"The greatest interpreter and vocalist performing in the contemporary folk scene." ~ Sing Out
Born in Hamilton, Ontario to parents of Nova Scotian descent, Garnet Rogers spent many hours in front of the old floor model radio listening to Grand Ol' Opry broadcasts and harmonizing with his brother, the late folk legend Stan Rogers. Two years later, Garnet was playing the definitive 8-year-old's version of "Desolation Row" on his ukulele. He soon abandoned that instrument to teach himself the flute, violin and guitar. At 18, Garnet was on the road as a full-time working musician with brother Stan. Together they formed what has come to be accepted as one of the most influential duos in the history of North American folk music. Garnet acted as producer and arranger for his older brother from 1973 to 1983, when Stan died tragically in a plane crash. Since then, Garnet has courageously established himself as a formidable solo artist. Hailed by the Boston Globe as a "...charismatic performer and singer — one of the major talents of our time," they continue by saying that "Garnet's vocal and instrumental talents are complimented by an undeniably powerful physical presence — close to six and a half feet tall — with the lungs to match."
With his "smooth, dark baritone," (Washington Post) his incredible range and thoughtful, dramatic phrasing, Garnet is widely considered by fans and critics alike to be one of the finest singers anywhere. His music, like the man himself, is literate, passionate, highly sensitive, and deeply purposeful. Cinematic in detail, his songs give expression to the unspoken language of the heart. An optimist at heart, Garnet sings extraordinary songs about people who are not obvious heroes and of the small everyday victories. As memorable as his songs, his over-the-top humor and lightning-quick wit move his audiences from tears to laughter and back again. Rogers has been the featured performer on numerous television and radio programs including Much Music, Mountain Stage, and All Things Considered. He has been a headliner at concert venues and festivals such as Wolf Trap, Lincoln Center, and Art Park; sharing the stage with performers such as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Billy Bragg, Bill Monroe, Ferron, Greg Brown, and Guy Clark. Though Garnet has enjoyed much popularity over the years, he remains resolutely independent, turning down offers from major labels to ensure that he continues doing music his own way.
Garnet Rogers recently published a memoir, Night Drive: Travels with my Brother.
"I have found strength and comfort in his songs. This is good and rich and big music. Welcome one and all. Come on in. Get down." ~ Greg Brown
"Celtic guitar god." ~ Baltimore City Paper.
"Breathtaking...brilliant technique, always in service of the music." ~ Guitar Player.
"A musician whose technical skill and stylistic expertise are second to none...a time-served folkie of the highest calibre." ~ Classical Guitar (U.K.).
Robin Bullock is a prolific composer and multi-instrumentalist, whose virtuosity on guitar, cittern and mandolin blends the ancient melodies of the Celtic lands and their vigorous Appalachian descendants into one powerful musical vision. The 17th-century harp tunes of legendary Irish bard Turlough O'Carolan, the spirited jigs and reels of rural Ireland, the haunting ballads of the southern Appalachians and evocative original compositions all find a musical common ground in Robin's music, where lightning-fast fingerwork one moment is perfectly balanced with tender, quiet intimacy the next. A warm, friendly presence onstage, Robin effortlessly creates a magical world for the audience with his multi-instrumental wizardry, taking them on a journey to the heart and soul of Celtic and American traditions.
"Dazzling spirit... what he offers is not just virtuosity for the sake of virtuosity, but also the sensibility of one on a quest between past and present, traditional and modern." ~ Trad Magazine (France).
Originally rising to prominence as a founding member of the innovative acoustic world-music trio Helicon, Robin's solo career has won him three Washington Area Music Association WAMMIE Awards, a Governor's Award from the Maryland State Arts Council, and a feature broadcast on National Public Radio's hugely popular Celtic music program "The Thistle and Shamrock."
