A PLACE IN THE BAND

She founded and was the editor for The Old Time Herald magazine, worked as a folklorist documenting many traditional musicians, as well as collaborating with several bands, and is currently working on a book of her photographs of traditional musicians.

In her interview, Alice talks about her mentors, becoming a musician, her path to making a living through music, diversity and gender issues in the industry and their impact on her career, inspirational young women playing today, advice for musicians who are starting out their professional careers.

Lewis was named Female Vocalist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 1992 and 1994, and was nominated for a Grammy in 1995 in her duet album with Tom Rozum, The Oak and the Laurel.

In her interview, Lewis talks about her mentors and inspirations, her shift to playing professionally, pathways and roadblocks in her career, inspiring young women playing today, women she’s worked with, her role in as a record producer, how the pandemic has affected her this past year, and advice for young musicians.

Along with her husband Michael Merenda, she has recorded and performed original American music for over two decades, both with the band The Mammals and as the duo Mike & Ruthy. Ruth has also performed and recorded in the band Sometymes Why, an American Folk Noir band that includes Kristin Andreassen and Aoife O’Donovan.

Ruth and Mike, and their two children, make their home in the Hudson River Valley where they and friends host their own thriving community folk festival, The Hoot. The Hoot is held bi-annually at The Ashokan Center, an outdoor education, conference and retreat center in the Catskill Mountains of Upstate New York, where Ruth is the Director of Arts and Education.

In her interview, Ungar talks about playing and performing, heading down a musical career path, musical partners, gender parity and diversity, the business of music, experiences as a woman in music, and paradigm shifts.