2010 Instructors
We're excited to announce the beginning of the faculty list for the 2010 Song School. Look for many more instructor additions over the coming months (check out the past faculty lists below for an idea).
Songwriting Instructors
Jonatha Brooke | Sheila Carabine | Vance Gilbert | Pat Pattison | Paul Reisler | Darrell Scott | Steve Seskin | Amanda Walther | David Wilcox
Elective Instructors
Michael Bowers | Ron Browning | Joe Craven | Ellis | Arthur Lee Land | Terri Mazurek | Siobhan Quinn | Amy Speace | many more to be announced...
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Singer/songwriter/guitarist Jonatha Brooke has been issuing albums that merge folk and pop since the early '90s, first as a member of a duo called the Story and then as a solo artist. Known for her intimate songs and energetic perfomances, the vivacious multi-instrumentalist has won immense critical acclaim and built a remarkably devoted fan base with a series of beguiling albums showcasing her supple, expressive voice and adventurous, insightful songwriting. Beginning in the late '90s, Jonatha's albums were issued via her own record label, Bad Dog. Her latest studio release, co-produced with Bob Cleamountain, sets previously unheard lyrics by the legendary Woody Guthrie to original music written and performed by Jonatha, including duets with Glen Phillips, Eric Bazilian and Keb’ Mo. People calls it “…some of her best work yet…Guthrie’s long-lost lyrics could hardly have found a better interpreter.” 
Sheila Carabine formed the acoustic duo Dala after meeting Amanda Walther in their high school music class. After writing their first song together in 2002, they are now poised to bring their fresh brand of acoustic pop music to the world. Amanda’s ethereal soprano voice blends seamlessly with Sheila’s velvety alto, creating the lush harmonies that have become their trademark. Dala have toured across Canada six times, opening for artists such as Jann Arden, Tom Cochrane, Matthew Good and most recently Stuart McLean of the CBC’s Vinyl Café. No strangers to the festival scene, they have also performed at The Edmonton Folk Festival, Mariposa and The Ottawa Folk Festival, among others. Dala's last two albums , 2006's "Angels and Thieves" and 2007's "Who Do You Think You Are" earned them a total of four Canadian Folk Music Award nominations. Their videos have been in rotation on Bravo, CMT, Much More Music and MTV, and their songs have been featured in shows like CTV’s “Flashpoint” and The Movie Network’s “Regenesis.”
Vance Gilbert burst onto the singer/songwriter scene in the early 90 ’s when the buzz started spreading in the folk clubs of Boston about an ex-jazz singer who was knocking ‘em dead at open mikes. The word spread of this Philadelphia born and raised performer to New York; Shawn Colvin invited Vance to be a special guest on her Fat City tour. Gilbert took audiences by storm ( “With the voice of an angel, the wit of a devil, and the guitar of a god, it was enough to earn him a rarity: an encore for an opener ” wrote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in its review of a show from that tour). Gilbert ’s five albums, with guests as varied as jazz greats, Tuck and Patti, Jonatha Brooke, Patty Larkin, Dee Carstensen, Vinx, and Issa (formerly Jane Siberry), are essential ingredients to the American singer-songwriter collection. His presence, both as performer and teacher, will renew your belief in the importance of songwriting.
Pat Pattison is an author, clinician and Berklee Professor of Lyric Writing and Poetry whose students have composed for major artists and written number one songs. At Berklee, he developed the curriculum for the only songwriting major in the country. His books, including Songwriting: Essential Guide to Rhyming and Songwriting: Essential Guide to Lyric Form and Structure, are recognized as definitive in their genre, and have earned many ecstatic reviews. His clinics are attended by songwriters all over the country, and his articles appear regularly in a variety of industry publications.
Paul Reisler has been performing and writing for over 30 years. He was the
founder of Trapezoid and performed close to 3,000 concerts worldwide. He has
been involved in over 35 recording projects in various roles as a musician,
engineer, producer and composer. He has just released a new album of
original songs with his new band, Paul Reisler and a Thousand Questions
featuring Angela Kaset and Howard Levy called At Night the Roses Tango.
He is the founder and director of Kid Pan Alley™ and has now written over
800 songs with over 18,000 children nationally. Their recent CD, Kid Pan
Alley Nashville, features many of that city’s best-known artists recording
the songs written with the children. That album received a Grammy nomination
and won both Parents’ Choice and NAPPA Gold Awards.
He has taught songwriting to adults at workshops and songwriting schools
throughout the country including the Rocky Mountain Song School, Utah Song
School, Swannanoa Gathering, Blue Ridge Songcamp, Augusta Workshop,
Hollyhock, Kerrville, NSAI, Songcamp in the Mountains and many others.
He’s currently working on a Kid Pan Alley musical, a full-length piece for
orchestra and narrator based on Aesop’s Fables, and a new Kid Pan Alley CD
in Charlottesville, VA.
If there has ever been a deep soul capable of healing us through song, voice, and virtuosity, it is Darrell Scott. Recognized with 2 Grammy nominations, multiple songwriter of the year awards from ASCAP and the IBMA, and universal acclaim from peers like Tim O’Brien and Sam Bush, the depth of Darrell’s gifts is simply remarkable. Darrell writes timeless songs drenched in traditional folk with a twist of contemporary phrasing — true American gems. His songs have been recorded on over 70 CDs, including the Dixie Chicks (“Long Time Gone) and Travis Tritt (“It’s a Great Day to Be Alive”). As an instrumentalist Darrell is dazzling on everything he touches - from banjos to guitars to pianos. And when he opens his glorious pipes to sing, we are transported and healed.
Steve Seskin started out in the 70’s as a street musician in San Francisco, and has steadily built an exceptionally successful career both as a songwriter and as a performer. He has written seven number one songs, including Grammy-nominated “Grown Men Don’t Cry,” recorded by Tim McGraw, and “Don’t Laugh at Me,” winner of NSAI Song of the Year and Music Row Magazine Song of the Year as recorded by Mark Wills. While Steve is best known for writing hits, he is also a successful performer and recording artist. His latest recording is "Two Paper Town." He is also a sought after songwriting teacher participating in seminars for the NSAI, West coast Songwriters and at many folk festivals. He is often a guest lecturer at the Berklee School of Music, The JMC Academy and McNally Smith College.
“Don’t Laugh at Me” was also recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary and became the impetus for the Operation Respect/Don’t Laugh at Me project, a curriculum designed to teach tolerance that has been taught in more than 20,000 schools across the country. The song is now available as a children’s book, Don’t Laugh At Me, which was a featured book on PBS’s Reading Rainbow. His latest book is called "Sing My Song" (a kids guide to songwriting) It is a "how to" book for kids interested in writing songs. The goal of that program is to instill a love of creativity in kids at an early age and to put more songs into the world about love, kindness and respect.
Amanda Walther formed the acoustic duo Dala after meeting Sheila Carabine in their high school music class. After writing their first song together in 2002, they are now poised to bring their fresh brand of acoustic pop music to the world. Amanda’s ethereal soprano voice blends seamlessly with Sheila’s velvety alto, creating the lush harmonies that have become their trademark. Dala have toured across Canada six times, opening for artists such as Jann Arden, Tom Cochrane, Matthew Good and most recently Stuart McLean of the CBC’s Vinyl Café. No strangers to the festival scene, they have also performed at The Edmonton Folk Festival, Mariposa and The Ottawa Folk Festival, among others. Dala's last two albums , 2006's "Angels and Thieves" and 2007's "Who Do You Think You Are" earned them a total of four Canadian Folk Music Award nominations. Their videos have been in rotation on Bravo, CMT, Much More Music and MTV, and their songs have been featured in shows like CTV’s “Flashpoint” and The Movie Network’s “Regenesis.”
While he's sold over 750,000 discs across his catalog, his music really takes flight in its natural environment - the live performance. Depending on the city, David plays venues from 150 seats up to 1000 seats. On stage alone, armed with a single guitar, David weaves a rich tapestry in every concert. He's a tremendously talented singer and inventive guitarist, utilizing numerous alternative tunings and cut capos. In addition to his musical skills, he's an expert storyteller. Performances feature his beautifully crafted songs offset by wonderful stories and wry observations on the world. His shows are a journey through the full range and richness of life. While there's plenty of weight to the topics covered in his lyrics, David's wit is never far away as well. His songs are an invitation to ask for more - more from your music, more from your relationships, more from your life. He strives to create the soundtrack for a life well lived.
Presenting music which has been referred to as "folk with an attitude" and "urban campfire music," Michael Bowers is rapidly becoming known as a first rate songwriter and engaging, talented performer. His lyrics range from the heartfelt to humorous, always with both feet on the ground, but with eyes toward the horizon. The music he writes shows influences of blues, jazz, country, and the best of the singer-songwriter tradition.
A native of eastern Kentucky, Ron Browning has been immersed in both performing and fine arts since childhood. His educational background include a BME in voice and piano from the University of Kentucky, post-graduate studies and teaching credentials from University of California at Northridge, and a Professional Designation of Recording Arts and Sciences at UCLA. Ron currently resides in Nashville, TN where he teaches privately and is on staff at the Nashville Jazz Workshop. As a vocal coach, his students range from major recording artists, to star attractions on subscription series, to acts for Vegas showrooms. He also grooms singers for their very first public performance and works with all genres of music. His vocal method is based on the use of natural voice that one uses everyday -- at work, at home, and at play. He believes that if you can speak, you can sing. He is gifted at being able to quickly identify and remove the stumbling blocks that prevent clear and easy voice. One of his students, Patti LaBelle says of Ron: "he is a miracle worker. He is phenomenal and I thank him for my voice." As a songwriter, Ron's achievements include hits with RCA, special writing assignments for Paramount Television, a dance suite for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, an original long-running musical in Los Angeles, and orchestrations and incidental music for Franklin Lacey, co-author of The Music Man. Ron is presently writing a vocal method text based on his work and the seminars that he does both locally and across the country.
Joe Craven is a musical madman with anything that has strings attached or not, his stage setup often resembling a yard sale. But there's more to Craven than meets the ear. Educator, visual artist, former museum curator, motivational speaker, actor/storyteller and festival emcee, Joe’s work is born out of respect and reverence and seeks to honor the creative energy in everyone. An advocate of the folk arts, Joe’s educational mission is to empower individuals to take possession of their own music and tell their stories by “demystifying” art through self-expression as a daily ritual. For almost 17 years, Joe Craven was the highly respected multi-instrumentalist with the David Grisman Quintet. He’s made a wide range of music with a wide range of artists including Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli, The Alison Brown Quartet, Maria Muldaur, Vassar Clements, Psychograss, Rob Ickes, The Persuasions, and many others. Widely known as a re-composer and recycler of music as object and idea, Joe believes that "Music that's informally made and shared is a hallmark of folk music and it is this spirit of art making that leads to a more creative life of not just art consumer but art maker as well."
Ellis is a nationally-known touring
singer, songwriter and guitarist known for her powerful vocals, charismatic
stage presence and playful sense of humor. She founded her own record
company at age 18 and has released six albums including the critically
acclaimed Break The Spell (2008). Though she keeps a full-time touring
schedule, she has maintained a loyal following in her home base of
Minneapolis, where she has been named "Best Musician" for the past five
consecutive years. This will be her third year teaching at Song School with
her partner in crime, Terri Mazurek. A past Song School attendee, she was
also a finalist in the Folks Festival Songwriter Showcase in 2005 and she
performed on the main stage in 2007.
Arthur Lee Land combines diverse influences to create a fresh new musical vibe: Afrograss Flavored Folk Rock. During a tour of Nigeria and Ghana, West Africa in 2001, Arthur spawned the concept of Afrograss: a synthesis of West African percussion and bluegrass in a folk rock context with a touch of funk, reggae, latin and world beat. Touring as a multi-instrumental solo act Arthur calls “A One-Man Afrograss Folk Rock Ensemble,” he utilizes THE ART of LIVE-LOOPING to create a full band sound by layering African percussion, bass, acoustic & electric guitars, guitar synth, vocals and talk box. In and around touring and recording Arthur has been devoting more time to his passion of working with youth and teaching. Since 2007 Arthur's Musical Life Skills K-12 Assembly Program & Looping Clinics have been presented to over 20,000 students in more than 15 states. This is Arthur’s 7th year teaching at the RMFF Song School.
Terri Mazurek is a Minneapolis-based social worker turned booking agent.
What started as a brief consulting gig for a local musician turned into a
full-time music career. Terri founded Peppermint Booking Agency in 2000
and currently represents eight nationally touring musicians on the college
circuit. She received the National Association of Campus Activities award
of "Agent of the Year" in 2005 and has helped six of her eight artists to
receive showcases at the regional and national college conferences. She
also collaborates with nationally touring folk/rock musician Ellis,
co-managing her record company Rubberneck Records. Terri applies her
social work training in her music career, and she is known for her
passionate commitment to helping artists reach their full potential. In
addition to coaching musicians and helping them to set goals and action
plans, Terri has taught workshops at several festivals and music
conferences throughout North America.
Siobhán Quinn received the 2006 WAMMIE award for Best Folk-Traditional Vocalist, has been a 2007 Kerrville New Folk Finalist (with Michael Bowers), a top 5 Boston Folk Festival songwriting Finalist, and Master Class vocal teacher at the Swannanoa Gathering, Kerrville Folk Festival, Rocky Mountain Song School (Planet Bluegrass), and Summersongs. She was born of immigrant parents, and is a force and talent that should not be ignored. Siobhan released “Dreamers, Lovers and Outlaws” with husband and music partner Michael Bowers in late April 2007. She previously released “Two Rivers” (1999) & “Grande Affaire” (ltd ed., 2003) with Ben Murray and an EP with the UK band Boneshaker (2005). She has toured through the U.S./U.K., and has had airplay on four continents. In addition to writing and performing, Siobhán has nearly two decades of professional arts and cultural administration experience in both public and private institutions including museum, cultural, arts center, educational, funding and presenting institutions. With an expertise is in jump-starting programs through evaluation, strategic planning, and the development of arts related community & educational programming, she has assisted individual artists with programmatic/artist-as-product business plans, booking, and has nearly two decades of experience developing program proposals for arts grant applications.
Never turn down a gig. That’s the story of how Amy Speace’s career took a radical turn. Playing in the corner of an Austin coffeehouse in the late afternoon to seemingly nobody during 2006’s SXSW, Amy was randomly heard by Judy Collins’ manager (who’d gone in for a latte), in town to scope out new talent for Judy’s Wildflower Records label. Her demo was brought back to Judy Collins who immediately proclaimed herself a fan, signed her, released “Songs For Bright Street” (2006) and “The Killer In Me” (2009), brought Amy out on tour as her opening act and recorded one of Amy’s songs, “The Weight of the World” for her forthcoming album. Paste Magazine called “The Killer In Me” “a resolutely hopeful take on heartache and loss, [Speace’s] beautiful lyrics are spun with a soulful, husky voice that lilts like a country sweetheart but mourns like Leonard Cohen.” WFUV NYC named it to its list of Top 10 Releases of 2009, and named “Weight of the World” to its list of Best Songs of 2009. Amy spent the past year touring the US and the UK with Judy, Ray Wylie Hubbard and Nanci Griffith, relocating from her long time home in NYC to East Nashville, TN and appearing on Mountain Stage, NPR, Tennessee Shines and at various festivals. In a not-so-distant former life, she was the Artistic Director of Five Points Theater Company in NYC, an actress, director and playwright, having toured with The National Shakespeare Company and taught performance with the NSC.
Past Instructors
2009 Song School Instructors
Mary Gauthier, Peter Himmelman, Karin Bergquist, Linford Detweiler, Pat Pattison, Steve Seskin, Vance Gilbert, Paul Reisler, Carmen Allgood, "Chicago" Mike Beck, Michael Bowers, Ron Browning, Tim Burlingame, Chuck E. Costa, Ellis, Rebecca Folsom, Thomas Golubic, Jagoda, Jennifer "JJ" Jones, Diana Korpi, Arthur Lee Land, Terri Mazurek, Ryan Mintz, Kathy Moser, Bill Nash, Brendan Okrent, Siobhan Quinn, Justin Roth, Alan Rowoth, Kathrin Shorr, Maggie Simpson, Christopher Smith, Amy Speace, Annie Wenz
2008 Song School Instructors
Josh Ritter, Melissa Ferrick, Pat Pattison, Susan Werner, Steve Seskin, Vance Gilbert, Paul Reisler, Carmen Allgood, "Chicago" Mike Beck, Michael Bowers, Ron Browning, Tim Burlingame, Ellis, Rebecca Folsom, Jagoda, Jennifer JJ Jones, Arthur Lee Land, Terri Mazurek, Bill Nash, Brendan Okrent, Julie Portman, Siobhan Quinn, Justin Roth, Alan Rowoth, Kathrin Shorr, Moira Smiley, Amy Speace, and Annie Wenz.
2007 Song School Instructors
Peter Himmelman, Darrell Scott, Mary Gauthier, Zoe Lewis, Catie Curtis, Steve Seskin, Vance Gilbert, Arthur Lee Land, Moira Smiley, Annie Wenz, Rebecca Folsom, Ellis, Terri Mazurek, Alan Rowoth, Amy Speace, Kathrin Shorr, Tim Burlingame, Jennifer "JJ" Jones, Siobhan Quinn, Michael Bowers, Anna Wolfe, Justin Roth, Ben Wisch, Carmen Allgood, and "Chicago" Mike Beck.
