MISTY RIVER. One of the Pacific Northwest s finest groups. Victory Music Review

January 11, 2017 | Author: Gabriel Sharp | Category: N/A
Share Embed Donate


Short Description

1 MISTY RIVER One of the Pacific Northwest s finest groups. Victory Music Review Misty River at a glance The band: Carol...

Description

MISTY RIVER “One of the Pacific Northwest’s finest groups.” Victory Music Review

Misty River at a glance… The band: Carol Harley – vocals, guitar, banjo, ukulele and mandolin Chris Kokesh – vocals, fiddle, guitar Laura Quigley – vocals, acoustic bass Dana Abel – vocals, accordion, piano and guitar

CDs: Rising, 2000 Live at the Backgate Stage, 2002 Willow, 2004 Midwinter – Songs of Christmas, 2004

Quotes: “Lush, pitch-perfect harmonies, gentle tasteful arrangements, fresh interpretation of songs.” Victory Review “Excellent singers…voices blend like milk and honey…definitely worth hearing.” Bluegrass Unlimited “Beautiful, soaring harmonies…wonderfully enchanting.” Dirty Linen “Stunning music…beautiful and tight…exacting musicianship.” CD Baby Magazine “Pure and wonderful.” Positively Entertainment

Major appearances: Shanghai International Music Festival, China Strawberry Music Festival, California Walnut Valley Festival, Kansas Wintergrass, Washington Sisters Folk Festival, Oregon Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival Northwest Folklife Festival, Washington Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee Silver Dollar City, Branson, Missouri Showcase appearances at Folk Alliance, IBMA and the Northwest Booking Conferences

Media exposure: Radio: Frequent appearances on NPR’s River City Folk w/ Tom May on National Public Radio, and NPR’s West Coast Live with Sedge Thompson. All 4 CDs have received extensive airplay in the U.S. and Canada, as well as in such countries as China, Japan, Australia, Spain, England, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, France, Ireland and Belgium. Television: KING Broadcasting - Seattle Christmas Special 12/2005, ABC’s Portland, OR affiliate KATU (AM Northwest); CBS’s Portland, OR affiliate KOIN (Christmas Special); Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Oregon Art Beat; and other select programs in Oregon and Washington, and wide-spread coverage on Radio and Television in Shanghai, China.

More Information: Band Contacts: Bookings: Carol Harley at 360-576-7676, [email protected] or www.mistyriverband.com CD orders & Financial Business: Dana Abel at 541-344-7433, [email protected]

MISTY RIVER BAND BIO “When OREGON ART BEAT broadcast a segment on MISTY RIVER, the response was amazing. When these four women weave their lovely harmonies, it is spine tingling. Our phones and web site were jammed with requests to know where they were playing and how to buy their CDs.” – Jeff Douglas, Executive Producer, Oregon Art Beat, Oregon Public Broadcasting (May – 2004)

S

ince emerging on the Portland acoustic music scene in 1997, the four-woman band MISTY RIVER has earned an enviable reputation as one of the finest, most entertaining bands in the Pacific Northwest. MISTY RIVER blends folk, bluegrass, country, Celtic and original music into a seamless and highly distinctive Americana sound that has entranced thousands of fans. Whether performing at a large concert hall or an intimate house concert, MISTY RIVER makes an emotional connection with its audiences, thoroughly captivating listeners with beautiful and moving music and a natural, friendly presentation. The members of MISTY RIVER are Carol Harley (guitar, banjo, ukulele & mandolin), Chris Kokesh (fiddle, guitar), Laura Quigley (acoustic bass) and Dana Abel (accordion, guitar). All four women are excellent lead and harmony vocalists, giving the band a vocal depth few groups can match, as well as tremendous flexibility when it comes to arrangements. Victory Review hails the band for “lush, pitch-perfect harmonies, gentle tasteful arrangements [and] fresh interpretation of songs.” Bluegrass Unlimited agrees, describing MISTY RIVER as “excellent singers [whose] voices blend like milk and honey.” Though flattered by critics’ frequent comparisons with the neo-bluegrass approach of Alison Krauss and Emmylou Harris, the members of MISTY RIVER are intent on creating their own signature sound. Strong original material is at the heart of that sound. The band’s discography to date - four CDs - features songs written by group members Chris Kokesh, Dana Abel Laura Quigley and Carol Harley. The band’s original songs are augmented by fresh arrangements of traditional material and well-chosen covers from such contemporary artists as Gillian Welch, Lyle Lovett, Tom Paxton, Shawn Colvin, Bill Staines, Tim O’Brien, Lynn Morris and Dave Carter. In addition to winning over countless fans, radio DJs and critics, MISTY RIVER and its members have received several prestigious individual and band honors. Chris Kokesh has won several awards for her songwriting, from the Portland Songwriters Association, the Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival and the Maryhill Winery Amphitheater. Laura Quigley, who has toured Europe with Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum as well as Ireland with the “Oh Sister, Where Art Thou” tour, won the Best Bass Player award at the Washington State Bluegrass Championships in 2001. The Source Weekly, Bend, OR named Misty River’s show the “Best Old Style Concert” in 2003. A road-tested, professional touring band that has played more than 100 engagements each year, MISTY RIVER has delighted audiences throughout North America and beyond, most recently representing the United States at the Shanghai International Music Festival in China. Other notable festival appearances include the Strawberry Music Festival in California, the Walnut Valley Festival in Kansas, Wintergrass in Washington, the Sisters Folk Festival in Oregon and the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival. Misty River has also appeared at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri; and in showcases at the Folk Alliance, International Bluegrass Music Association and NW Booking conferences. Misty River is also on the 2004/5 performers roster of the Young Audiences National Organization. MISTY RIVER has recorded four CDs: Rising, released in 2000, Live at the Backgate Stage, released in 2002, Willow, released June 2004 and “Midwinter – Songs of Christmas” released November 2004. The Misty River CDs have received extensive radio airplay in the U.S. and Canada, as well as in such countries as Australia, New Zealand, China, Spain, England, Italy, Germany, France, Ireland and Belgium. Total Misty River CD sales have exceeded 50,000 and are regular top five sellers in the Oregonian’s Best of the NW List. ♪

NOTEWORTHY EVENTS, FESTIVALS & VENUES Awards, Events, Radio & TV: •

• • • • • •

FIRST PLACE AWARD WINNERS! • Misty River: “Best Old Style Concert” Best in Bend in 2003, The Source Weekly, Bend, OR ~ 2003 • Chris Kokesh: Maryhill Winery Amphitheater, Singer/Songwriting Contest, Goldendale, WA ~ 2003 • Laura Quigley: Best Bass Player, Washington State Bluegrass Championships, Chehalis, WA ~ 2001 • Misty River: “Not Quite Bluegrass Band”, Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival ~ 2000 • Chris Kokesh: Portland Songwriters Association, Portland, OR ~ April, 2000 • Chris Kokesh: Best Songs & Best* Songwriter, Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival ~ 1999 KOPB, Oregon Public Broadcasting’s “Oregon Art Beat”, Featured Band ~ 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 KATU Ch. 2’s “AM Northwest” Live & numerous live TV and radio interviews & performances ~ 1997-2003 KOIN-TV Channel 6, Dave Sweeney’s Christmas Special ~ 2001 NPR (National Public Radio) Syndicated Radio Show, ‘River City Folk’, w/Tom May, Portland, OR ~ 11-16-2001, 11-25-2002 NPR “West Coast Live” with Sedge Thompson, Port Angeles, WA ~ 9-25-2004 Public & Commercial Radio Stations in all 50 states in the USA, as well as; Canada, Italy, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Spain, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Scotland, Ireland, England and more ~ 2000-2005

Festivals: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Shanghai International Music Festival, Shanghai, China ~ 2004 Walnut Valley Festival, Winfield, KS ~ 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006 The Strawberry Music Festival, Sonora, CA ~ 2001, 2006 Sisters Folk Festival, Sisters, OR ~ 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival, Stevenson, WA ~ 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006 WinterFolk XIV, XV, XVII, Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR ~ 2002, 2003, 2005 Wintergrass Bluegrass Festival, Tacoma, WA ~ 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 Arts NW Booking Conference, (Juried Showcase) Boise, ID ~ 2003, 2005 Timberline Lodge Acoustic Music Series & Wine & Craft Festival, Mt. Hood, OR ~ 2000, 2002, 2005 Folk Alliance Conference, Private Showcasing, Vancouver, BC, Canada ~ 2001 Willamette Valley Folk Festival, Eugene, OR ~ 2001, 2002 Northwest Folklife Festival, Seattle, WA ~ 2000, 2001, 2003 The San Francisco Free Folk Festival, San Francisco, CA ~ 2001 The Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival, Guthrie, OK ~ 2001 Portland Rose Festival, Portland, OR ~ 1999, 2000, 2001 Mt. Hood Bluegrass Festival, Hood River, OR ~ 2001 & 2003 The Oregon Country Fair, Veneta, OR ~ 2002 IBMA Conference & Fan Festival, Private Showcasing, Louisville, KY ~ 1999, 2000 The Bite of Oregon, Portland, OR ~ 2004 The Swallow Hill Folk Festival, Denver, CO ~ 2004

Venues: • • • • • • • • • • • •

The Portland Art Museum’s After Hours Concert Series, Portland, OR ~ 2004 OR Governor Kulongoski Mansion, Salem, OR ~ Private Wedding ~ 2003 The Aladdin Theater, Portland, OR ~ 2002, 2003 & 2005 Portland & Seattle Folklore Society Concerts ~ 1999-2001, 2002, 2003, 2005 Pacific NW City Parks Concerts, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2004 Hult Center for the Performing Arts, Soreng & Silva Halls, Eugene, OR ~ 2001, 2002, 2004 The Majestic Theater, Corvallis, OR ~ 2001, 2002, Oregon & Washington State and County Fairs ~ 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 & 2005 McMenamin’s Pubs & Historical Venues, Portland, OR ~ 1998-2002 Silver Dollar City, Branson, MO ~ 2002 Oregon Gardens, Silverton, OR ~ 2001 Dollywood Theme Park, Pigeon Forge, TN ~ 2000

SELECTED MEDIA REVIEWS REVIEWS OF MISTY RIVER’S 2004 CD’S: WILLOW & MIDWINTER     

“From its seamless sound, the sharing of the spotlight and the pitch-perfect harmonies, it is clear that Misty River’s impressive flow comes from individual talents streaming together with purpose and grace.” – Scott Lewis, The Oregonian. (June – 2004) “…goose-bumpy good music.”- Paul Denison, The Register-Guard. (June 2004) “Four, phenomenal female musicians…”-Melissa Bearns, The Source (June - 2004) “I cannot recommend this album strongly enough. For the folk music lover, for anyone who appreciates stellar musical talent, and especially for those who swoon at the sound of heavenly harmonies, Misty River's Midwinter will steal your heart away. Magnificent.” – Carol Swanson, www.ChristmasReviews.com 9/05 “The album [Midwinter] rises above average – way above – when the members “Misty Riverize” older songs….They do it so beautifully and powerfully that you want to sing along…” –Paul Denison, The Register Guard (December 2004)

SELECTED LIVE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS     

“When these four women weave their lovely harmonies, it is spine tingling. OREGON ART BEAT broadcast a segment on MISTY RIVER, and the response was amazing. Our phones and web site were jammed with requests to know where they were playing and how to buy their CDs.” – Jeff Douglas, Executive Producer, Oregon Art Beat, Oregon Public Broadcasting (May – 2002) “An unforgettable experience…I had tears streaming down my cheeks…the walloping charisma…their good humor and jocular stage patter, their laughter and kinship…We clapped and cheered and stomped and jumped to our feet in a rousing, enthusiastic standing ovation for the combined talents of the Misty River band.” – Diane Schulstad, Victory Review (January 2004) “…Misty River…a must see band...holds audiences spellbound with glistening harmonies and fresh enthusiasm….”-Karolyn Laster, Portland Songwriter’s Association “Every song is like Gatorade for the soul; a soft compelling and delicious concoction that you didn’t know you needed…. The sound in person is as pure and wonderful as the sound the CD makes coming out of your speakers at home.” -Rae Gordon, Positively Entertainment “The trademark of their sound on the CD and in performance is lush, pitch-perfect harmonies and gentle, tasteful arrangements, with a fresh interpretation of songs…” -Heidi Muller, Victory Review

SELECTED CD REVIEWS       

“…one of the Pacific Northwest’s finest groups…Misty River creates a sound that is both traditional-based and all their own. Misty River’s voices will grab you, and keep you locked in until the last song on the disc is gone.” -Allen Price, Victory Review “If you’ve been looking for fresh female voices in bluegrass-infused music…check out…Misty River [with] abilities to select and write an interesting variety of tradition-based music and create beautiful, soaring harmonies…each member [has] a chance to shine vocally and instrumentally. The results are wonderfully enchanting.” – Linda Paulson, Dirty Linen “ a chorus of angelic harmonies…Misty River is a four-woman collective of songstresses who have an incredible talent for precision layering of live voices…this is music which is heavily steeped in the bluegrass, folk and country traditions. But there's also a modern edge to the music which resembles the neo-bluegrass style of Alison Krauss or EmmyLou Harris.” -Minor7th.com (Acoustic Guitar’s Webzine) “The world would be a much better place if we all bought into the concept of harmony singing. There is nothing quite as mollifying as a multitude of sweet voices laced tightly together with perfect pitch and the harmonies of emotion. [Rising has] 10 songs rooted in the depth and breadth of American acoustic music and informed by the tenderness of Celtic and Irish music…the album is angelic in the way only the high-lonesome sounds of bluegrass and folk music can be.” -Don Campbell, The Oregonian “…if you are in the mood for something outside the bluegrass mainstream, you could hardly do better than this very attractive album…the four women are excellent singers and their voices blend like milk and honey.” -RA, Bluegrass Unlimited “Beautiful and tight, this live performance is filled to the seams with expression and exacting musicianship. The songs can fire you up or calm you down."—Pamela Rooney, CD Baby Magazine “The vocal versatility of these women is astounding, so much so that the rich, earthy, harmonies could stand alone on several of the tunes…These women have a gift to share that is rare and fine indeed…”-Jane Collier & Gary Cook, www.BluegrassRules.com

MISTY RIVER PERSONAL BIOS “The vocal versatility of these women is astounding, so much so that the rich, earthy, harmonies could stand alone on several of the tunes…These women have a gift to share that is rare and fine indeed, and Rising will definitely be among the ‘well worn’ CD's in our collection.”-Jane Collier & Gary Cook, www.BluegrassRules.com

CHRIS KOKESH – vocals, fiddle and guitar Chris Kokesh started playing violin at the age of two, never dreaming she’d grow up to be a fiddler in a folk/bluegrass acoustic Americana band. She grew up in Oklahoma performing in orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout high school and sang in a cappella groups and choir at Pomona College, from which she earned a degree in biology. Besides being a charter member of Misty River, Chris has also played fiddle with the roots-rock band John Henry. Chris is also an accomplished songwriter as well as being an outstanding fiddler and singer. She has won several awards for her songwriting, from the Portland Songwriters Association, the Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival and the Maryhill Winery Singer/Songwriters Competition. Her 1st solo CD, I Never Knew includes 4 originals and was released 9/2005. Misty River has recorded seven of her songs: “Only Love,” “Mother, Mother,” “Real As A Dream” on the band’s first CD Rising (2000);“Willow,” “This Town,” and “Box of Lace” on Willow (2004) and “Don’t Take Down The Mistletoe” on Midwinter – Songs of Christmas (2004). DANA ABEL – vocals, accordion and guitar Raised in Eugene, Oregon, Dana Abel has studied music since early childhood. At age five she started classical piano lessons and at age seven, wrote her first song. Throughout middle and high school, Dana played trombone in symphonic bands and at age fifteen, learned guitar from now fellow bandmate Carol Harley. Dana grew up singing in the Oregon Children’s Choir and toured parts of Canada, the U.S. and Great Britain with the award-winning group. As a young woman, Dana won first place for her piano performance in a statewide college scholarship competition. A Stanford graduate with a masters degree in environmental engineering, Dana sang with the elite Stanford Chamber Chorale throughout college. After picking up the accordion for Misty River’s first performance in 1997, Dana taught herself to play the instrument and has been called “one of the most tasteful accordion players in the Pacific Northwest.” A talented songwriter, Dana has contributed four songs to the band’s CD’s: “This American Dream” on Rising, “Misty River” on Live…, “Baird’s Lullaby” on Willow and “Peace”on Midwinter. LAURA QUIGLEY – vocals and upright acoustic bass A native of Eugene, OR, Laura Quigley grew up singing; and has been harmonizing most of her life with her mother, Misty River guitarist Carol Harley. Laura’s vocal range grew as she studied jazz and classical vocal music and theater in high school and college. Laura’s lively onstage personality delights audiences everywhere she goes. She started playing bass in 1998. Thanks to talent, hard work and studying with renowned bass players including Todd Phillips, Glen Moore and Missy Raines, Laura has made phenomenal progress on the instrument, winning the Best Bass Player award at the Washington State Bluegrass Championships in 2001. She has performed in Ireland with Laurie Lewis and Hazel Dickens, amongst others, with the “Oh Sister, Where Art Thou” tour in Ireland, and toured Europe with Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum in 2003. Laura has appeared onstage with such artists as: David Grisman, Missy Raines, Todd Phillips, Jim Hurst, and Jim Page among many others. In her spare time, Laura writes songs and also teaches bass at various festivals and camps as well as private lessons in Portland. CAROL HARLEY – vocals, guitar, clawhammer banjo, mandolin and ukulele Carol Harley brings a wealth of musical experience to the group. While growing up in Bend, Oregon, she led a popular folk group called The Little Women. At the University of Oregon in the 1970’s, Carol played in a band known as The Sterling Generation. While earning a master's degree in education she worked as an elementary school teacher and guitar instructor in Eugene, OR. After an early retirement, Carol is a musician once again, and helps book and manage the band. Carol’s inventive finger-style and rock-solid rhythm guitar give the band a firm foundation, while her work on the clawhammer banjo, mandolin and 6-string ukulele adds a bit of an old-time spice to the sparkling musical mix. Carol is also a songwriter and a fine singer, with a rich alto voice that blends perfectly among the higher voices in the trios and quartets—and adds depth and soul when she steps forward for a lead vocal.

MISTY RIVER “A must see band...holds audiences spellbound with glistening harmonies and fresh enthusiasm…delighting audiences with stellar vocal arrangements and an exciting and thoroughly entertaining eclectic repertoire.” -Karolyn Laster, Portland Songwriter’s Association

The story so far…

The “open mic” is a time-honored tradition in the world of musicians. Anyone with enough nerve can get up on stage, stand behind the microphone and perform for a real, live audience. Appearing at an open mic is a great way – and sometimes the only way – for fledgling performers to gain experience and confidence. For many musicians, it’s an occasional lark. But once in a very long while, something magical happens. Talents converge, ideas mesh, personalities click, the audience responds…and a band is born. That’s how it happened with Misty River, the Portland/Vancouver-based acoustic Americana band that has captured the hearts and ears of thousands of fans and critics since its formation in 1997. Victory Music Review has hailed the band for its “lush, pitch-perfect harmonies, gentle tasteful arrangements [and] fresh interpretation of songs.” Bluegrass Unlimited raved about the “excellent singers [whose] voices blend like milk and honey.” Positively Entertainment put it simply: “Pure and wonderful.” The Misty River story begins back in 1997, when Laura Quigley was celebrating her twenty-first birthday with a night out with her mother, Carol Harley. The two went to an Irish club in Portland and were thoroughly blown away by the band. As Laura and Carol were leaving the club, they were overheard harmonizing on a version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” out in the parking lot. The club bouncer was impressed enough by their singing that he told Laura and Carol they should return some time and perform at the club’s open mic night. Carol responded for them both: “What’s an open mic?” After hearing the explanation, Carol and Laura decided the open mic sounded like fun and called a couple friends to see if they would join them. The first call went to Dana Abel, a former guitar student of Carol’s who also sang and played piano. Looking for a more portable alternative for the gig, Dana remembered her dad’s old accordion stashed under the bed, and decided to give it a try. The second call went to Chris Kokesh, a singer and fiddler whom Carol had seen perform with the Celtic band Finvarra. After one rehearsal, the four women discovered they shared a love of singing and that their vocal blend and harmonies actually sounded pretty good—at least good enough to perform at an open mic. So on to the gig…. It was one of those nights. As the club’s music manager Kurt Selvig wrote in the liner notes to Misty River’s first CD, “From the first note to the last, the audience and I knew we were experiencing something more than special, and we were right.” The response to the band and its fresh sound was so favorable, the crowd so enthusiastic, that the club manager offered the group a job. “But we’re not even a band,” they protested. “Oh, yes you are,” he countered. And he was right. As Misty River took shape over the next few weeks and months of arduous rehearsals, the personalities, tastes and experiences of the four women meshed despite their varied backgrounds. An elementary school teacher in Eugene, Oregon before she became a full-time musician, Carol led a popular folk group called The Little Women during her high-school years in Bend, Oregon. At the University of Oregon in the 1970s, Carol played in a folk-rock band known as The Sterling Generation; more recently she taught private guitar lessons. Laura grew up singing harmony with her mother. She also sang in the concert and jazz choirs in high school and college in Eugene. Dana had also been involved with music since early childhood, playing classical piano, trombone and guitar, and singing in the Oregon Children’s Choir and chamber chorale at Stanford University. Chris started playing violin at the age of two and performed in orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout high school and sang in a cappella groups and choir at Pomona College. As they worked out their arrangements, the women also began blending their musical influences and ideas into a cohesive band sound. That Misty River “sound” is a seamless amalgam of many different styles of music, including folk, bluegrass, classic country, Celtic, and old time music. It all comes together beautifully and organically in a fusion perhaps best described as “acoustic Americana.” [more on back of sheet]

After about 6 months, with no real ‘downbeat’ in the band, Laura began learning to play the upright bass. She made tremendous strides on the instrument, studying with Todd Phillips, Glen Moore and Missy Raines among others. Confirmation of her status as a first-tier musician came in 2001 when Laura won the Best Bass Player award at the Washington State Bluegrass Championships. She has performed in Ireland with Laurie Lewis, Hazel Dickens and the “Oh Sister, Where Art Thou” tour, and toured Europe with Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum. Once Laura moved to upright bass, the permanent line-up of Misty River was set and remains so today. Carol Harley plays guitar, banjo and mandolin and ukulele; Chris Kokesh fiddles and plays guitar; Dana Abel plays accordion and guitar; and Laura Quigley anchors the band on acoustic bass. The band recorded its first CD, Rising, in 2000. The heart of the album is its original material—“Only Love,” “Mother, Mother” and “Real As A Dream” written by Chris Kokesh and “This American Dream” by Dana Abel. The album also contained a pair of traditional songs, “Little Sadie” and “The Trees They Do Grow High,” and songs from such outstanding singersongwriters as Townes Van Zandt (“If I Needed You”) and Tom Paxton (“The Last Thing On My Mind”). Such musical friends as John Reischman (mandolin), Dale Adkins (guitar), Glen Moore (bass) and Bill Storms (resophonic guitar) contributed to the album. Rising was a hit both with the band’s fans and with music critics across the country. The Oregonian exulted: “The album is angelic in the way only the high lonesome sounds of bluegrass and folk music can be.” Dirty Linen loved the band’s “beautiful, soaring harmonies” and found the album “wonderfully enchanting.” CD Baby Magazine gave it another rave: “Stunning music… beautiful and tight…exacting musicianship.” For its second CD, the band decided the best way to showcase the band’s eclectic tastes and stylistic variety was to record an actual performance, catching the band in its “natural habitat,” so to speak. Recorded over two nights in December 2001 at Artichoke Music’s Backgate Stage in Portland, Live at the Backgate Stage is a tuneful delight from start to finish. The set list ranges from Dana’s original “Misty River” to a gorgeous four-part a cappella harmony version of “America the Beautiful,” with stops along the way for a Stanley Brothers bluegrass classic, a couple of traditional mountain songs, and some of the band’s favorites from such writers and performers as Lyle Lovett, Gillian Welch, Lynn Morris, Tim O’Brien, Bill Staines, Kate Wolf, Shawn Colvin and The Trio—Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. Two CD’s were recorded and released in 2004. In the band’s third CD, Willow, Misty River branches out from its traditional Americana roots to explore new rhythmic, instrumental and harmonic colors. The 14-song collection includes five originals by Chris, Dana and Carol, and seamlessly crosses genres, continents and time. The result is fresh and beautiful, making Willow Misty River’s most evocative album to date. A Christmas CD, “Midwinter – Songs of Christmas” their 4th, was released November 22, 2004 complete with a non-stop tour selling over 4,000 Midwinter CD’s in 3 weeks. Misty River CDs have sold exceptionally well and have received extensive radio airplay throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as in such countries as China, Australia, Spain, England, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, France, Ireland and Belgium. The band’s other radio credits include appearances on Nebraska Public Radio’s NPR-affiliated show River City Folk. Misty River has performed on television programs such as ABC’s and CBS’s Portland, Oregon affiliates KATU (AM Northwest) and KOIN (Christmas Special), and Oregon Public Broadcasting’s Oregon Art Beat. The band’s appearance on Oregon Art Beat was voted an audience favorite and remains one of the top-viewed shows in the series’ history. Misty River travels in a 37-foot motor home the women have named “Annabelle,” after a favorite Gillian Welch song. This road-tested band has played as many as 200 engagements a year and regularly averages around 150. From small clubs to large theaters, performing arts centers to civic and corporate events, and house concerts to huge music festivals, Misty River’s live show is what gives the band such a devoted following. Victory Music Review described the magic of Misty River live as “a warmth and friendship between the members of the band and the audience” and a “feeling of intimacy in an audience that numbered over 600.” The review continued, “The walloping charisma of each of the four women—their good humor and jocular stage patter, their laughter and kinship—was as effective in the back of the theater as it was for those in the front row.” The band performs frequently in the Pacific Northwest, but has also toured internationally, most recently representing the U.S. at the Shanghai International Music Festival in China. Nationally, Misty River has performed at venues such as Dollywood in Tennessee and Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. Other leading music festival appearances include the Strawberry Music Festival (in California), the Walnut Valley Festival (Kansas), the Northwest Folklife Festival and Wintergrass (Washington), the Sisters Folk Festival (Oregon) and the Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival. In Misty River’s home state of Oregon, performance highlights include a sold-out double-bill concert with Tracy Grammer at the Aladdin Theater in Portland and performing before an audience numbering 6,500 at the grand opening of the Oregon Gardens in Silverton. Misty River has also showcased at music industry conventions sponsored by such organizations as the Folk Alliance, the International Bluegrass Music Association and the NW Booking Conference. And so. The road goes on forever and Annabelle keeps racking up the miles. As Misty River’s popularity continues to expand beyond the Pacific Northwest, the band plans to do even more national and international touring. And Misty River rolls along, as rivers do, touching people at each stop along the way. ♫

MISTY RIVER PRESS RELEASE Misty River – Compelling Voices of Acoustic Americana MISTY RIVER will appear in concert at [VENUE] located at [address, city & state] on [day, date and time]. Tickets are [$price] General Admission and are available at [list venue with phone number] and [additional ticket outlets w/phone]. Since emerging on the Portland acoustic music scene in 1997, the four-woman band MISTY RIVER has earned an enviable reputation as one

of the finest, most entertaining bands in the Pacific Northwest. Audiences have been captivated by the award winning quartet (two of whom are mother and daughter) who support their beautiful blend of harmonic voices with unique combinations of guitars, fiddle, accordion, banjo, mandolin, ukulele and upright acoustic bass. Whether performing at a large concert hall or an intimate house concert, MISTY RIVER makes an emotional connection with its audiences, thoroughly captivating listeners with beautiful and moving music and a natural, friendly and uplifting presentation. Recent Reviews about MISTY RIVER:

    

“When these four women weave their lovely harmonies, it is spine tingling. OREGON ART BEAT broadcast a segment on MISTY RIVER, and the response was amazing. Our phones and web site were jammed with requests to know where they were playing and how to buy their CDs.” – Jeff Douglas, Executive Producer, Oregon Art Beat, Oregon Public Broadcasting “An unforgettable experience…I had tears streaming down my cheeks…the walloping charisma…their good humor and jocular stage patter, their laughter and kinship…We clapped and cheered and stomped and jumped to our feet in a rousing, enthusiastic standing ovation for the combined talents of the Misty River band.” – Diane Schulstad, Victory Review (January 2004) “…Misty River…a must see band...holds audiences spellbound with glistening harmonies and fresh enthusiasm….”-Karolyn Laster, Portland Songwriter’s Association “Every song is like Gatorade for the soul; a soft compelling and delicious concoction that you didn’t know you needed…. The sound in person is as pure and wonderful as the sound the CD makes coming out of your speakers at home.” -Rae Gordon, Positively Entertainment “The trademark of their sound on the CD and in performance is lush, pitch-perfect harmonies and gentle, tasteful arrangements, with a fresh interpretation of songs…” -Heidi Muller, Victory Review

Their first self-produced CD, Rising was released June 2000, their second, Live at the Backgate Stage was released February 2002 and their most recent, Willow released June 2004. A Christmas CD, Midwinter – Songs of Christmas was released in November 2004. A successful, independent full-time band, Misty River’s total CD Sales have now exceeded 40,000 in 6 years enjoying a recurring spot of “Top Selling Albums” in the Oregonian’s Music Millennium Column. The band continues to receive regular rotation on public and commercial radio in the USA, Canada, Europe, China, Australia & New Zealand. In addition to winning over countless fans, radio DJs and critics, MISTY RIVER and its members have received several prestigious individual and band honors. Chris Kokesh has won several awards for her songwriting, from the Portland Songwriters Association, the Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival and the Maryhill Winery Amphitheater. Laura Quigley, who has toured Europe with Laurie Lewis and Tom Rozum as well as Ireland with the “Oh Sister, Where Art Thou” tour, won the Best Bass Player award at the Washington State Bluegrass Championships in 2001. The Source Weekly, Bend, OR named Misty River’s show the “Best Old Style Concert” in 2003. Performance highlights over the years include: International Music Festival (Shanghai, China), WinterFolk (Portland, OR), Wintergrass (Tacoma, WA), NW Folklife (Seattle, WA), The Strawberry Music Festival (Sonora, CA), The Sisters Folk Festival (Sisters, OR), The Walnut Valley Festival (Winfield, KS), The Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival (Guthrie, OK), Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN) and Silver Dollar City (Branson, MO). MISTY RIVER consists of Chris Kokesh on vocals, fiddle and guitar; Carol Harley on vocals, guitar, banjo, mandolin and ukulele; her daughter Laura Quigley on vocals and upright acoustic bass; and Dana Abel on vocals, accordion and guitar. ♪

February 4, 2006 A Recommendation Letter for Misty River As sponsors and producers of two fund-raising concerts featuring Misty River, the Salmon Creek Kiwanis Club of Vancouver, Wash., could not be happier with the performances these four ladies have given our audiences and the assistance and cooperation they have given us in the promotion and planning. In the summer of 2004, our club of only a dozen members was looking for a fund-raising event to replace the annual “comedy night,” which had not done well. One club member, who had twice heard Misty River in person, convinced the others that this multi-genre group of singers and instrumentalists would appeal to far more than its regular audiences of blue grass and folk-music junkies in venues of 200-300 seats. With Misty River matriarch Carol Harley enthusiastically offering to help with promotion and to “work with us” on a fee, we took the leap. The beautiful 1,105seat Skyview High School auditorium (home of the Vancouver Symphony) was booked, as was Misty River, for March 12, 2005. We worked hard to plan and promote the event and sell tickets to our friends and neighbors. Carol helped considerably with design of posters and leaflets and by spreading the word to Misty River’s “regulars” via her e-mail postings. When 620 people bought $15 tickets for that initial “Evening with Misty River,” we were elated. We decided to do it again, on Jan. 28, 2006. Again, Carol was extremely helpful in the promotion. But we also were getting better at it ourselves. Some 800 tickets (again $15 each) were sold in advance of concert night through our individual efforts and at six retail ticket outlets around Clark County. About 200 more bought tickets at the door that night, pushing us over the 1,000 mark. It was by far the largest audience to hear a Misty River solo-act indoor concert in the band’s eight-year history. In the end, of course, the incredible success of the second concert was testimony to the absolutely delightful evening 620 people had at the first concert and the word of mouth advertising they did the second time around. Misty River’s repertoire is a wonderful combination, ranging from toe-tapping, smile-on-the-face tunes to poignant and haunting songs with a message. Their incredible vocal harmonies and magic on the guitar, fiddle, base, banjo, accordion and mandolin are complemented by their friendly stage presence and interaction with their audiences. For more information, contact Salmon Creek Kiwanians Gregg Herrington (360--574-3747) or Ron Deibert (360-699-1234 in Vancouver, Wash.) Gregg Herrington February 2006

July 20, 2004

To Whom It May Concern: When these four women weave their lovely harmonies, it is spine tingling. Their music and relaxed style reaches out and touches audiences in a way that is uplifting even when a ballad brings a tear to the eye. Playing a wide range of Americana music, the quartet supports their beautiful harmonies with inventive arrangements on guitar, fiddle, accordion, bass, banjo, mandolin and ukulele. Oregon Art Beat did our first story with Misty River as they recorded “Live at the Backgate Stage”. The response was overwhelming. Not only were we were flooded with emails and letters asking for more Misty River, but almost every viewer mentioned how the music had touched their hearts. This year we did a second story as Misty River recorded the “Willow” CD. Again, the response has been amazing. Even though the story just aired in May, it was a top pick as our viewers voted for stories they wanted to see again this summer. We’re pleased that Oregon Art Beat could play a small role in Misty River’s rapidly growing popularity. It is richly deserved and couldn’t happen to four nicer people.

Jeff Douglas

Executive Producer, Oregon Art Beat Oregon Public Broadcasting 7140 SW Macadam

Portland, OR 97219 (503) 293-1967

[email protected]

EXCERPTS FROM: MISTY RIVER & TRACY GRAMMER CONCERT By Diane Schulstad (former Editor of Victory Music Review, Tacoma, WA)

“T

here are certain concerts that pass beyond being a transitory, fleeting pleasure into the realm of being… an experience. An unforgettable experience… one that you will hold in your heart as a treasure. I was the grateful participant of such an experience: the double billing of the Portland-based band, Misty River, and Tracy Grammer performing with a full band at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, Oregon on Saturday, November 15, 2003. The concert was one I eagerly anticipated, because I am hypnotically entranced by the recorded music of Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer. The opportunity of actually seeing a live performance of Tracy’s was an awaited thrill. Live performances have an energy of their own that cannot be reproduced on a recording, no matter how beautiful that recording may be. There is a dynamic energy flow between the musician(s) and the audience, and between the audience with other members of the audience, that creates (in the best of concerts) a bubble of bliss. Instinctively, I knew that this concert would be a channel for that sort of energy flow. Little did I know the power that energy flow would have. The four women of Misty River gathered on stage as the first act

of the double billing. I was instantly intrigued, because the group is an all female quartet and because of the instruments that were collected on the stage: accordion, fiddle, acoustic bass, guitar, banjo and mandolin. And then… they began to sing. Oh my… oh my…. The first song was a cover of the Townes Van Zandt song “If I Needed You,” which starts, in Misty River’s arrangement, with a four-part harmony sung a cappella, before the instruments contribute their underlying “voices.” The arrangement of the song was so sweetly potent that from the first (and this is the first number, mind you), I had tears streaming down my cheeks from the sheer beauty of the sound. Yes, I was captured quickly by Misty River.

As were we all, we in the audience. From the moment of their entrance, there was a warmth and friendship between the members of the band and the audience. This is particularly notable because the audience was a large one – the Aladdin Theater, which seats 600, was completely sold out (and actually had to turn some poor unfortunates away from the door). One would have thought, given the feeling of

intimacy, that the audience only numbered 35! I was seated near the back of the theater, yet the walloping charisma of each of the four women – their good humor and jocular stage patter, their laughter and kinship -- was as effective in our area as it would have been for those in the front row. The camaraderie of the group members was infectious and drew us all into the embrace. Misty River’s members’ command of the emotional experience was complete. My heart was like a ball of warm, soft wax, malleable to their every whim. I was, in turns, laughing and weeping and cheering throughout the 50 minute performance. The songs ranged from heartwarming, to pensive, to funny, to rollicking. The genres of music also easily transitioned within a variety of styles -- traditional folk, Americana, bluegrass, country, singer/songwriter (with song gems written by Misty River member Chris Kokesh). Throughout, the splendid mix of the masterful instrumental sounds (Dana Abel on accordion or guitar, Carol Harley on guitar or clawhammer banjo, Chris Kokesh on fiddle, Laura Quigley on bass) underlying the truly heartrending loveliness of the four voices intertwined in harmony, created a joy that I longed to keep in my heart. It’s always difficult to determine highlights in a concert filled with a memorable selection of covers and originals, but certain songs (in addition to “If I Needed You”) are deserving of special mention: “Home Grown Tomatoes” (a mischievously spunky song by Guy Clark, that even includes recipes!), the cover of Lyle Lovett’s “If I Had A Boat” (in which

audience members sang lustily on the chorus), “As Real As A Dream” (by band member Chris Kokesh). One song stood out for me as brightly as a star: Rory Block’s “Heather’s Song.” The audience held our collective breath, as the members lifted their voices in an a cappella rendition, not wanting to disturb the profound grace of that moment. The audience had no problem, however, after the song’s completion, and again after Misty River’s portion of the concert ended, in making as big a racket as 600 people can make. We clapped and cheered and

stomped and jumped to our feet in a rousing, enthusiastic standing ovation for the combined talents of the Misty River band. They were called back for an encore (demanded back, actually), and – had we not been also eager to see Tracy Grammer and her band – would have had a hard time exiting the stage at all…” “We were rewarded for our devotion with a particularly engaging encore. Tracy called Misty River on the stage to perform two final numbers with her: “Loughlin Boy,” (a bluegrass-tinged rewrite by Bill Joliff of the traditional song "Johnson Boys") and Dave Carter’s “Gentle Arms of Eden.” The audience sang heartily on the chorus

of “Gentle Arms of Eden,” and were surprised as the women on stage started to sing the chorus from Simon and Garfunkel’s “Cecelia” in counterpoint. The audience was wildly delighted. Of course. We loved IT ALL! Special thanks to Portlander Mark Frink (who does sound for k.d. lang, Joni Mitchell, Tony Bennett, among others) for providing a full and tasteful sound at this remarkable event. And, to the Aladdin Theater for housing it.” § For more info on Misty River contact Carol at 360-576-7676, [email protected] or

www.mistyriverband.com

View more...

Comments

Copyright � 2017 SILO Inc.