What's To Know??
Nick
Novia hails from southwestern Connecticut. Nick plays the
rhythm guitar and sings a heartfelt lead vocal. His voice is clear,
resonant, and his phrasing is as 'mountain' as it gets. In recent
years Nick has worked with Joe DeLillo in the Connecticut/NY-based
band Big Appal'achia. Nick first heard the haunting reality
in Carter Stanley's singing while a youngster growing up in Vermont.
It would be twenty years before that sound, and the emotion in Carter's
voice, would captivate him. Nick loves the music of Carter & Ralph…and
his middle name just happens to be Stanley! [Ed. Note: Recent DNA
tests have proven he's no relation, but please don't tell Nick.]
Yearly trips down to Ralph Stanley's Hills Of Home Memorial Day
Bluegrass Festival, in the rolling hills of southern Virginia, have
led to a deeper understanding of how Bluegrass and mountain music
should be presented. Nick obviously feels the lyrics he sings. Nick
also has the 'gift of gab' making each TrueGrass
audience feel like they're a part of the show.
Joe
DeLillo is Connecticut
'borned and raised'. He plays bass with TrueGrass
and also possesses a strong tenor voice. Along with Nick's lead
singing, these boys exemplify the importance of a topnotch vocal
duet in Bluegrass music. Joe started his music career playing country
music in the early '80s with a local band, Appaloosa. The
steel guitar player, who hailed from Kentucky, also played banjo
on a couple of Bluegrass standards that were plugged into the band's
sets. Joe was immediately hooked on the sound of "that crazy
contraption" to the point that he purchased an acoustic standup
bass and hasn't put it down since! Over the years Joe has provided
a stable bass beat for bands based out of Connecticut and New York
City. Typically, as was the case with many pickers at the time,
Joe initially played 'New Grass' music. However he eventually found
his way to traditional Bluegrass music. Joe feels that this is where
his heart is, with the lonesome singing he so loves.
Kevin Lynch, well known in acoustic music circles for his
virtuosity on mandolin and guitar, has performed throughout the
U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Europe. Kevin's intense, precise lyrical
instrumental style has served him well while performing in various
genres of music for the past thirty years. He has performed professionally
since 1976, making music for theatrical plays, recording sessions
for commercial & documentary soundtracks, several artist's and
songwriter's projects, and numerous band recordings. He, along with
Peggy Harvey, was a founding member of the band Traver Hollow.
Among other music-related ventures Kevin hosts a weekly Bluegrass
radio show, "U-H
Radio Bluegrass", on WWUH
91.3 FM in West Hartford, CT, has produced or co-produced music
festivals and concerts, and has served on several music business
related boards & committees. He is currently a director of the
Connecticut Bluegrass Music Association (CTBMA),
and a charter member of the International Bluegrass Music Association
(IBMA). Kevin plays
mandolin and sings harmony parts with TrueGrass.
He is a Connecticut native.
Peggy
Ann Harvey is an accomplished, classically trained clarinetist
who also plays piano, flute, saxophones, and harmonica in addition
to the fiddle and autoharp. She has been playing primarily fiddle
for the past twenty-three years with her former Bluegrass band Traver
Hollow, of which she was a founding member. She was previously
a member of an all-female trio called The Hot Flashes --
an alternative musical outlet allowing Peggy to branch out musically,
playing her horn and harmonicas. Peggy is currently continuing her
multi-instrumental fun in another band with Gail
Wade and her quartet, which also includes Kevin Lynch. She has
toured throughout Europe and Canada and has performed on nine recordings
to date. Peggy sings an occasional tune with the band, but this
unit also affords her an opportunity to fiddle away at will during
most of the vocal choruses …something Peggy's not had a real chance
to do in the past. That's a real plus for the vintage Bluegrass
sounds of TrueGrass!
Danny
Menzone lives in Charlton, MA. Danny began playing guitar
at age 7 and made the switch to the 5-string banjo when he was 17.
Dan especially enjoys the guitar sounds of James Taylor and Tony
Rice. He first studied the banjo playing of the legendary Earl Scruggs.
He got his "Scruggs chops" down and soon became interested in the
more contemporary sound of the progressive banjo. Dan studied with
master banjoist, Tony Trischka, and soon become fluent in both the
contemporary and traditional styles of the banjo. His ability to
alternate smoothly between 'straight' and 'melodic' styles gives
Danny's playing its own very distinct sound. Kevin and Peggy first
met Dan in a jam session at a local festival in 1982. The next year
they asked him to join their Connecticut-based band Traver Hollow,
where he remained active until October 2004. Dan appeared on the
cover, and was featured in an article, for Banjo Signal magazine.
He has performed on six albums to date, including his 2006 solo
release Menzone Drive. Dan has toured throughout Europe and
Canada. It's a treat to hear Danny's banjo driving the TrueGrass
wall-of-sound.
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