With members bred in England and Australia, The Greencards may well be the best Americana artist with no native claim to North America. Hear the band perform live at Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom, in a concert recorded by WKSU and Folk Alley on May 4.
After leaving his London home for Austin, Tex., fiddler Eamon McLoughlin met Australians Kym Warner (who plays mandolin and stringed instruments) and Carol Young (who plays the maverick electric bass) at a recording session. The three had been raised on a diet of country greats -- Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton -- far away from Nashville or Austin. So, while its traditional sound remains musically sturdy, the band has a diverse background that's helped its members build an unpredictable original repertoire.
In only four years, the group has gone from playing in bars and on street corners to opening for the likes of Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson during their tour of minor-league baseball parks. This concert, however, was recorded during a headlining tour in support of the recent Viridian.
Copyright 2007 WKSU
