Dana & Susan Robinson, Chance McCoy & Allison Williams @ Blue Moon Sundays Concert Series February 15, 2009

Duos bring West Virginia Championship Fiddlin' and Clawhammer Banjos to Concert Series Stage

"Many songwriters have been heralded as modern day Woody Guthries or keepers of the American rural spirit, but that mantle might be better entrusted to musicians like Dana Robinson who embody both the heart and the soul of folk music." - Dirty Linen

Dana and Susan Robinson sing dust-on-the-boots vignettes of rural America. Dana delivers his lyrics with such poetic clarity as to take the audience along riding shotgun down the highway. Their stories reflect a deep affection for the landscape and a sense of place within it. Dana and Susan are consummate multi-instrumentalists (guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin) integrating styles from the Appalachian, Celtic, and African traditions to create a fresh and contemporary sound that is uniquely their own.

Born in Oregon in 1961, Dana was raised on a steady diet of the Beatles, Dylan, Clapton and Stones. At seventeen Dana took to hitchhiking between the western states, playing in cafés and restaurants, never staying in one place for very long. This restlessness culminated in the mid-80’s with a trip to Europe to ride the trains and busk on the streets. Upon returning to America, Dana settled in Vermont where he built a cabin in the woods and discovered both the east coast singer-songwriter scene and Appalachian mountain music. In 1994 Dana recorded his debut CD Elemental Lullabye, made an appearance at Carnegie Hall, and launched into a national touring career.

Dana and Susan met in 2002 when Sue attended a concert that Dana was giving in California. An environmental grant writer at the time, Sue had no idea what she was in for when Dana persuaded her to join him as his traveling partner. A classically trained pianist and Scottish fiddle player, Susan changed musical courses completely, launching into the mountain claw-hammer banjo, rhythm guitar playing, and harmony singing that now defines their sound.

Chance McCoy is a master in the art of mountain fiddling. The roots of his music reach all the way back to ancient Scotland, Ireland and Africa, blended through the melting pot of early America and distilled in the mountains for centuries into a unique music still being passed from one generation to the next. Hailing from West Virginia, a state known for it's rich and long standing music tradition, Chance is widely known for his powerful fiddling which has earned many blue ribbons, including the West Virginia Championship.

"Allison Williams attacks her banjo clawhammer-style with an intensity rivaling that of any seasoned and steel-toed CBGB's regular." - Augusta Metro Spirit

Nashville-based singer/songwriter and traditional musician Allison Williams plays old-time clawhammer banjo in a modern context. From her start as a punk rock musician, Allison was seduced by oldtime mountain music, moving to North Carolina to get close to its roots. In 2005 she formed the Forge Mountain Diggers, a hard-driving oldtime band, with Freight Hoppers fiddler David Bass. The Diggers toured internationally for three years, sharing stages with the Grascals, Uncle Earl, Rhonda Vincent, Donna the Buffalo, and many other giants of the new traditional music scene.

Allison Williams' solo CD " Give Me the Roses" came out in the autumn of 2008, featuring driving arrangements of traditional old-time songs, as well as eclectic originals, woven together by a talented backing band of rising stars: alumni of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the Wiyos, among others.

Sunday, February 15, 2009, Dana and Susan Robinson, Chance McCoy and Allison Williams will be in concert at the Blue Moon Sundays Concert Series. The Blue Moon Sundays Concert Series takes place at The Blue Moon Cafe located on North Princess Street at the corner of Princess and High in Shepherdstown WV. Doors open at 5:30pm; show begins at 7:00pm. Admission for this show is $12/person at the door. Food and drinks are available for purchase at all Blue Moon Sundays concerts. For reservations call the Blue Moon Cafe at 304-876-1920.

For more information, contact Cheryl Mansley at 304-702-0554 or riverhousemusic@frontiernet.net. Or, visit the Blue Moon website at www.bluemoonshepherdstown.com.

Official Website: www.bluemoonshepherdstown.com