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| INTERVIEWS ARCHIVES RESCHEDULED |
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Name: Claire Lynch
Group: Claire Lynch Band
Date: Sunday January 31st, 2010
Time: 8:30pm EDT
Website: www.clairelynch.com
Interviewer: Terry Poirier
Description:
There were very few role models for a young woman starting out on the bluegrass highway back in the mid ‘70’s when Claire Lynch joined a band called Hickory Wind. A native of Kingston, New York, who has lived in Northern Alabama since the age of 12, Claire was offered a position in the band, decided she was going to be a bluegrass singer, and that was pretty much that. After changing its name to the Front Porch String Band, the group worked regularly throughout the Southeast over the next several years, becoming fan favorites on the strength of its open-minded musical approach and incredible lead singer.
But by 1981, despite a handful of well-received albums (including Claire’s first solo effort, Breakin’ It) and increasing word-of-mouth acclaim, the band had tired of the grind and called it quits. A decade would pass before the band regrouped, but Claire put the time to good use. In addition to raising a family, she launched dual careers as a songwriter (her songs have been recorded by Patty Loveless, the Seldom Scene, Cherryholmes, Kathy Mattea, the Whites and Stephanie Davis) and a session vocalist. Her exquisite harmonies have graced albums by such leading artists as Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Patty Loveless, Pam Tillis, Kathy Mattea, Jesse Winchester, Sarah Watkins and Ralph Stanley.
A re-energized Front Porch String Band roared back onto the scene with their 1991 album, Lines and Traces. The success of that album and the band’s resumed touring led to Claire’s second solo album, the critically-acclaimed Friends for a Lifetime in 1993. Next came the Grammy-nominated Moonlighter in 1995, followed by 1997’s sublime Silver and Gold, which also received a Grammy nomination. During the next several years on the fast-track the Front Porch String Band evolved into one of the sharpest, most exciting post-modern bluegrass bands on the circuit. Their last recording effort was Rounder’s Love Light, a collection more-than-half comprised of original Claire Lynch songs and which was described as “a masterpiece… an Americana programmer’s true delight.
In 2000, husband and mandolinist Larry Lynch, founder and instrumental mainstay of the band from the beginning decided to follow his ever-increasing musical passion for Celtic style picking. For the next few years, Claire enjoyed another hiatus from the road while searching out new players. In the fall of 2004, she made plans to reunite with former bandmate Jim Hurst. Hurst himself had earned two awards for “Guitar Player of the Year” with IBMA. Along with Ontario’s fiddler-extraordinaire Jason Thomas and redoubtable bassist Mark Schatz, most recently of Nickel Creek, they now comprise the Claire Lynch Band which has been touring since April 1, 2005. “These players are all ‘bluegrass and beyond’ stars in their own right… all are award-winners and nominees with a myriad of experience.”
In the Winter of 2005, Claire signed another three-album deal with Rounder Records. The first release, New Day (March ’06), was a top favorite pick for several publications, scored a #1 song on the National Bluegrass Survey and an IBMA nomination for “Song of the Year”. Next came the anthology collection, Crowd Favorites (October 2007) which earned another couple of top ten positions on the survey. Ms. Lynch is currently working on her follow-up CD, describing it as “bluegrass-inflected acoustic” and is hoping for a Summer ’09 release. |
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