Wendy Burch Steel & Redwood - In Flight (2020)

WENDY BURCH STEEL & REDWOOD play a unique cross-section of genres and original songs, incorporating all the good and sweet aspects of bluegrass, old-time, country, folk, and blues. Wendy’s debut CD, “Open Wings” received rave reviews nationally and internationally, air play and interviews on various radio shows and Americana and Bluegrass publications.

Wendy Burch Steel is an award-winning songwriter and singer, known for her delft angelic voice and spiritually touching original material. She has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year for three years in a row, by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. Wendy has been writing and performing music most of her life, starting with her family, whose father was a teacher of his five children in barbershop style harmonies. She has been the band leader of many groups over time, such as the folk trio, Du Soleil in the 1970s, Oyster Stew bluegrass band, and currently, Wendy Burch Steel & Redwood. She is a published poet and author/illustrator of two books of poetry, with a Masters in Creative Writing/Poetry, from SFSU. Her solo CD, Open Wings, made its debut in 2012.

Butch Waller, mandolin, vocals and songwriting, is known locally and nationally for his innovative and tradition-based approach to his instrument. Butch was one of the first to play bluegrass music in Northern California, and founded his own band, High Country in 1968. A gifted songwriter, Butch has penned several songs that are found in the repertoire of Wendy Burch Steel and Redwood. Glenn Dauphin, guitar and vocals, has been performing with Bluegrass bands in the Bay Area over 30 years. He is Northern California Bluegrass Society’s Guitar Player of the Year for 2014. Allegra Thompson, bass and vocals, is known both for the power and clarity of her singing and for providing a rock-steady rhythm bed on guitar or upright bass. Her home-grown perspective on American roots music was nurtured by her parents, local musicians Eric and Suzy Thompson, who raised her on a steady diet of blues, bluegrass, Cajun, and Appalachian old time music.

Wendy Burch Steel and Redwood often play at local venues such as The Freight and Salvage Coffee House, The Back Room in Berkeley, First Street Café in Benicia, Sutter Creek Theatre, the Monkey House in Berkeley, the Bistro, Thee Parkside, Overland Bar and Grill, The Roxx on Main, among many other great venues and house concerts. The band is also a favorite at festivals, and has played on Vern’s Stage at the California Bluegrass Association Father’s Day Festival in Grass Valley, the Cloverdale Fiddle Festival, the Berkeley Bluegrass Festival, the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival, and the Plumas Homegrown Americana Festival.

And now, they are very excited to release a brand new Redwood CD in January 2020, “In Flight” with original songs and great covers, including songs by Wendy, songs by Butch Waller, and even one song, by both Butch and Wendy in collaboration. The band has collectively been together for close to a decade. The process by which they arrange songs is an exciting creative one, informed by the knowledge and vision of each band member, culminating in wonderful and well-performed songs. The CD Release show is on Sunday, February 23rd, at 5 PM, with special guest artists who added their talents to this CD: Brandon Godman, Patrick Sauber, Emily Mann.