A few months back Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops contacted me. We’ve been friends ever since we met at The International Folk Alliance Conference in 2007. As both Dom Flemmons and Leyla McCalla were about leave the band to embark on solo careers, she asked if I’d like to audition for the new line up. So, I went down to North Carolina to play with Rhiannon and Hubby Jenkins, and a few days later they asked me to join the band. In addition to playing rhythm bones, I’ll be on vocals, guitar, plectrum banjo, cajon and bodhrán.
We’re starting out with a tour of the South East, as well as the Mountain Song at Sea Bluegrass Cruise. Needless to say, I’m very excited. I couldn’t have asked to play with a better group of musicians (see photograph on Page 8).