ABOUT EACH BAND MEMBER:
TAMMY MURRAY
TAMMY MURRAY (aka "The Intergalactic Banjo Goddess") -- Tammy is the most versatile instrumentalist in the band. If an instrument has strings on it, she probably plays it; if she doesn't play a particular stringed instrument, she can pretty well figure something out on it if you give her some time to noodle around on it! Here are some of the instruments Tammy plays: Five-Stringed Banjo (Melodic Clawhammer, Scruggs, Keith, and Reno Styles), Acoustic Guitar (Classical, Six & Twelve-Stringed Guitar -- Finger Picking and Flat Picking), Fiddle, Mandolin, Lap Dulcimer, Hammered Dulcimer, Acoustic Bass Guitar, Upright Bass, Bowed Psaltery, Autoharp, Angel Wing Harp, Celtic Harp, Woodroe, Canjo, Recorder, Xylophone, and Ocarina.
Tammy Murray is a gal with a lot of musical awards on her mantle. Highlights of some of Tammy's awards include the following:
United States of America's National Old-Time Banjo Picker Champion 1991 and 1992 -- First and Second Place --The Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival, Murfreesboro, Tennessee (Note: Tammy is the first woman and native-born Floridian to win this championship).
Old-Time Banjo Champion 1987 and 1986 -- First and Second Place -- The American Legion & VFW Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers' Convention, Mt. Airy, North Carolina.
Tammy holds First Place titles at Florida's most prestigious Old-Time musical championships, including: Florida State Rustic Fiddle, Florida State Twin Fiddle, Old-Time Banjo, Old-Time Fiddle, Old-Time Singing (Female Solo), Old-Time Hammered Dulcimer, and Double Recipient of The Edward Lee Flemming, Jr. Award. Tammy has also been awarded Second through Fourth Place in other championships and contests, including the categories of Old-Time Stringband, Songwriting, Mandolin, and Guitar . For more details, please visit Tammy's MySpace Music blog at: http://www.myspace.com/tammymurrayintergalacticbanjogoddess .
Tammy has performed in festivals and contests all over the country. Her performances span a diverse range of venues including schools, museums, colleges, libraries, universities, orchestral/choral/theatrical productions, radio and television shows, documentaries, square and contra dances, clubs, pubs, bars, coffeehouses, and restaurants. Tammy was a featured House Musician at Gainesville, Florida's famous restaurant, "Skeeter's -- 'The Home of the Big Biscuit!' " Tammy delighted the restaurant's audiences for eighteen years, from 1976 until 1994 when Skeeter's closed.
In addition to composing original music and releasing her own album, Tammy Murray: Six White Horses, Tammy has also recorded on the albums of several other Florida folks. For further information, please check out Tammy's blog at: http://www.myspace.com/tammymurrayintergalacticbanjogoddess .
Tammy Murray is passionately dedicated to carrying on the legacy of traditional folk music. She has judged for musical competitions, been the hostess/co-hostess for Children's, Music Students, and Local Community jam sessions and open-mikes, been the 2002 Guest of Honor at The Florida Old-Time Music Championship held in Dade City, Florida, and is in high demand as an instructor at music workshops. For more details, please visit Tammy's blog at: http://www.myspace.com/tammymurrayintergalacticbanjogoddess .
Tammy is lovingly called "Music Mama/Music Mommy" by both her private music students (of all ages) and Pre-School through Fifth Grade students. She also performs with other musical acts. For more information, please visit Tammy's blog at: http://www.myspace.com/tammymurrayintergalacticbanjogoddess .
"A woman just can't have too many shoes, or banjoes!"
~ Tammy Murray ~
CATHY DeWITT
CATHY DeWITT -- Cathy DeWitt is the "Fearless Leader" for two bands -- Patchwork and her jazz quartet, MoonDancer. She is an eclectic professional musician whose musical roots branch out from classical and folk music to jazz. Cathy sings and provides rhythm guitar and piano for Patchwork. Several of her original compositions are on the band's songlist, including "The Waves Roll In," (a winner in the 1999 Gamble Rogers Song Contest), and "My Heart Belongs to Florida" (Second Place winner in the 2005 Will McLean Folk Festival's Best New Florida Song Contest).
The state of Florida has been graced with Cathy's performances at many diverse venues since the 1970's. She has shared the stage and airwaves with Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger, Garrison Keiller, Florida legends Will McLean and Don Grooms, Dave Frishberg, jazz pianists Rob Bargard and Frank Sullivan, and others. Cathy wears many musical hats -- she is a concert producer, nationally published songwriter, touring musician at Unity and New Thought churches, is the Music Director at Unity of Gainesville, serves on the Boards of the Gainesville Friends of Jazz and the Friends of Florida Folk. Cathy also reaches audiences through the weekly radio show, "Across the Prairie," which she produces and hosts. "Across the Prairie" is a popular folk music program, airing on Sundays from 5:00 - 6:00 pm EST, on North Central Florida's National Public Radio affiliate, WUFT-FM, at the University of Florida (www.wuft.org).
In 1995 Cathy found an unexpected setting for her musical versatility: she became the Music Director/Musician in Residence for the Arts-in-Medicine program at both Shands Hospitals in Gainesville, Florida. Cathy has been dedicated to creating a pioneering, world-renowned Music in Medicine program, and presents national workshops on music and healing. She won the National League of American Penwomen (Gainesville Branch) Award for Music in 2000. For more info, log onto http://www.cathydewitt.com/.
"Congrats on your varied work -- Keep on!"
~ Pete Seeger ~
ANNIE McPHERSON
ANNIE McPHERSON -- Annie is an eclectic musician. She grew up playing music and singing, influenced by her mother who was a trained vocalist and piano player. In 2001, she won Second Place in Mandolin and Second Place in Beginning Banjo at The Old-Time Music Championships (Dade City, Florida). Annie joined Patchwork in 2006, adding her unique style of acoustic bass and vocals to the band. Annie also plays piano, and loves to play Bluegrass, Old-Time, Celtic, Swing Standards, and Country Music with her husband, David Cook. Annie and David's bands include the Old-Time and Contra Dance bands Tarragon and Physical Medicine, and the Swing bands Bella Luna and Dem Cats Be Cookin'! .
JOLENE STONE JONES
JOLENE STONE JONES -- Jolene received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education with High Honors from the University of Florida. She is in demand for her wide vocal range. Her soaring vocals and mandolin work are a distinctive part of Patchwork 's sound. She has performed in several local Gainesville bands, as well as in the University of Florida's production of "Madame Butterfly." A Music teacher, Jolene teaches at a school and privately, and she has presented various workshops at festivals and schools throughout the area. Jolene's high harmony vocals have graced many a studio project.
JANET RUCKER
JANET RUCKER -- A multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, banjo, piano, and bass, Janet is best known for her distinctive voice, described by one producer as "fragile, yet powerful: vulnerable, yet confident." A veteran of countless bands, she is in high demand as a session singer at local recording studios. Her original songs compose a large part of Patchwork's repetoire, and her "Florida Home" was one of the winners in the Will McLean Folk Festival's "Best New Florida Song" songwriting contest. She performed in the Hippodrome State Theatre's 1987 production of "Hair," and prior to the formation of Patchwork, Janet toured the festival circuit from Colorado to Atlanta to Florida with her band, Country Love. Janet is a member of many bands, including Antidote.