Event

RICHIE + ROSIE

Over the past three years, Richie Stearns and Rosie Newton have been playing music rooted, but by no means confined to the Appalachian music tradition. They have worked on various projects together including Rockwood Ferry, the Evil City Stringband and this duo. They have worked hard to create a powerful and different sound using the foundation of the traditional fiddle banjo duo.

RICHIE STEARNS has been influenced by just about anything that can be heard and understood as music. He is steeped in the traditions of American old-time music, Appalachian folk, blues, jazz, African, rock, and country music. He has led numerous bands, including The Horse Flies, and Donna the Buffalo. He has played with countless others, and tours with Natalie Merchant. He is a musician's musician.

Our friend the venerable banjoist has graced the Elk Creek Stage many times with the Horseflies, Evil City String Band, Ti Ti Chickapea, and Rockwood Ferry. He stole Bela's show at the Banjo Summit 2 at PSU last November!!

ROSIE NEWTON has played fiddle for as long as she can remember. She grew up immersed in the folk music scene in Woodstock, New York attending concerts and parties with her mother, celtic cellist Abby Newton. For the past six years she has been living in Ithaca, NY where she went to college for Viola Performance. During her studies, she was swept into the local old time music scene and quickly became an integral part of the community.

Newton currently performes in a duo with Richie Stearns, in the Evil City String Band, the Pearly Snaps, and in an internationally tourring Celtic band called Ferintosh. She is represented on countless recordings, including her how projects- The Pearly Snaps, and her most recent CD, Tractor Beam with Stearns.
Rosie has taught fiddle at Sunshine Coast School of Celtic music, the Taylor Music Festival and the Blackpot camp.