Highland Games, live music for "The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart" at Portland's Artist Repertory Theater, and collaborations with the Celtic Light Orchestra.

Website: https://www.katiejaneband.com/

Videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhJ439muBZg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A30H5wpmemY

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Lauren Sheehan brings her down-home style uptown, blending old blues, early jazz, and country roots into a unique bluesbilly sound.

Known as "Portland's String Queen" by The Oregonian, Lauren is celebrated for her multi-instrumental skill and unforgettable voice, described as "an angel with horns" by fan Charlie Rowley. She tours, teaches at Pacific University, and has released 5 CDs, played on global radio stations including BBC, NPR, and BBKing’s Bluesville. Her music is catalogued in the Library of Congress and featured on Sweet Bitter Blues, a compilation celebrating Piedmont blues musicians.

“Hugely talented...wonderful set” — Blues in Britain Magazine

Website: https://www.laurensheehanmusic.com/

Videos: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=b02fb6a0238aa473&sxsrf=AHTn8zqNlVS2jkzhbXgnfSeqwA5zFDxWDQ:1746136162786&q=lauren+sheehan&udm=7&fbs=ABzOT_CWdhQLP1FcmU5B0fn3xuWpA-dk4wpBWOGsoR7DG5zJBjLjqIC1CYKD9D-DQAQS3Z598VAVBnbpHrmLO7c8q4i29MHIoj62rC0KLNSn9Sz5z3esFN5drB9QO4K_J7PbHKiOJnkbQL94KPMWWfP42kcXLmA05Kz_kWSlBbJw3EyH2rvflvwG7CF_3RriU7tNogaTVRNHY8WquDbJw9ZbEZR3LqeFVg&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=2ahUKEwi5kdmNoIONAxUbAzQIHRULGxkQtKgLegQIJhAB&biw=1295&bih=654&dpr=1.98#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:337dde5e,vid:H2FLqGVj8aA,st:0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk8uCoyDCM8

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