"They are entertainers of the first order, producing gorgeous harmonies, captivating lyrics, and witty banter. We are always thrilled to welcome them back to the Ball & Chain." - Barbara Ebling, owner of-The Ball and Chain Café, Brandon, Vermont
Bread and Bones is a harmony driven acoustic trio that plays original music with a strong traditional-roots foundation. Richard Ruane has a very articulate style of guitar playing and he extends that to ukulele, mandolin and banjos as well. Mitch Barron has a wonderful presence on fretless, fretted and upright basses. Beth Duquette completes the trio with a rich alto that weaves through the music. All three members contribute lead and harmony vocals.
They have been juried into the prestigious Falcon Ridge Folk Festival's Emerging Artist Showcase and the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance's showcases.
Their songwriting has won awards from the Song writer's Association of Washington's Mid-Atlantic Song Contest and the SolarFest Songwriting Showcase and they have been finalists at Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition in Kerrville, Texas, the Great Waters Music Festival Songwriter Contest and the Plowshares Coffeehouse Singer-Songwriter Competition.
Their first CD "I Know Stories" was named Vermont's Best Traditional Album of the year by the Times-Argus Newspaper and their second CD "Could Have Been a Dream" has been called by critics "“An eloquent and powerful statement”, and “A great piece of writing that really hits home”.
Ruane's songwriting has been compared at times to Richard Shindell, Richard Thompson and John Gorka. The sound of their harmonies has been compared to Richard and Linda Thompson as well as Tim and Molly O'Brien.
"Bread and Bones gives a great live show. Their gorgeous 3 part harmonies are the perfect complement to the warm and heartfelt songwriting of Richard Ruane. In their show, they created a playful, warm environment for the audience and kept us all engaged until the last song." - Anna Maria Tocci,owner of The North Star Music Café, Portland, Maine
"Their playing and singing are crisp and confident: Ruane’s work on guitar is full of finesse and creativity. Ms. Duquette’s harmony and lead vocals are clear and to the point but not overly adorned. And – to my ear at least – Barron’s sparse, deep backing on both upright bass and fretless electric puts the real stamp on this music as original, from-the-shoulder, and very much alive." - Jeff Trippe in MaineFolkMusic.com
"Bread & Bones is a trio which has a great variety of material. Many tunes are Richard's, and his music takes you from laughing to pondering. Their great musicianship, tunes and lively stage banter has made them a favorite at The Music Box." - Lisa Sammet, the Music Box, Craftsbury, Vermont
The members of Bread and Bones are veterans of a number of different bands, honing their skills at many clubs, coffeehouses, festivals and colleges throughout the Northeast and Midwest. "Richard Ruane, Beth Duquette and Mitch Barron demonstrated their sophistication as performers Saturday at the Music Box. They shared a warm and spontaneous sense of humor that kept everyone entertained through their almost two dozen songs. Ruane is a skillful player of guitar, banjo, mandolin and ukulele with a classic folk singers voice, and he composed most of the tunes. Duquette has a particularly lovely, pure voice with fine enunciation. Barron provides an excellent foundation rhythm on his electric bass guitar and upright double bass. Ruane and Duquette harmonize well vocally, that male/female contrast enriching the melodic lines. Traditional folk songs rounded out the interestingly varied repertoire of this group. Ruane's original songs had excellent melodies, combining imaginative lyrics with well-crafted tunes, frequently having demanding instrumental work." - David K. Rodgers, Hardwick Gazette Ruane and Duquette are also actively involved in presenting music in Vermont. They are on the board of directors and the selection committees for the Ripton Community Coffee House and the Middlebury Festival on the Green. Between them they have shared the stage with Pete Seeger, Phish, Brooks Williams, Lynn Miles, Louise Taylor, Robin Williamson, Slaid Cleaves, Jennifer Kimball, Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen. CDs and music downloads are available from CD Baby as well as many local independent providers and from Amazon, iTunes, Amie Street, Rhapsody, eMusic and many others.
Who Do You Think It Was from Richard Ruane on Vimeo.
Breakwater by Bread and Bones from Richard Ruane on Vimeo.
|