Event

Mary McCaslin with Rick Shea

Mary McCaslin and the late Jim Ringer first met in the summer of 1972 at the legendary folk music camp Sweet's Mill in the Sierra foothills above Fresno, California. Both were pursuing solo careers and making recordings, though they began touring the country and performing together, including many sold out weekends at Caffe Lena. Each would play a set, then finish their show with a duet performance. Eventually, they recorded the album, "The Bramble & the Rose", which became a hallmark of folk duet recordings. This album (originally on vinyl and now on CD) contained both traditional and contemporary material.
Now, Mary will be re-acquainting listeners with selections from "The Bramble & the Rose" this time with singer-songwriter Rick Shea, who is an authentic countryfolk artist in much the same fashion as Ringer. Shea toured as a multi-instrumentalist sideman for Dave Alvin's band, The Guilty Men, along with opening the shows. He played on Alvin's Grammy wining recording "Public Domain". Influenced by country singers Merle Haggard, Buck Owens and Lefty Frizzell, his recordings have received accolades from publications such as the L.A. Weekly and Dirty Linen.