West Virginia Public Broadcasting's Mountain Stage with Larry Groce
When
Sunday, April 27 • 7pm
Where
WVU Creative Arts Center
Show Performers
Teitur
Hailing from Denmark's Faroe Islands, a small, remote group of islands between Iceland and Scotland, Teitur's impressive debut Poetry & Airplanes, drew comparisons to classic artists like James Taylor. In 2006, after parting ways with Universal Records due to months of legal problems and creative differences, he released Stay Under the Stars. Teitur's new release is titled The Singer.
Justin Townes Earle
Like his father, legendary singer/songwriter Steve Earle, Justin Townes Earle creates stark portraits with elements of acoustic blues and folk. After cutting his teeth in a bluegrass/ragtime combo The Swindlers and the louder, more rocking The Distributors, Earle began to focus on songwriting. With inspirations as diverse as Townes Van Zandt (he was named for Townes, one of Steve Earle's heroes), Ray Charles and The Pogues, Earle forged his own brand of American roots music.
Amanda Shaw
At 17, New Orleans-based singer/songwriter/bandleader/fiddler Amanda Shaw is already a veteran. In fact, her band, the Cute Guys, have been together since she was 10 and the youngest member is 45. After performing with the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra at age seven—the youngest soloist to ever play with the orchestra—Shaw switched to traditional Cajun dance music. She's since become a fixture at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Her third CD, I'm Not a Bubblegum Pop Princess, has remained on the Festival's Top Ten list since 2003. In addition to Cajun dance music, the Cute Guys play rock, country, and funk-flavored R&B. Shaw has made three films, including the IMAX documentary Hurricane on the Bayou, a before-and-after Katrina portrait of four New Orleans musicians (Shaw, Tab Benoit, Allen Toussaint, and Chubby Carrier) narrated by Meryl Streep. Working with veteran producer Scott Billington, she signed to Rounder Records and released the five-song EP/DVD Home Again. Rounder issued Pretty Runs Out in early 2008.
Dave Barnes
The son of a Presbyterian pastor, singer/songwriter Dave Barnes grew up in Kosciusko, Miss. and Knoxville, Tenn. After releasing the solo acoustic Three, Then Four, heavy touring with artists like Marc Broussard gained him national exposure. Through his 2004 release Brother, Bring The Sun, Barnes was introduced to Amy Grant (who later performed on Barnes' wedding song “I Have And I Always Will”), Vince Gill and John Mayer. After releasing the full band Chasing Mississippi in 2006, Barnes began performing stand-up comedy in Nashville. In 2008, he signed to the Razor and Tie label which released Me and You and the World. The television series What I Like About You often references Barnes' songs, some of which have been performed by the show's character Ben Sheffield, a musician within the show.
Donna the Buffalo
Rootsy folk-rock sextet Donna the Buffalo formed in 1987 in Ithaca, NY. The group's three vocalists—Tara Nevins, who also plays fiddle, guitar, and accordion; guitarist Jeb Puryear; and keyboardist Joe Thrift—add another layer of diversity to the group's eclectic and often socially conscious sound. Guitarist Jim Miller, drummer Tom Gilbert, and bassist Jed Greenberg complete the ensemble.