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I first became aware of Barb in the spring of 2000.
It was one of those glorious spring days and I was on my way to northern Virginia, instruments packed, to attend my first picking party of the season. Bluegrass music had a robust following in the DC area. The close in “burbs” supported a large number of full and part time professional bands. These parties were an opportunity to revive old friendships, scope out the recently arrived, and share some good music. Barb was there.
Matter of fact, it was her place. She made an immediate impression. She was a commanding presence. Maybe it was the leather fringe and cowboy boots. Perhaps it was the way she waded into a group with that Epiphone bass and just laid down that tempo, driving the session like a big old clock. My, my, that girl can sing. Back in 2000 it was like Barb channeling Hazel Dickens, all that power without a hint of vibrato. I went about my business, played a whole lot of music that day and tucked away the memory of that voice and the Epiphone bass.
Flash forward to summer 2007 and I’ll tell you that I’ve had the great fortune to have had Barb Diederich in my professional musical life, first in the contemporary bluegrass band DeSoto where she handled the bass chores and enabled sublime harmonies with the ensemble. Her presence took the band to a new level of musicianship. Later, Barb stretched out musically when she joined Dallas Blair and me in founding the Dallas Blair Trio, an electric/acoustic Americana band. It was with the trio that I discovered Barb’s talent as a songwriter. I’m always in awe of a person putting stories of life to music. Barb graciously shared her gems with the trio and allowed us to interpret them in our own unique fashion.
You know, Barb never admitted it to me, but I just know that she needed to wrap her stories in the warm embrace of traditional bluegrass. This is precisely what she has done with her first solo project. Barb shares her stories of love—new, jilted, unrequited and comfortable. Lest you think this is a feel good project Barb Diederich is equally enthusiastic about rampaging outlaws and can contemplate death with the best of the masters. And not that she doesn’t have a sense of humor. I’d somewhat coyly prepare the listener for the last track, an anthem for womanhood and perhaps a warning for the rest of us.
Congrats to Barb on her first solo project. Darlin’, what on earth took you so long?
Howard Parker
August 2007
Download Barb's CD at DigStation.com!
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