Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of bluegrass and Americana music with the award-winning Claire Lynch Band and double banjo bluegrass quartet Hot Mustard at Next Stage on Friday, November 22 at 7:30 pm.
The Claire Lynch Band – Claire (guitar, vocals), Matt Wingate (guitar, mandolin, vocals), Mark Schatz (bass, clawhammer banjo, percussive dance) and Bryan McDowell (mandolin, fiddle, vocals) has the innate ability to perfectly interpret the beauty, subtlety and genre-defying sophistication of Claire’s music. By any measure, the quartet is high on the bluegrass world’s A-List, with musicians whose accolades include three International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) Female Vocalist of the Year awards and two Grammy nominations for Best Bluegrass Album (Claire), two IBMA Bass Player of the Year awards (Mark), MerleFest Doc Watson Guitar Champion (Matt ) and an unprecedented first-place win in three instrument categories at the Walnut Valley National Flatpicking Championship (Bryan).
Long recognized and praised as a creative force in acoustic music, Claire Lynch is a pioneer who continually pushes the boundaries of the bluegrass genre. Her harmonies have graced the recordings of many stellar musicians, including Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Jonathan Edwards, Dolly Parton, Donna the Buffalo, Pam Tillis, Jesse Winchester and Ralph Stanley. Dolly Parton credits Claire with “one of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today.” Equally gifted as a songwriter, her songs have been recorded by The Seldom Scene, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, The Cherryholmes, The Whites and others.
“Claire Lynch is a rare talent indeed. I love to listen to her and I love to sing with her.” – Linda Ronstadt
“she has one of the sweetest, purest and best lead voices in the music business today” – Dolly Parton
“one of my favorite singers in all acoustic, country and bluegrass music. She is a jewel” – Mary Chapin Carpenter
Jenny Brook Bluegrass Festival band competition winner Hot Mustard features hard-driving double banjos, close harmonies and old-time fiddle tunes, all hot and spicy. The Vermont/New Hampshire-based quartet includes Bruce Stockwell (banjo, vocals), April Hobart (guitar, vocals), Bill Jubett (banjo, fiddle, vocals) and Kelly Stockwell (acoustic bass). Bruce Stockwell is a member of newgrass/folk trio The Stockwell Brothers, and the winner of the 2005 Merlefest bluegrass banjo contest.
Next Stage is located in the former United Church at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, VT. Tickets for this concert are $20 General / $18 Students and Seniors. For ticket reservations and information, call 802-254-9276. Advance tickets are available at www.nextstagearts.org and Offerings Jewelry in Putney, VT. JD McCliment’s Pub will provide a beer and wine cash bar. For more information, visit www.clairelynch.com, www.hotmustardbluegrass.com, www.nextstagearts.org and www.twilightmusic.org.