03-24-12
Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley
PLUS Brittany Haas & Lauren Rioux
 Chris Stuart is a songwriter, singer, guitarist, old-time banjo player, teacher, and writer. He is a winner of the Merlefest Chris Austin Songwriting Contest in both bluegrass and gospel categories, and of the IBMA Song Of the Year for "Don't Throw Mama's Flowers Away," recorded by Danny Paisley & the Southern Grass. His songs also have been recorded by Dale Ann Bradley ("Julia Belle"), Michael Cleveland ("Farewell for a Little While"), Claire Lynch ("Paul and Peter Walked"), Doyle Lawson ("When the Last of Our Days Shall Come"), Suzanne Thomas ("Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts"), Bobby Osborne ("Shenandoah Wind"), Larry Cordle ("First Train Robbery"), and Cornerstone ("20 Naked Pentecostals In A Pontiac"). Chris has recorded several albums and toured widely with his band Backcountry, as well as with the New York based band Cornerstone. He is likely the only bluegrass musician with a degree in Medieval History who has performed in Oman.
Janet Beazley is a bluegrass banjo player, singer, songwriter, and teacher. She first performed bluegrass with Copperline, which also included Eric Uglum, and has been a member of Backcountry with Chris Stuart since 2005. In addition to the albums she and Chris have recorded together, Janet released a highly-aclaimed solo CD which spent nearly a year in the national bluegrass charts. Janet is likely the only bluegrasser who has a Doctorate in Early Music Performance, teaches Early Music, and plays Baroque flute and recorder.
Favorites at music camps around the world, including the CBA's, Chris Stuart & Janet Beazley play mostly original material in the traditions of bluegrass, Americana, and, yes, even early music, and put on a great show.
SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: Crooked Man (Backcountry/2008)
CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: Mojave River (Backcountry/2004)
CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: Saints & Strangers (Backcountry/2003)
CHRIS STUART & BACKCOUNTRY: The Bluegrass Tribute To Jack Johnson (CMH/2000)
JANET BEAZLEY: 5 South (Backcountry/2005)
CHRIS STUART: Angels of Mineral Springs (Backcountry/2002)
ERIC UGLUM, CHRISTIAN WARD & AUSTIN WARD (with CHRIS STUART & JANET BEAZLEY): Old Road To Jerusalem (Backcountry/2007)
ERIC UGLUM (with CHRIS STUART & JANET BEAZLEY): Shenandoah Wind (Backcountry/2004)
COPPERLINE (with JANET BEAZLEY): Long, Long Way (Hooser/1996)
CORNERSTONE (with CHRIS STUART): Lonesome Town (Folk Era/1995)
CORNERSTONE (with CHRIS STUART): Out Of the Valley (Folk Era/1994)
CORNERSTONE (with CHRIS STUART): Maggie's Daughter (Cornerstone/1992)
www.chrisstuart.com/
PLUS!
Brittany Haas & Lauren Rioux
“The street knows Britt and Lauren are each a force on their own. These two pull a pile of rhythm, melody, harmony from their two fiddles and banjo. Together they shred tunes, break hearts, and threaten to take over the world. Don't worry, it will be a benign regime. Go see them now." - Tim O’Brien
These women bring their extensive knowledge of Appalachian music and experience of being at the forefront of the contemporary string band scene, as well as the strength and depth of seasoned performers. Their music is steeped in groove, emotion-filled, and harmonically progressive. The joy they share on stage as they weave and dance through duets on their instruments and vocals is palpable among audience.
Brittany Haas (fiddle, banjo, vocals) is a hometown hero who first played for RBA (with Jack Tuttle) in 2004. She is currently a member of Crooked Still, and is a veteran of bands led by Darol Anger and Tony Trischka.
"Here is a real roots musician in the most modern sense - Brittany Haas fiddles from a very deep and personal place, the way she feels it, the way she wants to hear it, with seemingly infinite facility, and a spirit that's simply uplifting." - Bruce Molsky
"Brittany is one of the world’s most rhythmic and accurate fiddlers, and her approach to bowing has to be seen to be believed. Great tunes … lots of spillover into Bluegrass, Old-time and just plain Great Fiddlin’." - Darol Anger
Lauren Rioux (fiddle, guitar, banjo, vocals) is a resident of Maine and a member of Darol Anger's Republic Of Strings and Crow Molly (with Scott Nygaard).
"A versatile, soulful fiddler and vocalist, Lauren Rioux is powered by the Right Stuff: an irresistible sense of fun, and her endearing radiation of the pure joy of making music." - Darol Anger
"Rioux's voice conveys a quiet strength like the best of Abigail Washburn's work. She truly nails the vocals on 'Wildwood Flower,' and the arrangement makes for a spare and powerful piece." - The Portland Phoenix
Selected Discography:
LAUREN RIOUX: All the Brighter (self/2011)
BRITTANY HAAS: Brittany Haas (Oak/2004)
CROOKED STILL: Some Strange Country (Signature Sounds/2010)
CROOKED STILL: Live (Signature Sounds/2009)
CROOKED STILL: Still Crooked (Signature Sounds/2008)
SCOTT NYGAARD & CROW MOLLY: Scott Nygaard & Crow Molly (Fret Soup/2009)
STEVE MARTIN: The Crow (40 Share/2009)
TONY TRISCHKA: Territory (Smithsonian Folkways/2008)
DAROL ANGER & THE REPUBLIC OF STRINGS: Generation Nation (Compass Records/2006)
DAROL ANGER & THE AMERICAN FIDDLE ENSEMBLE: Republic of Strings (Compass Records/2004)
NOTE: Brittany and Lauren are also doing a workshop -- "Fiddle Techniques & Tunes" -- at Gryphon Stringed Intstruments, 211 Lambert Ave, Palo Alto, from 1-3 pm on March 24th.
www.gryphonstrings.com/
www.laurenrioux.com/
www.myspace.com/brittanyhaas
www.laurenandbrittanymusic.com/home.cfm
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