Nearly 1,000 entries flooded in from all over the country, and we gathered together in our basement to listen to them all, with new pens and big cups of coffee. The acts we've selected are incredible, and we can't wait for you to meet them. Here's who we'll have with us on the show March 15, 2008.
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First Place: The Honey Dewdrops from Scottsville, VA Second Place: Mattie Speece and Patrick Villines from Ponca, AR Third Place: Alyson Gilbert from Jackson, TN |
Ray Marklund Award: Andrew Ryan from Boise, ID Pinky Lee from Petoskey, MI Ashley Monroe from Nashville, TN |
Alyson Gilbert
alysongilbert.com
Jackson, TN
Born in Texas and raised in Minnesota, Alyson now lives in Tennessee where she is a singer and an animal science student. She has been active on the music scene since 2002, singing with bands and doing studio work. Members of her band include: Timmon Lund, fiddle; Brandon Kirk, electric guitar; Chris Kluge, acoustic guitar; Brian Kingsley, bass; Khristopher Dickerson, drums.
The Honey Dewdrops
myspace.com/thehoneydewdrops
Scottsville, VA
Laura Wortman and Kagey Parrish write songs that link images of a forgotten past with contemporary words. They are engaged to be married, and both work as teachers in Virginia.
Ashley Monroe
ashleymonroemusic.com
Nashville, TN
Ashley Monroe is an up-and-coming country singer/songwriter. She has been singing publicly since she was 11 years old and has spent the last few years focusing on her songwriting and her love of sad songs. She will be joined onstage by Michael Witcher on dobro and Daniel Agee on guitar.
Pinky Lee
myspace.com/msholly4u
Petoskey, MI
Jenny Bousquet and Holly Keller have been playing music together for the past year, writing songs about family, love, and seasons with a folky, soulful style. Both women play guitar and mandolin while singing unique vocal harmonies.
Andrew Ryan
myspace.com/andrewryanmusic
Boise, ID
Andrew is a singer/songwriter living in Boise, where he works as a physician’s assistant three days a week and plays music the other four days. He just finished up medical school in Las Vegas and is looking forward to combining his medical career with his love of performing his own music. He will be joined by Chad Gerber on guitar.
Mattie Speece and Patrick Villines
myspace.com/mattieandpat
Ponca, AR
Mattie and Patrick are native Arkansans, and currently reside peacefully in the Ozarks, in a home they built themselves. They both started playing music as children, and recently started harmonizing in public. They will be joined by their friend David Farley on guitar.
Old Sweet Songs: A Prairie Home Companion 1974-1976
Lovingly selected from the earliest archives of A Prairie Home Companion, this heirloom collection represents the music from earliest years of the now legendary show: 1974–1976. With songs and tunes from jazz pianist Butch Thompson, mandolin maestro Peter Ostroushko, Dakota Dave Hull and the first house band, The Powdermilk Biscuit Band (Adam Granger, Bob Douglas and Mary DuShane).
