A PLACE IN THE BAND

Women in Bluegrass and American Roots Music

This discussion series is part of a project by the Blue Ridge Music Center that began in 2020, honoring the one hundredth anniversary of women being granted the right to vote.

North Carolina singer-songwriter Laurelyn Dossett speaks with female musicians, and women involved in music management and promotion, to share their stories, talk about their experiences, and express their hopes for the future. Their individual stories highlight the collective strength and future possibilities for women in bluegrass and American roots music.

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The recording of the “A Place in the Band: Women in Bluegrass and American Roots Music” virtual conference held on February 26, 2021, is now available on YouTube.

This conference brought together several prominent women at the forefront of bluegrass and American roots music, both musicians and others involved behind the scenes in the music industry.

The conference included a keynote address from Alison Brown, concert sets from the Alison Brown Quartet and the First Ladies of Bluegrass, Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer, Annie Staninec & John Kael, Leyla McCalla, and Missy Raines & Ben Surratt.

Three panel discussions were held on issues related to woman in the music industry, musicians, and next steps & actions. Panel members and discussion facilitators included Claire Armbruster, Jamie Katz Court, Laurelyn Dossett, Cathy Fink, Kimberly Glick, Leyla McCalla, Missy Raines, Lisa Schwartz, Annie Staninec, and Trisha Tubbs.

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Playlist for Full Interviews

Interview Excerpts

Laurelyn Dossett

Laurelyn Dossett is the interviewer for this series.

Singer/songwriter Laurelyn Dossett lives and writes in the piedmont of North Carolina, and her songs tend to reflect the stories of the region, both traditional and contemporary. One of the most sought-after voices in creative collaborations, she co-founded the popular regional folk-bluegrass band Polecat Creek with singing partner Kari Sickenberger in 1997. Laurelyn is a frequent performer at regional music festivals such as Merlefest and has been a guest on the radio show Prairie Home Companion.

In recent years Laurelyn has partnered with Triad Stage’s Preston Lane on five plays featuring regional folklore and original music: Brother Wolf (2006), Beautiful Star: An Appalachian Nativity (2006), Bloody Blackbeard (2008), Providence Gap (2010) and Snow Queen (2013). An adaptation of Bloody Blackbeard toured NC schools in 2009, and both Brother Wolf and Beautiful Star are published by Playscripts and have gone on to have professional productions in cities across the U.S.

A song from Brother Wolf, “Anna Lee,” was featured on Levon Helm’s Grammy-winning record, Dirt Farmer, is included in the documentary film about Helm’s life, called “Ain’t in it for my Health,” and is featured on the 2011 Grammy-winning cd Levon Helm’s “Ramble at the Ryman.” Another song Dossett wrote “Leaving Eden,” became the title track for the Grammy-winning Carolina Chocolate Drops’ 2012 release

Commissioned by the North Carolina Symphony, Dossett and the symphony premiered her song cycle, “The Gathering: A Winter’s Tale in Six Songs, in November 2011. She performed with singer and fiddler Rhiannon Giddens of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, legendary Nashville mandolinist Mike Compton, and North Carolina’s own banjo virtuoso, Joe Newberry. The accompanying cd, “The Gathering,” was released to critical acclaim, including top holiday picks from the Wall Street Journal, LA Times, and USA Today.