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Dana and Susan Robinson's new album "Big Mystery" sings of the enduring beauty and prolific life force that exists all around us. From the whimsical springtime-in-the-north setting of the title track, to the Afro-Celtic strains of "Waiting For Gordon" these songs are postcards from the magical and forgotten places they travel. Simply conceived, and recorded by Chris Rosser in Asheville, North Carolina, Big Mystery highlights Dana and Susan's sound as a duo. Their trademark, guitar, banjo, and fiddle sound stands out clearly while flourishes of percussion, bass, piano and dotar from Asheville's world music trio Free Planet Radio are interspersed throughout. – DR Play Big Mystery Play Sycamore Tea Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Big Mystery 2. Zephyr Wind 3. Sycamore Tea 4. Griselda's Waltz 5. Cairo 6. Poor Howard 7. Delta Queen 8. French Broad Waltz 9. Gone But Not Forgotten 10. Waiting for Gordon 11. Dog's Life  | | Play Pastures of Plenty Play 'Round My Door Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Pastures of Plenty 2. 'Round My Door 3. Cotton From Clay 4. Glory in the Meeting House 5. Everett Ruess 6. Bottomland 7. Spokane 8. Boys of the Tracks 9. Watercolor Eyes 10. My Peach Pie 11. Canoe Club Waltz 12. Hell On Wheels |
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Robinson’s fourth CD is a simple and tight ensemble piece featuring long time collaborators Rose Sinclair on Banjo, Accordion, and lap steel guitar, Lui Collins with Vocals, Banjo, and Guitar, Keith Leverault on all things percussive, and Steafan Hannigan on Irish Whistle. Dana plays acoustic & electric guitars, fiddle, mandolin, and banjo. Play What Would Woody Do Play Ain't No Cane Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Avenue of the Saints 2. Love Beyond 3. One Way Ticket 4. What Would Woody Do? 5. Susquehanna / Casper & Dots 6. This Town 7. Ain't No Cane 8. Hoosac Tunnel 9. Safe Home 10. Island 11. Talkin' Ditch Weed Players: Lui Collins - harmony vocals and guitar; Steáfán Hannigan - whistles; Keith Leverault - drums and percussion; Rose Sinclair - banjo, accordion and lap steel guitar; and Dana Robinson - vocals, mandolin, banjo, fiddle and guitar. | | Produced by award-winning producer Bil VornDick and recorded in Nashville on 2 inch analog tape with vintage microphones, and tube preamps. Bil has either produced or engineered multiple Grammy Award winning albums by various artists including: Alison Krauss, Bela Fleck, Mark O'Connor, Jerry Douglas, Maura O'Connell, Doc Watson, and Ralph Stanley. Play Troy Play Anderson Grade Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Pat Do This 2. Troy 3. Chautauqua Day 4. The Trade 5. Ballad Tree 6. Anderson Grade 7. Lazy John 8. Rainbow Sign 9. Somebody Loves You 10. Crossing the Platte 11. Counting Freights 12. Little Sadie Players: Viktor Krauss (yes, Alison's brother who plays bass with Lyle Lovett's band); Robert Bolin (national champion on fiddle, mandolin, and guitar, who's toured with Bill Monroe); Kenny Malone (a Nashville legend who's played drums for everybody from Guy Clark to Alison Krauss), Rob Ikes - dobro; Lui Collins - harmony vocals and guitar; Dar Williams - harmony vocals; Johnny Hiland - electric guitar; Rose Sinclair - banjo and accordion; and Dana Robinson - vocals, mandolin, banjo and guitar. |
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Midnight Salvage includes songs written since Dana's move to Western Massachusetts in 1995, and marks a transition from the isolation of rural Vermont to full time touring on the national folk circuit. The arrangements highlight Dana's unique percussive fingerstyle approach and harmonies with Lui Collins and Rani Arbo of Salamander Crossing. Play Midnight Salvage Play Wishing Pool Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Sadie 2. Goodbye Mary Jane 3. Shady Grove 4. Midnight Salvage 5. Redpoll 6. Stalk Your Calling 7. Wishing Pool 8. Heaven 9. Edge Of The Woods 10. Sweet Dream 11. Lazy June Players: Rani Arbo - harmony vocals and fiddle; Lui Collins - harmony vocals and guitar; Keith Leverault - drums; Adam Rothburg - bass; Rose Sinclair - accordion; and Dana Robinson - vocals, guitar, mandolin, and banjo. | | From 1996 Play Rasberry Cane Play Child's Game Play Samples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. Scarecrow 2. Rasberry Cane 3. Stepping Stone 4. Child's Game 5. Coyote Hey! 6. Billy Wilson 7. Empty Page/Start Again 8. Singing Bones 9. Dancing With Seneca 10. Mud Boot Road 11. Elemental Lullabye |
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I’ve made my living as a songwriter yet I could never write the way I do without the influence of traditional music. The music of our ancestors is the rich soil that all new music arises from. Music of Scots, Irish, African, and native American origin has been continually reinterpreted and recycled through generations to become something uniquely American, and has arisen out of what I call our Native Soil. This collection of songs, most old and a few new, is our contribution to that process. – DR Play East Virginia Blues Play Waterbound PlaySamples of the entire album Songs on this album are: 1. The Cuckoo 2. Lost Girl 3. Miller and the Lass / Vern's Reel 4. When First Unto This Country 5. East Virginia Blues 6. Red Rocking Chair 7. Cider's Dream (Chasing Squirrels) 8. Waterbound 9. Say Darlin' Say 10. Ain't No Cane 11. Ernie Carpenter's Grandpappy's Favorite / The Horney Ewe 12. Goin' To Cary Players: Dana – vocals, acoustic and electric guitars, fiddle and mandolin Susan – vocals, banjo, guitar John Herrmann – banjo Meredith McIntosh – acoustic bass, vocals Mike Alexander – acoustic bass Pat Madsen – Drums River Guerguerian – percussion | ||
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 Bio Dana and Susan Robinson are based in Asheville, North Carolina. Dana was raised in California, then moved to the Northeast; Susan was raised in the Northeast, then moved to California. They spent most of their lives crisscrossing paths until on Saint Patrick's Day, 2002, Susan attended a house concert Dana was giving in California. In the early 80's, Dana settled in northern Vermont and built a house - sans electricity and phone - on 30 acres near the Canadian border. There he founded a popular bakery and café where the folk concerts he presented became a valued cultural staple of the community. Dana launched into full-time touring after the release of his debut album Elemental Lullabye in 1994, encouraged by the request to perform at Carnegie Hall for Putumayo's Shelter benefit concert. Since then, Dana has been performing more than 150 concerts each year across the US, Canada, and United Kingdom. A multi-instrumentalist (guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo), Dana brings traditional music values into his contemporary songwriting. He integrates guitar styles from influences as diverse as America's Norman Blake and Tim O'Brien to England's Nick Jones and John Martyn. Dana's songwriting has been likened to that of Steve Goodman and Dougie MacLean, and he sings with a warm and reedy tenor. Susan brings her rich harmonies and the clawhammer-style banjo into Dana's music. In 2002, Susan had been working as an environmental grantwriter in California and studying Scottish fiddle. A natural musician, having played piano and oboe in addition to the fiddle, Susan took instantly to the guitar and banjo when she and Dana met. Together they complete a circle that allows them to more fully explore their passion for merging traditional and contemporary music. Every month Dana submits an e-journal called "Notes From The Road," in which he relates his experiences as a performing songwriter. "Notes" are full of vivid stories of the land and the people encountered along America's backroads and interstates. Visit Dana & Susan's Web Site |