THE BAND
Pam Bockes, Susan Reid, and Linda Young met through the traditional and dance music community of Central Vermont. One evening as a music session was breaking up in Susan’s attic, the three found themselves the last still playing, and were enchanted to discover what a magical sound these three instruments make when played together. Their shared love of song brings an additional lyrical quality to their renderings of tunes from Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Quebec, and New England, which they play together frequently for dances, events, and parties, as well as on the porch for the enjoyment of themselves and neighbors.
PAM BOCKES // guitar, mandolin, voice
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Pam’s musical background includes many sources of support and inspiration, from parents who provided piano lessons after she began to pick out the “DOE, A DEER....” melody on the piano at age 5, to other piano, chorus and music theory teachers up through freshman college year. For a time, apartment living meant little access to the piano, and the guitar became the new instrument of choice. No doubt this instrumental succession had something to do with what has since been called her pianistic guitar style, but many musical influences have also contributed to the synergy: Simon and Garfunkel, Peter Paul and Mary, as well as guitarists Paul Asbell, William Coulter, David Surette, John Doyle, and Kristina Stykos - even a hint of Dave Brubeck crept into one composition.
Learning to play in an open tuning was a turning point that allowed for even more stylistic changes which some listeners have called unique. With a great deal of gratitude and a ton of fun, membership in Central Vermont based bands followed: from a singing trio in the 90s, to put-togethers for benefits of many kinds, to playing for English Country and contra dances, to recordings as a member of a guitar duo, to “Lingonberry Jam” playing Swedish tunes at the Blackfly Fest: it’s all been an evolving scene of configurations with musical colleagues, and a great way to celebrate the musical muse.
SUSAN REID // fiddle, viola, voice
Susan has sung and played fiddle in various configurations for over 50 years, performing in coffee houses and concerts, and playing for contras and English country dance. From years of workshops and jam sessions, she has gathered hundreds of tunes from the British isles, Quebec, Scandinavia and New England. She has even written a few.
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She and Pam have played and sung together In various incarnations for more than 25 years, working out harmonies and exploring new genres. When Linda played tunes with them at the end of an attic jam session, the trio just clicked. "It's amazing to work with such fine musicians. We really listen to each other, to our musical ideas, and to one another's playing. Three or four hours of practice will go by in a flash. We have so much fun!"
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Susan teaches classes on learning tunes by ear, co-leads a community jam and is the assistant director of the Vermont Fiddle Orchestra, leading smaller groups in performances between full VFO concerts
LINDA YOUNG // lever harp, voice
Growing up with an Estonian mother and grandmother, singing was a constant accompaniment to pretty much any activity in the home, and from an early age Linda was almost always humming or "leaking" music in one way or another. Eventually this led her to graduate studies in classical vocal performance, before she found her way back to the music she started with and loves most.
After moving home to Vermont in 2011, she met Susan and Pam at Northeast Heritage Music Camp, and followed them to the New World Festival in Randolph in 2013. That's where she first heard both Dominique Dodge and Maeve Gilchrist playing harp, and had a “harp conversion” experience. She hasn’t looked back since, and regularly enjoys playing harp in sessions and with small ensembles.