Nancy Cardwell-vocals/bass,
Cathy Rogier-fiddle,
Martha Gipson-vocals,
Anita Owens-vocals/guitar,
Joel Whittinghill-mandolin/fiddle
Influences
The Whites; Emmylou Harris; Bill Monroe; Kenny Baker; Claire Lynch; Lynn Morris; Marvin Cardwell Family Band; Homegrown; Midnight Flight; Mountain Aire; the Mullets; The Bluegrass Zombies; Jim & Jesse; Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike; The Dillards; Vic Jordan; Tony Rice & Ricky Skaggs; The Ozark Mountain Daredevils; The Arnold Chin Band; New Generation; Hazel & Alice; The Dixie Chicks; Roni, Donna & Patsy Stoneman; Max Hunter; Branson & Pigeon Forge; The Wildwood Girls; The Undergrass Boys; J.D. Crowe & the New South; Billy Smith & Chris Henry; Scott Partridge Band; The Coventry Carolers; Hot Rize; New Grass Revival; The Carter Family; Floyd Stewart; Dale Ann Bradley; Pam Gadd & Wild Rose; Porter & Dolly; Connie Smith; The Isaacs; Dolly Parton; John Wynn; Violet Hensley; C.S. Lewis; favorite old hymns
The Persimmon Sisters are one of the most unique bluegrass acts to come out of Owensboro, Ky. in recent years, featuring a mostly all-girl line up and powerful vocal harmonies. This is what an “angel band” would sound like if they played bluegrass music!
The Persimmons draw their material from a wide variety of sources, including The Carter Family, Bill Monroe, Kenny Baker, traditional gospel songs and original songs.Their core instrumentation consists of fiddle, acoustic guitar and acoustic bass, with Joel Whittinghill (also known as “The Bearded Persimmon Sister”) often guesting on mandolin or twin fiddle and Jennifer Kennedy on Dobro or Nashville-based Casey Henry or Robin Roller on the five-string banjo. Legendary banjo player Vic Jordan (formerly with Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys, Lester Flatt & the Nashville Grass, Jim & Jesse, Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys…and the Wayne Newton Orchestra!) sits in on banjo on the Persimmon Sisters’ new album. To hear more of Joel's music, check out his band Timberline Drive at www.timberlinedrive.com.
When the Persimmon Sisters get together, it’s always a good time—with equal parts oatmeal raisin cookies, banana homemade ice cream, peach iced tea, conversation, laughter and music. Their comfortable friendship and sense of humor translates easily to the stage. Audiences of all ages love this band, and they’ve developed a strong following in the Owensboro area, in particular. (Perhaps you, too, would like to be a “Persimmon Head!”)
Fiddle player Cathy Rogier, formerly with Arnold Chin, is a disciple of Bluegrass Hall of Famer Kenny Baker and it shows in her style—which combines a classical improvisational touch with hard-driving, straight-ahead bluegrass. Cathy is a science teacher at Daviess County Middle School who travels on bird-watching adventures around the world with her family during vacation. When not onstage with The Persimmon Sisters, Cathy can be found in the orchestra pit at Owensboro Christian Church, where she is an active part of the music ministry. Cathy is the best gardener in The Persimmon Sisters, and she is the only band member who has a Geiger Counter in her house!
Guitarist and vocalist Anita Owens supervises school nurses for the Daviess County Health Department. Growing up in the popular Ohio County-based band, New Generation Bluegrass, she has literally been playing and singing bluegrass music all her life. Anita has accompanied her brother, Joel at a number of fiddle contests across the country for several years—which he usually wins. Her solid and authoritative rhythm guitar playing is the backbone of the band. Anita was also honored in 1996 to be asked to sing “Blue Moon of Kentucky” at the graveside of Bill Monroe, at his funeral in Rosine, Ky. Anita's bluegrass roots show in her powerful, chill-bump raising, traditional-edged voice. Her rendition of “Mule Skinner Blues” is not easily forgotten! In fact, it’s requested again and again. Anita tells the funniest pet stories in the band, about her spoiled Bassett Hound, Sophie.
Nancy Cardwell, bass player, is another “lifer” when it comes to bluegrass. She grew up in a family band in the Missouri Ozarks, performing on her father’s live radio show in the 1960s and also at Branson theme parks and for the National Parks Service. Nancy played country rock during college and later joined the popular Springfield, Mo.-based band, Homegrown, followed by Mountain Aire (Branson), The Wildwood Girls (national touring band based in east Tennessee), The Bluegrass Zombies, The Mullets and Midnight Flight (Missouri). With The Wildwood Girls, Nancy performed at Dollywood in the early '90s and also toured military bases in Central America. Midnight Flight won the Branson Regional Pizza Hut International Showdown in 1994 and went on to compete at finals in Owensboro, Ky. In addition to freelancing on bass with various groups in Nashville (Billy Smith & Whistlepig, The Scott Partridge Band), Nancy also plays hammer dulcimer in a duo with her daughter, Erin. Sometimes Erin appears with the Persimmon Sisters onstage, contributing vocals and bluegrass flute. At Christmas time Nancy sings the alto part in The Coventry Carolers, a Victorian-costumed a cappella caroling quartet with group members now in Springfield, Mo.; Owensboro, Ky. and Nashville, Tenn.
Nancy has served as the Special Projects Director for the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) since 1994, and she is a current member of the International Bluegrass Music Museum Board of Trustees. She has been a freelance writer since 1980 for Bluegrass Unlimited and she writes a monthly column called “On My Mind” for Bluegrass Now magazine, in addition to other assignments. In 2006 Nancy received the Charlie Lamb Award for Country Music Journalism from the International Country Music Conference in Nashville. The band takes their name from a song Nancy wrote about missing the Ozarks, “Green Persimmon Trees"--the title cut of their new album. Check out a couple of Nancy's new songs on this site, "Martha & Mary" and "Midnight Flight," both co-written with Becky Buller of Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike.
Martha Gipson, the mild-mannered teacher's assistant and Yellow Creek Baptist choir member from Daviess County, is the band’s secret weapon in the vocal department. Audiences are simply spellbound when she steps to the mic for a lead, particularly on a cappella gospel numbers. Her heartfelt, achingingly gorgeous alto-range vocals leave the audience breathless. Martha’s faith is real, and it shows in her delivery of her favorite bluegrass gospel songs which regularly inspire listeners, no matter what the setting. Prepare to shout and testify when Martha renders a song like “Unclouded Day.”
The Persimmons Sisters appear most years at the International Bluegrass Music Museum’s “ROMP” River of Music Party each June in Owensboro, as well as the city’s summer “Fridays After 5” concert series. They performed at the 2007 “Bluegrass Returns to Its Roots” festival at the Executive Inn in Owensboro, Ky. The Persimmons have a new album, entitled "Green Persimmon Trees," released April 15, 2008. (Listening to The Persimmon Sisters play bluegrass is a lot more fun than paying taxes!) To order a copy, email nancycardwell@comcast.net or go to CDBaby.com, County Sales or The Music Shed.
Thanks for considering the Persimmon Sisters for your bluegrass festival, town festival, wedding reception, Christmas party, Cinco de Mayo fiesta, hillbilly barbecue, bat mitzvah, senior citizens extravaganza, nun's picnic, barbecue, political rally or other momentous social event. You’ll be glad you called them! For more information, email nancycardwell@comcast.net. Please also check us out at www.persimmonsisters.com and CDBaby.com.
It is a pleasure to have you as my new MySpace friend… I find your MySpace page, your talent and your enthusiasm for music pleason’ to many… I welcome you’re other MySpace friends to visit my MySpace page that I’ve dedicated to my admiration of many talented guitar playing musicians of many styles… Stop by check it out and leave a comment if you like… Thanks Ken…
We're prayin' for a lil' more Sunshine here in SD, as well! Hope Spring comes early... And ready to post more Ozark bluegrass soon...just a lil' different than Kentucky BG.(more hollers)haha "addicted to words and music"
Hi Nancy and the other Persimmons! Your music sounds great! I love these songs! BTW, I have a persimmon tree in my front yard. The bees and the possums sure like it! And it reminds me of the one in my front yard when I was a kid. Let's get together soon--Kathy
