Two weeks ago, we listened to a playlist of the Founding Women of Bluegrass—and this week, we’re listening to a list of the women who are taking charge and moving the genre forward! From longtime stewards like Alison Krauss and Donna Ulisse to boundary-pushers like Brittany Haas and Molly Tuttle, there’s virtuousity and spirit to spare from these great artists. Continue celebrating Women’s Month with this playlist of Modern Bluegrass Women!
Nice choices David. I consider myself lucky and proud to know a few up and coming professional women bluegrassers in the Northeast.
New Zealander Catherine “BB” Bowness plays excellent banjo with Boston’s Mile Twelve band. BB is REALLY capable and musical with her banjo picking. She’s a great young lady that I met years ago at Thomas Point Beach festival. She was so shy she wouldn’t get her banjo out and play even when we pleaded with her.
Bronywn Keith-Hynes was the original fiddler with Mile Twelve. She’s from Charlottesville VA. She came from an old-time fiddling background but has REALLY dug in deep on the hardest hard-core bluegrass stuff. She’s now on tour with guitarist Molly Tuttle and has an award winning CD on the market.
Fiddler Laura Orshaw is from Pennsylvania and has followed her dad around to traditional bluegrass festivals since she was 5, when I first met her. Laura plays her own style, but her choice of bluegrass is the old traditional style, and she fiddles up a unique storm. Currently she’s a member of The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys who are making big waves in traditional bluegrass. She and Bronwyn play lots of intricate bluegrass twin fiddling at every oppotunity. Laura also sings traditional songs, especially “honky tonk” tunes, with a lusty alto, in a style as unique as her fiddling. Whether fiddling or singing, Laura COMMITS! She lives in Massachusetts now.
These three young ladies give me great hope for the future of bluegrass!