American folk guitarists

Question

This piglix contains articles or sub-piglix about American folk guitarists

Answer 1

Christine Lavin

Christine Lavin

Christine Lavin (born January 2, 1952) is a New York City-based singer-songwriter and promoter of contemporary folk music. She has recorded numerous solo albums, and has also recorded with other female folk artists under the name Four Bitchin' Babes. She has also put together several compilation albums of contemporary folk artists, including her latest Just One Angel, 22 singer/songwriters singing Christmas/Hanukah/Solstice/New Year's songs including actor Jeff Daniels, Grammy-winners Janis Ian and Julie Gold, and the Guitar Man Of Central Park David Ippolito.

She is known for her sense of humor, which is expressed in both her music and her onstage performances. Many of her songs alternate between emotional reflections on romance and outright comedy. One of Lavin's songs, "Regretting What I Said to You When You Called Me 11:00 On a Friday Morning to Tell Me that at 1:00 Friday Afternoon You're Gonna Leave Your Office, Go Downstairs, Hail a Cab to Go Out to the Airport to Catch a Plane to Go Skiing in the Alps for Two Weeks, Not that I Wanted to Go With You, I Wasn't Able to Leave Town, I'm Not a Very Good Skier, I Couldn't Expect You to Pay My Way, But After Going Out With You for Three Years I DON'T Like Surprises!! Subtitled: A Musical Apology" is notable for its long title. It is the eighth song on her 1984 album Future Fossils, and is 3:04 (3 minutes and 4 seconds) long.

Lavin worked at Caffe Lena in Saratoga, New York, until Dave Van Ronk convinced her to move to New York City and make a career as a singer-songwriter. She followed his advice and accepted his offer of guitar lessons. Lavin was the original host of Sunday Breakfast on WFUV in New York City. She was a founding member of the Four Bitchin' Babes when they were formed in 1990.

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Answer 2

Dan Levenson

Dan Levenson (born c. 1955) is an American old-time musician and storyteller. He sings and plays the five-string banjo, fiddle, and guitar, specializing in the music of Appalachia.

A long-time member of the Boiled Buzzards string band, he has released several recordings and an instructional video for the clawhammer banjo. He has also written two instructional books on clawhammer banjo, and writes for Banjo Newsletter. Levenson was voted one of the United States's top ten clawhammer banjo players by Banjo Newsletter readers.

Levenson has won several competitions and travels the United States performing and leading workshops in playing the banjo.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he lives with his wife Jennifer in Tucson, Arizona.

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Answer 3

Greg Leisz

Greg Leisz

Gregory Brian Leisz (pronounced "Lease") (born September 18, 1949) is an American musician. He is a songwriter, recording artist, and producer. He plays guitar, dobro, mandolin, lap steel and pedal steel guitar.

Leisz grew up in the garage band culture of mid-1960s Southern California. He frequented the Ashgrove, the Troubador, and clubs on the Sunset Strip where he heard the rich milieu of musical acts of the time. He began playing guitar and soon added dobro and lap steel to his repertoire. He was inspired to pick up the pedal steel after hearing Sneaky Pete Kleinow, Buddy Emmons, and other steel players.

In 1975, he toured with John Stewart (formerly of The Kingston Trio).

He was a member of Funky Kings who released their eponymous debut album on Clive Davis’ Arista label in 1976. After the band broke up, he became a much sought-after artist both in the studio and on the road.

In 1987, he began working with Dave Alvin (formerly of The Blasters). Their collaboration led to Leisz producing several of Alvin's albums including King of California, Black Jack David, Ashgrove, and West of the West.

In 1989, Leisz played on k.d. lang’s Grammy-winning Absolute Torch and Twang, and joined her on the resulting tour. For the following 18 years he was a mainstay of her touring and recording bands, including 1992's Ingenue.

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Answer 4

Amos Lee

Amos Lee

Amos Lee (born Ryan Anthony Massaro, June 22, 1977) is an American singer-songwriter whose musical style encompasses folk, rock and soul. He was born in Philadelphia and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in English. After working as a schoolteacher and bartender he began to pursue a career in music. His manager Bill Eib well-known artist manager and new artist development submitted a demo recording to Blue Note Records which resulted in a recording contract and an association with singer Norah Jones.

Since that time Lee has recorded five albums on Blue Note Records and has toured as an opening act for Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Merle Haggard, Van Morrison, John Prine, Dave Matthews Band, Adele, the Zac Brown Band, Jack Johnson, The Avett Brothers, and David Gray. His music has appeared on the soundtracks of numerous TV shows and movies. He has performed on several late night TV shows and at a voter registration rally for Barack Obama. In 2011, his album Mission Bell debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Lee was born as Ryan Anthony Massaro in 1977 and was raised in Kensington, Philadelphia. He moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey at age 11 and graduated from Cherry Hill High School East. Lee attended the University of South Carolina and graduated with a degree in English and a minor in education. During his college years he developed an interest in music after being inspired by the John Prine album, Great Days. During this period he began playing the guitar and bass as part of a band (Hot Lava Monster) and listening to the music of Donny Hathaway, Joni Mitchell, Luther Vandross, Bill Withers and Otis Redding.

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Answer 5

Bob Lind

Bob Lind (born Robert Neale Lind, November 25, 1942 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States) is an American folk music singer-songwriter, who helped define the 1960s folk rock movement in America and England. Lind is best known for his transatlantic hit record, "Elusive Butterfly", which reached number 5 on both the US and UK charts in 1966. Many musicians have recorded songs by Lind, who continues to write, record and perform.

In 1965, Lind signed a recording contract with Liberty Records' subsidiary, World Pacific Records, and it was on that label that he recorded "Elusive Butterfly." The single might have done even better on the UK Singles Chart had there not been competition from established Irish recording artist Val Doonican, who released a cover version of the song at the same time. In the end, both versions of "Elusive Butterfly" made number 5 in the UK in 1966. Lind also wrote "Cheryl's Goin' Home," which was covered by Adam Faith, the Blues Project, Sonny & Cher, John Otway, the Cascades and others. Lind compositions were eventually covered by more than 200 artists including Cher, Glen Campbell, Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton, Eric Clapton, Nancy Sinatra, The Four Tops, Richie Havens, Hoyt Axton, The Kingston Trio, Johnny Mathis, The Rokes (with the Italian cover "Ma che colpa abbiamo noi") and Petula Clark.

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Answer 6

Graham Lindsey

Graham Lindsey is an American singer, songwriter and musician born and raised in Madison, Wisconsin. He played in several punk bands, including Old Skull; "the world's youngest punk band", while still in high-school. He released his first solo album in 2003. While retaining the punk attitude and political awareness Lindsey's music had since evolved and exposed his folk and country roots, to create a mix of folk, alternative country, Americana & country noir. He has since released two more albums, one EP and contributed to several compilations. Four of Lindsey's songs were used in the direct-to-DVD film Fairview St., released in 2010. His song "Emma Rumble" was used in the direct-to-DVD film Dunsmore, released in 2004. Lindsey lives in Montana and performs with his wife Tina Lindsey.

Lindsey left home at age fourteen and resided in New Orleans, Brooklyn, and Nebraska. After the dissolution of Old Skulland as he hit his teen years -- Lindsey became interested in acoustic music (particularly the burgeoning anti-folk movement) and started playing local gigs in Madison, WI. After that period, he dropped music altogether for four years. Famous Anonymous Wilderness seems to at once distill ancient, knee-trembling folk and "alt" otherness, with a few tracks stepping in alt-country directions.

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Answer 7

Amy Loftus

Amy Loftus

Amy Loftus is a Chicago-born singer/songwriter, now resident in Los Angeles.

She worked as an actress in Los Angeles in the late 1990s, appearing in Days of Our Lives, HBO's Tracey Takes On... and in the films Introducing Dorothy Dandridge and The 13th Floor. She later moved to Nashville as part of a musical duo, before going solo and beginning to tour on her own. Her first solo record Straight to Amy was produced by Will Kimbrough and released in 2005.

Loftus was named "Best New Singer/Songwriter" by Nashville Scene magazine in their October 27, 2005 "Best of Nashville" edition, and she placed third in the Folk/Singer-Songwriter category in the International Songwriting Competition in 2006 for the song "Work to Do" written with Will Kimbrough.

In 2011 she signed with Lakeshore Records, and in 2012 her song "Surrender" was written for the One For The Money soundtrack. She continues to tour and perform in the Los Angeles area.

Amy Loftus was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. Loftus sang in private throughout her youth, and began writing poetry around the age of six. As a child she avidly listened to musicians such as Bob Dylan, Shawn Colvin, and Joni Mitchell, and also loved Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. Other early influences included Annie Lenox, Stevie Wonder, Kate Bush, and Peter Gabriel.

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Answer 8

Kenny Loggins

Kenny Loggins

Kenneth Clark "Kenny" Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. His early songwriting compositions were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums, performing as the group Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. As a solo artist, Loggins experienced a string of soundtrack successes, including an Academy award nomination for "Footloose" in 1984. His early soundtrack contributions date back to the film A Star Is Born in 1976, and for much of the 1980s and 90s, he was known as "The Soundtrack King".Finally Home was released in 2013, shortly after Loggins formed the group Blue Sky Riders with Gary Burr and Georgia Middleman.

Loggins (born in Everett, Washington) is the youngest of three brothers. His mother was Lina (née Massie), a homemaker, and his father, Robert George Loggins, was a salesman. They lived in Detroit and Seattle before settling in Alhambra, California. Loggins attended San Gabriel Mission High School, graduating in 1966. He formed a band called the Second Helping that released three singles during 1968 and 1969 on Viva Records. Greg Shaw described the efforts as "excellent punky folk-pop records" that were written by Loggins who was likely to be the bandleader and singer as well; Shaw included "Let Me In" on both Highs in the Mid-Sixties, Volume 2 and the Pebbles, Volume 9 CD.

Loggins had a short gig playing guitar for the New Improved Electric Prunes in 1969 before writing four songs for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, which were included in their Uncle Charlie & His Dog Teddy album. During his early twenties, he was part of the band Gator Creek with Mike Deasy. An early version of "Danny's Song" (later recorded by Loggins and Messina and a #7 Hot 100 hit for Anne Murray in 1973) was included in a record on Mercury Records.

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Answer 9

John Lombardo

John Lombardo

John Lombardo (born 30 September 1952) was one of the founding members of the American alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs and one of the band's most influential members, writing much of its early material. He is also a member of folk rock duo John & Mary.

Called by the Buffalo News "a dominant force" in the Maniacs, Lombardo was in the group from its inception in 1981 until he left in 1986 after the release of their first major-label album, The Wishing Chair. Lombardo cited "creative and political differences" as his reason for leaving the band.

Lombardo formed the folk rock duo John & Mary with the classically trained Mary Ramsey, who played violin and viola for 10,000 Maniacs and sang backing vocals on the 1993 album MTV Unplugged. The pair made two recordings under the name John & Mary, Victory Gardens in 1991 and 1993's The Weedkiller's Daughter, called "a garden of shimmering delights" by the Atlanta Constitution. Both albums were released on Rykodisc and are out of print.

Lombardo returned to the Maniacs in 1994 after Natalie Merchant's departure, with Ramsey joining as the new lead singer. The duo released two albums with the Maniacs, 1997's Love Among the Ruins, which contained a cover of the Roxy Music song "More Than This" that did well in the U.S. charts, and 1999's The Earth Pressed Flat. In 2002, after leaving the Maniacs following the death of guitarist Rob Buck, John and Mary released The Pinwheel Galaxy. With their current band, the Valkyries, they recently released Peace Bridge (2007).

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Answer 10

Kathleen Lonski

Kathleen Lonski

Kathleen Elle (born Kathleen Elizabeth) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist, based in New Jersey.

She graduated from East Brunswick High School, located in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey, in 2015.

Elle won the 2013 Seventeen magazine and Secret deodorant "Mean Stinks" contest with her anti-bullying song "Don't Let Them In". Seventeen and Secret had joined forces to create the contest in an effort to banish girl-to-girl bullying.

Winners received a free trip to New York City, New York, and the opportunity to star in a video. Elle's video was filmed in the Hearst Tower in New York City, home of Seventeen's offices.

She wrote the song because, "I wanted to let people know not to let in bullies in the first place," "They are looking for that reaction, but if you don't let them know they bother you, they move on." Some of the song's lyrics are, “The harder you try, the harder you fall / it's not gonna help you out at all / don’t let 'em in, don't let 'em in / don't let 'em break your heart."

She received a standing ovation when she performed the song at the East Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

In 2015, she won an Abercrombie & Fitch Anti-Bullying Scholarship Award, an award created as part of its global anti-bullying campaign. The program was established by Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and the National Society of High School Scholars Foundation (NSHSS). The scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who thrive academically despite bullying, and to student anti-bullying activists. She completed against nearly 1,500 other students for one of ten awards.

Elle's debut extended-play album "Helium" is available for purchase on her website www.kathleenelle.com/music.

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