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Lin McEwan
P r e s e n t a t i o n |
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For the majority of Lin McEwan's young life, people assumed
she couldn't sing because her unusually low voice didn't allow her to tackle
the standard soprano parts. "My voice was so strange for my age,"
she recalls, "that when I was in the eighth grade, I had to play Santa
Claus because the boys' voices hadn't changed yet, and I was the only one who
could do a convincing, 'Ho, ho, ho.'"
It wasn't until she was 16 that she stepped onto the stage
of her Baltimore high school's gala gospel concert to give her first ever solo
performance, a rousing blues take of "Amazing Grace," for which she
received a thunderous three-minute standing ovation. Since then, Lin's repertoire
and range have expanded significantly, as evidenced on her newly-released debut
album. This self-titled LP features an eclectic collection of songs fusing rock,
blues, pop, and funk. Tying it all together are Lin's powerhouse, soul-tinged
vocals, evoking the old-school sounds of Mavis Staples, Nina Simone, Tina Turner,
and even Bonnie Raitt.
But where Lin is concerned, comparisons are largely moot. "Lin's
voice is both beautiful and powerful," says Jeanne Drewsen, of Artemis
/ V2 Records, "but its greatest strength is its singularity. You can be
certain you've never heard anyone quite like Lin McEwan."
Since graduating from Vanderbilt University, Lin has settled
in New York, where she put together a talented group of instrumentalists who
have backed the likes of Mike Stern and Gavin DeGraw. Since they began playing
together last summer, Lin and her band have appeared at such landmark establishments
as CBGB's Gallery and the Bitter End, as well as the Rockwood Music Hall, the
Cutting Room, Smokey's, and Kenny's Castaways. But she still considers Baltimore
home and tries to take the band back as often as possible. Lin is also a proud
member of ASCAP and the Songwriter's Hall of Fame.
Michael Mike Pettry - Piano / Keyboards
Mike hails from Charleston, WV, where he lived from his birth in 1981 until
his graduation from Captial High School in 1999. After seeing the touring company
of Cats at the age of 9 or 10, he was inspired to learn how to play piano and
act. He took piano lessons and was active in choral music as well as community
theatre. By the age of 13, he was appearing regularly in the pits of Charleston
Light Opera Guild shows. Having diverse tastes, Michael was best known in high
school for being the accompanist of the show choir, as well as the front man
of the punk rock band, Fido. Before graduating from Capital High School, Michael
was not only voted "Best Musician" by his classmates, but also was
asked by the administration to write the music for the school's Alma Mater.
Michael then moved on to Shepherd College (now Shepherd University), where he
majored in music performance and composition. He received several academic awards
and was twice named Music Major of the Year and Keyboard Student of the Year.
He has won several composition contests, including being a national finalist
in the MTNA Composition Competition. Michael appeared on Shepherd’s stage
as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors, as well as in Carmen, Candide, Sweeney
Todd, and Dido and Aeneus. He also had a brief cameo in film "Gods and
Generals". After graduating with honors, last experience in Shepherdstown
was accompanying and music directing the Contemporary American Theatre Festival
premiere of "The Rose of Corazon: A Texas Songplay" (2004).
Michael has been writing music for nearly half of his life. He premiered a Requiem
Mass in 2002, a work inspired by the tragedy of September 11th, 2001. He was
interviewed on WV Public Radio as a result of the performance. He later had
an entire show of "In Touch With the Arts" (also on WVPR) dedicated
to his music and his motives behind writing his original musical, One Eighty.
Michael is currently a Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program (MFA) student
at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He is in the process of writing Flipside
with Andrew Hertz, The Time Traveler's Convention with Heidi Hansen-Young, and
Sunday in Montgomery with Tommy Newman.
Steve Dawson - Guitar
Steve Dawson is a guitar player / singer / writer, who got hooked after he heard
Chicagos' "Saturday In The Park" while riding in the backseat of his
parents' orange Pontiac Le Mans'. Then he discovered KISS, shortly thereafter.
He plays the majority of the instruments heard on his recordings, is a member
/ founder of his current project, THE FUZZ HAUNTED (www.labluegoon.com
and /or www.myspace.com/thefuzzhaunted)
and has been the co-founder of the now, cult band BAD ASS FRANKLIN & THE
STRANGTECULAR BAND (www.cdbaby.com/strangtecular).
He currently lives in NYC, and has been hired by many bands / artists over many
years. He's toured all over North America, has a sweet guitar collection, is
available for hire and currently plays with The Fuzz Haunted, Rosi Golan, The
Voyces, Lin McEwan, Smith Island, Ariel Aparicio, Eggplant Queens, The Countess
& The Cunt Rock Revolution, Granian, & Jason Rossi & shared many
a stage with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Thommy Price, David Johansen,
Gene Loves Jezebel, 2 Skinnee J's The Spin Doctors, Splender, members of Duran
Duran, Dido, The Sex Pistols, The Cult, Hanoi Rocks & The Trans-Siberian
Orchestra. In his studio days, he worked with Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones Rock
& Roll Circus, Al Kooper, Suzanne Vega, The Smithereens, Fun Lovin' Criminals,
Nada Surf, Thurston Moore, Juliana Hatfield, Monster Magnet, Andrew Oldham,
Ron Levy, Yo La Tengo, Lenny Kaye, Jimmy Vivino, Melvin Sparks, Christine Lavin,
Mike Johnson, Steve Johnson, Arto Lindsay, Lloyd Cole, Buffalo Tom, Barkmarket,
Richard Barone, Melvin Gibbs (Rollins Band) and a truckload of top-notch engineers.
Steve's longtime collaborators Randy Lord & Jamey Lord, under the name THE
ALDENTE QUAKERS, have just written & recorded the soundtrack score to "ABSENCE"
, www.absencemovie.com/ ~ A motion
picture written & directed by Kevin Kolsch & Dennis Widmyer, backed
by Chuck Palahniuk (Fight Club, Choke, Haunted ). Look for NPRs' November 2005
coverage on THE FUZZ HAUNTED's debut release on www.npr.org.
He also is a busy guitar instructor in New York, mang.
Pemberton Roach - Bass
Pemberton is currently the lead singer and bass player of the New York City-based
power pop / mod band Trouble Club. In addition, he works as a freelance bassist,
songwriter, vocalist, and producer for other artists like Blindswitch, Sputnik,
Granian, and Smith Island. For information on Trouble Club, visit www.troubleclub.com
or www.myspace.com/troubleclub.
Dawn McGrath - Drums
John Rochette - Drums on album; featured
vocalist
Born and raised Jersey boy. Graduated Rutgers University '03, Theater Arts and
Communication degree, vocal performance minor. Studied classical theater in
London for four months, and since graduating school have worked in many regional
and NYC theater. An Equity actor / singer, and a part time drum instructor.
His credits include "The Buddy Holly Story," the National Tour of
"The Phantom of the Opera," Phantom; USA's longest running "Passion
Play," Jesus; "Rocky Horror...," Frank; "Sweeney Todd,"
Anthony, and he was in NYC's Blue Man Group, Center Blueman. Also plays drums
for the popular New Jersey band, Quiet by 9.
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