Sweetwater
The Ballads
© 2003 Tweetwater Productions
CD IN STOCK. ORDER NOW. Will ship immediately.
Here Sweetwater performing the music from author Sharyn McCrumb's Ballad Series.
tracks
try this
albums you will love
genres you will love
galleries you will love
By Location
links
notes
Sweetwater is a trio of woman from Ohio who sing songs that they love, that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. We play acoustic instruments such as mountain dulcimer, autoharp, guitar, bass, and pennywhistle.
Back in the mid 90's we met author, Sharyn McCrumb at Otterbein College in Ohio. Her latest book at that time, "She Walks These Hills" was given as an English assignment for incoming freshman. A wonderful evening of music and time with Sharyn was part of the reward for those students who completed the project. For such an evening, music just had to be a critical key. We provided that traditional music backdrop for the evening. We met Sharyn and a wonderful friendship has evolved.
The "Ballads" features the "lyric thread" that traditonal music weaves through her writings.
The Story
SWEETWATER is a gathering of three women from Ohio who, since 1985, have captured the hearts of audiences with the pure power of voices blended in harmony, with diverse instrumental work on traditional instruments and warm interaction with the audience.
SWEETWATER'S members, Cindy Funk, Shelley Stevens, and Shari Wolf became acquainted through their shared interest in the mountain dulcimer. It soon became evident that their vocal blend was something special and that they all had a loving respect for the folk music of America and of other cultures. Soon, ideas were exchanged, additional instrumentation was experimented with, best-loved tunes were chosen and SWEETWATER emerged, spread it's wings and went on the road.
Since that day, SWEETWATER has performed for audiences from the midwest to the Pacific Northwest, here in the U.S. and also toured Ireland and the British Isles.
With eight recordings on their own TWEETWATER PRODUCTIONS label, several projects assisting other musicians, and our latest collaboration with author, Sharyn McCrumb, SWEETWATER'S recorded works encompass American traditional and contemporary, Celtic traditional and contemporary, and country music genres. And, don't forget the humor that the audience loves.
Whenever SWEETWATER has performed, they have won the affection of their audiences for many reasons, but largely for the fact that they have such fun while entertaining and want their audiences to enjoy the time they spend together as well.
And now, from the "More than you ever thought you wanted to know about Sweetwater" Dept! We are....
CINDY FUNK
Cindy considers the Autoharp to be her first love. With it she backs up the other instruments in Sweetwater's repertoire. Cindy also adds to the versatility of the group's instrumental lineup with her work on mountain dulcimer, tinwhistle, concertina and bodhron. Cindy sings mid to high harmonies and lead vocals on material ranging from light-hearted fun songs to her own compositions.
SHELLEY STEVENS
Shelley played guitar for 18 years before taking up the mountain dulcimer which is now her principal forte'. Her articulate and expressive playing on soprano, mid-voiced, bass and chromatic mountain dulcimers is an education in itself. Shelley also brings stand-up bass, and guitar to the group. Shelley's versatile mid-range voice swings easily from harmonies to singing lead on haunting ballads and variety tunes.
Shelley has two dulcimer books and CDs published by Mel Bay that are available world wide. And Shelley's own Baker's Dozen dulcimer tabulature books are available from TWEETWATER Productions, through her website.
www.shelleystevens.com
SHARI WOLF
Shari's artful guitar backup of vocals and multi-layered instrumentals is the foundation of Sweetwater's sound. Shari's deep, resonant voice adds the warm tones to the group's three-part vocal harmonies and to the lead on several of the group's most requested songs.
That's us. We swore 'lo, those many years ago, that if playing music ever stopped being fun...we'd quit. But we're still having fun, trying to introduce folk music to the masses, and spreading the music to as many people as we can reach. Won't you join us?