Shepherds Ford Recording Artists Furnace Mountain consists of Morgan Morrison on Bouzouki and Vocals, Aimee Curl on Bass and Vocals, David Van Deventer on Fiddle, and Danny Knicely on Mandolin/Guitar. The band has graced stages near and far, from the Yangtzee River in China to the banks of the Shenandoah River, where they host the famous Watermelon Park Fest each year. The music of Furnace Mountain is at times lively and raucous, with spirited fiddle melodies weaving in and around the powerful rhythms of the bass and bouzouki. It is at other times poignant and poetic, with sublime vocal harmonies beautifully interpreting some of the oldest songs ever written. "The Furnace Mountain Band is pure Virginia Appalachian goodness. Some of the greatest picking and harmonies you've ever heard." ( Nathan Moore, Frogville Records ). "And speaking of harmonies, the two female vocalists from The Furnace Mountain Band are sublime on Fly the River (Shepherd's Ford), while their fiddler has a gorgeous tone" Charles De lint (musician and author of 65 published books).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IBPpWMEJ90

The Furnace Mountain Band W/Dancers

Featuring the salty sweet voice of Aimee Curl, whose distinct vocal alchemy in ThaMuseMeant has hurled her name into various pockets of folk, bluegrass and roots music, Furnace Mountain is driven by David VanDeventer on the fiddle and vocals with Morgan Morrison on the vocals and bouzouki. Together, they beget an earthy and playful yet passionate hybrid of bluegrass, folk and the slightest touch of rural country songwriting. From a Dylan cover to originals, this disc lilts with an exquisitely-human spirit of poignancy and nostalgia, joy and levity. Whether these ten tracks evoke smiles or heart pangs, there is a pronounced atmosphere of heartfelt outpouring, of songwriting so sincere and musicianship so born from the marrow of their bones that there is a special magic in the silence between the notes, pushing outwards and expanding itself in every phrase. In other words, this is an album that you feel more than you hear. Any follower of bluegrass, newgrass, folkgrass or singer/songwriter forms should not miss Shack Album.

Furnace Mountain
Good Sound Magazine: review by, Shannon Holiday

Furnace Mountain: Fly the River
Shepherds Ford 200609
Format: CD

Virginia trio Furnace Mountain has released yet another A+ album. If you haven't yet heard this Appalachian string band, consider this your cue -- give one listen to this or any of their prior discs and hear music that sings to the soul. Drawing inspiration from Celtic, folk, and old-timey roots, the group is sure to enamor all who encounter them, and the unmatched vocal pairing of bassist Aimee Curl and bouzouki player Morgan Morrison is nothing short of spine-tingling. Trading leads and weaving harmonies, the two women captivate the ear in ways that are enchanting, mesmerizing, and downright divine. "Fiddlin' Dave" VanDeventer, as he is known, infuses the band with lively spirit, expertly guiding such purely instrumental tunes as "Duck River" and "Chinquapin Hunting." The trio is often enhanced by the addition of a bodhran (a drum of Irish origin) and the occasional inclusion of mandolin and washtub. Nearly all of the songs are traditional, but each one, from the very obscure to the somewhat familiar, has been reworked and re-envisioned as something fresh and original. If you like live music, check out Furnace Mountain each September in Berryville, Virginia, when they host the legendary Watermelon Park Festival. For more information about the band, this album, and Watermelon Park, visit www.furnacemountain.com....Shannon Holliday

Watermelon Park Fest Keeps Local Music Traditions Alive, and Growing.

Berryville, VA. Watermelon Park has been a home to live, traditional, bluegrass, and country music since the 1940s. Its stage has graced the likes of The Carter Family, Bill Monroe, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and The Stanley Brothers, to name but a few in a long, nostalgic list. Thousands of music enthusiasts drove from all over the country to listen to the acts on stage, and to take part in the music played in the campground. Ask and you will find that nearly every traditional/bluegrass musician that has been in the business awhile has a story about learning, meeting, playing, or being inspired at Watermelon Park. This first era of annual festivals, hosted by John Miller, Sr., ended in the late seventies.

In 2004, three local musicians, David VanDeventer, Frazer Watkins, and Dwayne Brooke, along with the current owner of Watermelon Park, John Miller, Jr. combined efforts to bring a yearly music festival back to the park. With the new era of music at the park, their hope is to rekindle the spirit once created there, while welcoming a new generation to take part in their musical heritage.

^{This years festival to be held on September 22-23, features not only a full line up of spectacular, well-known local acts (including The Lonesome River Band, Larry Keel & Natural Bridge, Furnace Mountain, David Via & Corn Tornado, and The Woodshedders to name a few), but a series of free workshops conducted by the performers themselves. Liz Carroll, John Doyle, Dirk Powell, and Bruce Molsky, the festivals Friday headliners, will be passing down their formidable knowledge on Saturday at noon with old-school Q&A, hands-on workshops, free to all attendees.}

In keeping with traditional bluegrass culture, the festival will also be hosting a guitar and mandolin "Pickin Contest," on Friday, the 22nd. Contestants play their own selection of a traditional instrumental song, with the option of being backed by one other instrument. Entrants have a chance to win, among other cash and prizes, a handmade Fairbuilt Guitar (donated by local luthier Martin Fair) and a brand new, sponsored by Weber, Bitterroot Mandolin. They then get to showcase their skills and new instruments in an impromptu performance together on stage during the concert.

Because Watermelon Park Fest attracts so many musicians, "pickin circles" and jam sessions of all types and sizes spark up naturally throughout the grounds. WPF will encourage and facilitate these with the provision of straw bales, tents, and sometimes even jam leaders to get everyone going. As the festival organizers are also musicians, performers, and music instructors, they have a grand respect for these traditions, and receive much joy in being part of their perpetuity.

This years Artists and Events include: The Lonesome River Band, Liz Carroll and John Doyle with Dirk Powell and Bruce Molsky, Larry Keel and Natural Bridge, Furnace Mountain Band, The Woodshedders, David Via and Corn Tornado, The Hunger Mountain Boys, Keith Lovett and Friends, The Speakeasy Boys, The Forge Mountain Diggers, The Keel Brothers, The Pickin Contest and Winners Jam, Free Workshops, Kids Jam, Food and Craft Vendors, Free Camping, and lots and lots of Pickin. Tickets and information available at www.watermelonparkfest.com.

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