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The Cantrells have been touring and performing their original folk and bluegrass music in concerts and festivals since 1985.
Their performances feature Emily Cantrell's songs, her voice, her strong rhythm guitar (especially her swing style), Al Cantrell's
contest-winning fiddling in traditional, swing and Irish styles, their duet harmonies, "fiddlesticks" ("playing
the straws") and the wide variety of cover tunes from traditional bluegrass to Broadway musicals. They are currently
based in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Cantrells have recorded four CDs of mostly original songs featuring Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Ranger Doug and Too
Slim from "Riders in the Sky", Jim Hurst, Rob Ickes, Tim O'Brien and Mark Schatz of "Nickel Creek". These
recordings receive radio airplay across the US and in other countries.
The Cantrells were chosen by Robert Redford to perform in his hit movie "A River Runs Through It".
CONTRA AND ENGLISH COUNTRY DANCE FESTIVALS
The Cantrells have created a weekend's worth of mostly original contradance music with Emily on piano and guitar. Several
of their original tunes have been recorded by other contradance bands. They also have a large repertoire of English Country
dance music.
WORKSHOPS
The Cantrells enjoy presenting school performances as well as workshops in conjunction with their appearances. Their school
performances inform as well as entertain and include audience participation. Workshops focus on swing guitar, songwriting,
fiddle styles, vocal harmony, sing-along songs, Western songs, the history of American fiddling, contradance piano styles,
fiddle skills, singing skills, and the music business from their perspective.
For several seasons The Cantrells taught swing guitar and fiddle at Jorma Kaukonen's Fur Peace Ranch.
AN IRISH MUSIC PROGRAM
Al Cantrell spent several months in Ireland, England and Europe studying Irish fiddle. The Cantrells include some Irish
music in their concerts, and they also are regulars at Findley's Irish Pub at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.
TOURING, PERFORMING, RECORDING....
In Nashville The Cantrells often add a Dobro player and bassist, and for contradances a flute and pennywhistle player.
This larger band appears at festivals, weddings and parties in middle Tennessee.
Their recording projects include a CD of standard swing songs, a fiddle CD of Al's original tunes and a CD of Emily's
latest songs.
In recent years The Cantrells have primarily toured in the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Mid Atlantic states, and the Rocky
Mountains. They hope to spend most of their summers in the Rockies based out of Colorado.
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