Laurie Lewis

This Sunday morning edition of Art of the Song features acclaimed singer-songwriter Laurie Lewis.

The Sacramento News called her “as fine a singer as anyone on the acoustic music circuit, anywhere in the world.” Billboard praised her ability to “successfully walk the high wire above esoteric country, combining elements of bluegrass and pure country to form her own seamless mix.” Sing Out! magazine recently stated, “It’s not too much of a stretch to suggest that if the “Americana” format wasn’t invented for her, it should have been.” And American folk music icon Utah Phillips boiled it down even further, asserting: “Whatever country music is supposed to be, she’s at the center of it.”

Lewis, accompanied by Tom Rozum, has appeared at the Grand Ole Opry and several times with Garrison Keillor on A Prairie Home Companion. She is also the program director for a Music Camp on the Oregon Coast called Bluegrass at the Beachwhich she has done with Tom Rozum since 1992.

Lewis’s songs have been recorded by others, including Kathy Mattea, and she has accompanied Holly Near. She has been invited to accompany many other artists, including Kato Sanden, a Norwegian pop star, and the legendary (but still active) Ralph Stanley. Besides producing her own CDs, Lewis’s skill in the recording studio has resulted in her being asked to produce recordings for a number of other artists. She is also in demand as a teacher on fiddle and guitar.

Lewis has toured widely in many parts of the world, including most European countries, China, and Japan. When not on tour, she makes her home in Berkeley, California.

http://www.laurielewis.com/

Share This Episode