Paul Simon, Mad Sheer Khan, U2, Ani DiFranco, Indigo Girls, Rusted Root, REM, Grateful Dead, Mickey Hart's Planet Drum, Ali Farka Toure, Nickel Creek - Ireland, Africa, South America, Gypsy songs from all four directions. . . . . Rumi, Hafiz, Rilke, songs are poems after all. . .
Sounds Like
hopefully none of the above, and not like anyone else either. . .
We sound like new.
We sound like us.
PRESS QUOTES
"Highly Impressive!" -Ken Barnes, USA TODAY
"It's rare to hear something new and exciting in the realm of folk/roots music, but the careful alchemists of The Ragbirds have given us just that!"
-Bryan Rodgers, Homegrown Music Network
"The most engaging new band I've heard this year is The Ragbirds....eclectic, restlessly creative, poetic, and delivered with confidence, it grows on you with every listen."
-Jeffery Overstreet, Looking Closer (Seattle)
"This is evidence of the very best of what independent contemporary pop music has to offer"
-Thom Jurek, All Music (AMG)
"The Ragbirds have gestated a sound and experience so unlike anything you've seen in these parts, you may begin to wonder if you've teleported to another land"
-Cheryl Wilson, The Uncommon Sense Magazine
"I feel like I've stumbled across a band that's destined to achieve the same level of cult-greatness as The Innocence Mission, Bruce Cockburn, Ron Sexsmith, Sufjan Stevens, and yes, even Over the Rhine.... The Ragbirds debut album, Yes Nearby, is a work of astounding international eclecticism, mixing everything from reggae to Celtic to blues music along with plenty of world music into a unified, enchanting whole"
-Josh Hurst, Revealarts
"In an era of catchy but ultimately unsatisfying pop tunes, this is a welcome treat!"
-Roger Lelievre, The Ann Arbor News
"The first time I heard them play I was stunned....I heard their music and literally stopped in my tracks. Their music is not only inspiring and powerful, but a successful experiment in teleportation as well"
-Jamie Bradish, The Ypsilanti Courier
"Like a well-worn suitcase covered with travel stickers of world-music styles"
-Alan Goldsmith, The Ann Arbor Observer
READ MORE PRESS ON WWW.THERAGBIRDS.COM
THE RAGBIRDS BRAND NEW CD Finally Almost Ready" will be available on August 14th, 2009!!
**Made with RECYCLED plastic trays, each CD saves 6 plastic water bottles from the landfill!!** Pre-Order an autographed copy at www.theragbirds.com!
Band Bio
Ask
The Ragbirds
how to describe their hard-to-define Folk Rock and World fusion and they’ll tell you it’s “infectious global groove”. Led by fiery front-woman Erin Zindle (called “Highly Impressive” by USA TODAY), they put on a show that is designed to engage the audience on many levels - to get people thinking, listening and dancing. As the band’s founder and songwriter, Zindle is like a bright excited tour guide through a beautiful foreign world of sights and sounds. Her earthy-sweet voice is the center of the storm of energy around her - the whirlwind of guitarist T.J. Zindle and dynamic bassist Dan Hildebrandt spinning over the ethnic grooves of drummer Randall Moore and percussionist Tim Dziekan. Amidst this blissful, restless energy Zindle skillfully switches between violin, mandolin, banjo, accordion, and percussion in addition to singing lead vocals (all while dancing!)
The musical roots of The Ragbirds sound are complex - with Gypsy, Middle-Eastern, Americana, Rock, and Latin influences, all stirred with a Celtic fiddler’s bow. In live performances the band incorporates variations on traditional African drum pieces, each member trading their instrument for a hand drum. The Ragbirds craft their songs carefully weaving joy and hope into honest lyrics, while keeping an ear always open to improvisation. The songs carry a positive message that appeals to listeners of all ages. For all the intensity of their live show, this is a band that is not afraid to show their softer side with acoustic tunes that are anything but typical folk.
The Ragbirds began in 2005 with the release of their debut CD, Yes Nearby, an independently produced and released full-length album. After receiving overwhelming local praise for Yes Nearby, the band began touring the country. In June 2007 The Ragbirds released their second studio release, Wanderlove, which has a world-travel theme with a pop appeal and was the number one selling album on Homegrown Music Network by the Fall of 2008. In February of 2009 Wanderlove was released on Buffalo Records in Japan.
Described as “Astounding International Eclecticism!” by Reveal Arts Magazine, The Ragbirds have become one of the most popular touring bands in their home state of Michigan, and can also be seen performing all over the Mid-West and beyond, growing a loyal fan base in regions throughout the country. The Ragbirds have played between 120-150 shows per year for the past few years, and have no intention of slowing down. In 2009 they went abroad to tour Japan and perform on the main stage at the Green Room Festival in Yokohama.
The Ragbirds have performed to enthusiastic audiences in over 20 states so far, including major markets such as New York City, Nashville, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Cleveland, St. Louis, Indianapolis and many more. They have been featured at some of the Mid-West’s largest music festivals, including ROTHBURY, 10,000 LAKES, SUMMERCAMP, HOOKAHVILLE, and more, and have shared billing with The Dead, Bob Dylan, String Cheese Incident, Willie Nelson, Yonder Mountain Sting Band, Widespread Panic, Dave Matthews Band, Ani Difranco, The Black Crowes, Wilco, Mickey Hart, Sam Bush, Tony Rice, George Clinton & P.Funk, Railroad Earth, Toubab Krewe, Hot Buttered Rum, Giovanni Hidalgo, Donna The Buffalo, Jeff Daniels, Tea Leaf Green, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Mamadou Diabate, The Duhks, and many more.
**COMMITMENT TO GREEN TOURING**
In October 2008 The Ragbirds replaced their aging tour van with a Ford E-350 diesel van, and thanks to their friends at Full Circle Fuels in Oberlin OH
(www.fullcirclefuels.com) converted it to run on Waste Vegetable Oil. (the kind of oil your last order of french fries was cooked in) Rudolph Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, originally intended his engine to run on peanut oil, and thanks to a minor modification to the fuel system of "Cecelia" (we named our van after the Patron Saint of Music) and the addition of some extra heated fuel tanks and filters we are able to run our tour van on used vegetable oil straight from restaurant dumpsters. As touring musicians, we must travel constantly to get our music heard beyond the borders of our hometown, and running on waste vegetable oil allows us to travel without dependence on foreign oil and all of it's related environmental, economic and political problems. We are also able to drastically reduce our carbon footprint and emissions by burning a domestically produced, renewable bio-fuel. We care deeply about the impact that all of our driving has on the environment and believe that we can all contribute to a cleaner, greener future.
Discography
2007 Wanderlove
2006 Catching Fire (recorded live in Ypsilanti)
2005 Yes Nearby
2005 Washed Away (single, profits donated to Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund) "Tarantella" Live @ Greenroom Festival '09 YOKOHAMA, JAPAN!
"Romanian Train Song" Fan video from Greenroom Festival '09 YOKOHAMA, JAPAN!
Hey birds! Yeah we had to change the name. It's a good thing though and I hope it will bring some positive energy etc! Thanks for telling joe we are "awesome" :) Hoping to work with him a bit, or someone else, to move things along a bit.
I'd love to see yall at your december founder's show but we are playing at the loading dock and shorts that weekend. hope to see yall soon! -Eric
As a big fan I only have a request or two. Your version of I'll Fly Away makes me cry every time I see it live and I would love to hear Erin sing it and you all play it on here.
Second, come to KY! That one isn't as necessary since roadtrips are a good time, but Louisville is a very beautiful artistic city and I would love to see you all here.
I couldnt be more excited to see you all in Steamboat this saturday, I promise I shall dance my ass off, I love your music. This is the first time I will see you guys, I will be the guy right infront of the stage spinning like a top. Unless I have to back up a little bit to get space and cut loose. Get here safe. Peace and hair greese. One love
Hey Rbirds, Wausau thanks you for stopping by. Wrote a song this morning inspired by the experience. If it's possible keep me in mind for a Gateway long range driver 168-170 grams. Blessings, good times and safe travels, Patrick
Thank you all for coming out to Marquette :) I had a great time at the show both nights! Your music is full of great energy and amazing beats. Keep me posted on your other Marquette stops, and I will be there introducing new friends to your style. Peace and love.
hey ya'll i was fortunate enough to see you guys while i was in michigan in east lansing early this summer at the art festival..since then i've moved back to kentucky but i see that you'll be in indianapolis i'm gonna try really hard to get to that show..hope yall are doing well and safe travels on your tour.
btw your newsletter said indianapolis on the 23rd but your myspace list say 24th and so does the mousetrap website..so is it saturday or friday..lol...
Took a moment out of my dancing for joy to thank you guys for swinging thru Athens in October. See you then. We now return to your regularly scheduled dancing for joy...
your late night set at hookahville brought happy tears to my eyes. the connection the band has with each other and the audience is priceless and one of the best i've seen. i danced directly in front of erin from the first song to the supposed last one...to the one that really was last.
come to kentucky sometime! i've introduced your music to a lot of people here who love your sound. can't wait to see you guys again...
I love the new disc. My favs so far are: Book of Matches(of course), The Frame, The Limits of Me, Little Things, Panoramic Camera, and Onyame Kokroko. The rest ain't just filler either. Erin: Your lyrics are poetry of the highest order and your voice is sweet and clear. You keep improving as a song writer. T.J. and Tim: you gots the rhythm. Randall and Tim: while you aren't exactly the Rhythm Devils (Kruetzman and Hart) who want to be an imitation any way? You guys compliment each other and provide the foundation.
I wish you all the greatest success. With the sad shape of the music industry nowadays I am glad to have found something real and with talent. I will spread the word. My girl and I are planning a trip to MI to catch a show sometime soon. Until then...
