Band: Crystal Ridge Band
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Crystal Ridge is an exciting acoustic group with great depth and experience that tests the parameters of acoustic music. Finalists in the 2008 Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition, the band’s repertoire ranges from traditional Bluegrass to new acoustic music, and includes a number of original compositions. Their debut CD “Out of the Barrel” dropped in May on Sandtrap Records and can be heard and purchased on their website.
The members of Crystal Ridge are:
Tom Carpenter (acoustic guitar, vocals) studied and performed as a classical guitarist before becoming a Bluegrass convert, fronting several local bluegrass groups while learning the bluegrass guitar style. In 2001, Tom competed and won the Four-Corners States Championship on flatpick guitar.
Kirby Mittelmeier (mandolin, vocals) learned his Bluegrass chops in Chicago in the ’70s, first playing bass, then mandolin. After moving to Arizona in the mid-80s, he toured the Southwest and Mexico as artist-in-residence for the Arizona Commission on the Arts with the Flagstaff-based band Flying South and Tucson group Frog Mountain. In 1991, Kirby joined fellow musicians Peter McLaughlin, Bob Meighan, and Earl Edmonson to win the bluegrass band contest in Telluride. Kirby has recorded with Flying South (Movin’ Along, 1990) and has shared the stage as opening act with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Doc Watson, and Laurie Lewis and Grant Street.
Brian Davies (upright bass, vocals) honed his skills in the L.A. rock scene. He has done session work for A & M records, toured as an opening act for Peter Frampton, Missing Persons, Queen Ida, Spirit, and most recently opened concerts for Leftover Salmon, Ralph Stanley, Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams, Charlie Louvin, Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers, Tony Furtado and John Cowan with his various Bluegrass bands. Brian has also produced and engineered several CD projects for Arizona artists, and engineered soundtracks for the local Tucson television programs, “The Desert Speaks” and “Man Alive”.
Website: www.crystalridgeband.com
Email: crystalridge@crystalridgeband.com