April Verch Band + The Grayson County Daredevils

Fiddler, singer, and stepdancer April Verch knows how relevant an old tune can be. She was raised surrounded by living, breathing roots music—her father’s country band rehearsing; the lively music at church and at community dances; the tunes she rocked out to win fiddle competitions. She thought every little girl learned to stepdance at the age of three and fiddle at the age of six. She knew nothing else and decided early on that she wanted to be a professional musician. She took that leap, and for over two decades has been recording and captivating audiences worldwide, exploring new and nuanced places each step of the way.

While Verch is perhaps best known for playing traditional fiddle styles from her native Ottawa Valley, Canada, her performances extend into old-time American and Appalachian styles and far beyond, for a well-rounded tour-de-force of North Americana sounds. Verch and her fellow trio members pare down their arrangements, highlighting the simple pleasures of upright bass, guitar, clawhammer banjo, voices, fiddle, and stepping in intimate conversation.

The Grayson County Daredevils, based in the Independence and Elk Creek areas of Grayson County, Virginia, are longtime friends, performers and aficionados of old time southern string band music. The band’s musical style is polished, but still maintains a down home warmth and spirit. The group is known for playing an eclectic variety of less commonly heard fiddle tunes and songs featuring three distinct traditional styles of banjo accompaniment.