Dana and Susan Robinson sing dust-on-the-boots vignettes of rural America. Dana delivers his lyrics with such poetic clarity as to take the audience along riding shotgun down the highway. Their stories reflect a deep affection for the landscape and a sense of place within it.
Dana and Susan are multi-instrumentalists (guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin) integrating styles from the Appalachian, Celtic and African traditions to create a fresh and contemporary sound that is uniquely their own.
Born in Oregon in 1961, Dana was raised on a steady diet of the Beatles, Dylan, Clapton and Stones. At 17, he took to hitchhiking between the western states, playing in cafés and restaurants, never staying in one place for very long.
This restlessness culminated in the mid-’80s with a trip to Europe to ride the trains and busk on the streets. Upon returning to America, Dana settled in Vermont where he built a cabin in the woods, and discovered both the East Coast singer-songwriter scene and Appalachian mountain music.
In 1994, Dana recorded his debut CD “Elemental Lullabye,” made an appearance at Carnegie Hall, and launched into a national touring career.
Dana and Susan met in 2002 when Sue attended a concert that Dana was giving in California. An environmental grant writer at the time, Sue had no idea what she was in for when Dana persuaded her to join him as his traveling partner.
A classically trained pianist and Scottish fiddle player, Susan changed musical courses completely, launching into the mountain claw-hammer banjo, rhythm guitar playing, and harmony singing that now defines their sound.
For more information, visit www.robinsongs.com.
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Dana and Susan Robinson will be performing 9-11:30 p.m. Friday at The Blue Vine, 209 S. Main St. Cover charge is $5.
For more information, call 704-797-0093.