Women of The Mando's

[TheNaivePicker]

I was sitting here listening to my whole.. dern mando CD collection, When It hit me, You never hear of many Women Mandolinists? #I think Ive read a thread about this somewheres, Cant remember Where though. I was Just Curious, Can You name Any?
#The Only one I can think of, right on the spot is Rhonda Vincent... no throwing things at me please.. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mandoJeremy]

There was a girl here in N.C. (can't remember her full name but she was named Ashley...I think it was Ashley) that Jason Burleson taught and she totally ripped it. Triplet queen!

[Bradley]

How about Sonya Isaacs of the Isaacs Family

[JimD]

There are many in the world of classical mandolin:

Marilyn Mair, Alison Stephens, Gertrud Tröster, Carmen Thiergärtner...

[PhilGE]

Marilyn Mairr (http://www.marilynnmair.com/amguss.shtml)

Becky Smith (http://mandozine.com/resources/CGOW/becky.php)

Rhonda Vincent

Nancy Wilson (Heart)

Women and the Mandolin (Mandozine Article) (http://www.mandozine.com/resources/articles/women.php) - see the long list provided at the end of article.

[Brian Baker]

Sierra Hull can flat tear it up! And she is only 12 or 13 I think...

-Brian

[Eugene]

...Dorina Frati (http://www.artsacademy.it/italiano/artisti/Frati.htm), Caterina Lichtenberg (http://www.caterinalichtenberg.de/), Edith Bauer-Slais, Elfriede Kunschak, Marga Wilden-Hüsgen (http://www.mhs-wuppertal.de/dozenten/mandoline.html)...

and, for the sake of your linking pleasure, Marilynn Mair (http://www.marilynnmair.com/), Alison Stephens (http://www.alisonstephens.com/), Gertrud Tröster (http://www.michael-troester.de/duo-e.html)...

[jim simpson]

Dawn Watson (formerly of Country Gazette)

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Whenever Women and Mandolin come up I can't help but think of my favorite pretty go go dancer - high energy mandolin player - now apparently a Minister - who when she was young could have given Thile speed lessons - Donna Stoneman!

Take Care! -Ed-

[Steve Williams]

Donna Stoneman.
(I was in a band that opened up for the Stonemans at a festival years ago...they were all extremely talented musicians and super nice folks to boot!)

[JeffS]

I read an interesting article earlier in the week (in Wired I think) about women as guitar heros and why there are not many, or any actually. Women are given a lot of ####, treated poorly, and get discouraged. Bluegrass probably isn't as bad as rock, and there are quite a bit of family bluegrass bands so there are women out there. But there aren't any who are raved about like Monroe, Bush, Grisman, Thile, Jethro, etc that I can think of off hand. Look at all those old mandolin postcard, mostly women I think. Something changed.

[edawg]

http://i.cnn.net/cnn/interactive/entertainment/0302/gallery.grammy.performances/gal.dixie.chicks.ap.jpg

[Emmiemando]

I think this next generation coming up will "produce" more women. I (only being a youth) am around more youths like myself and lots of my friends(girls and guys) are getting into mandolin music and am saving up for them. With new music styles out with the mando -such as Thile-it's getting a little more popular. Especially jazz and blues styles. So expect more to come all you guy mandolin freaks!!!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Emmiemando]

I think this next generation coming up will "produce" more women. I (only being a youth) am around more youths like myself and lots of my friends(girls and guys) are getting into mandolin music and am saving up for them. With new music styles out with the mando -such as Thile-it's getting a little more popular. Especially jazz and blues styles. So expect more to come all you guy mandolin freaks!!!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[steve V. johnson]

There are at least two fine female mandolinists in Indiana who play in Irish sessions: Jenny Thompson of Indianapolis, (oh, -three-!), Crystal Bailey and Genny Williamson in Bloomington.

stv

[TheNaivePicker]

OO, this is Interesting, The Next generation will be cool... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[Eugene]

...But there aren't any who are raved about like Monroe, Bush, Grisman, Thile, Jethro, etc that I can think of off hand. #Look at all those old mandolin postcard, mostly women I think. #Something changed.
Those old mandolin postcards predated bluegrass when the mandolin typically was used in light classical music. #Women are still at the very forefront of classical mandolin as alluded above (i.e. they are raved about in a way analogous to Bush, Grisman, Thile, etc.). #Chandos Records is one of the most prestigious classical labels; one of Alison Stephens' recordings is the fastest selling release on the Chandos label...and I doubt you'll encounter much virtuosity that comes close to the likes of Caterina Lichtenberg, Gertrud Tröster, Alison Stephnes, etc. #You owe it to yourself to hear a solo album by any of these characters; Ms. Tröster's recording of Raffaele Calace's unaccompanied preludes for mandolin is inhuman, and Ms. Stephens' new solo CD, Con Espressione is absolutely delicious.

In bluegrass, maybe not in that uppermost tier of hype you've listed, JeffS, but Rhonda Vincent certainly gets plenty.

[grandmainger]

Here's another one: http://www.rebeccahoggan.com (http://www.rebeccahoggan.com/photos.php)...
Eye candy http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif ?
http://www.rebeccahoggan.com/gallery/tn_mando_jpg.jpg

[Scott Tichenor]

Plenty. Anyone that thinks Chris Thile can play classical music--and he certainly can--need to listen to German born Gertrude Troester or Caterina Lichtenberg and rethink things a bit. Sure, German mandolins are different but still, to witness either of these folks in person will upset your paradigm and have you believing those two aren't human. Alison Stephens is a UK classical player also very impressive.

Big bluegrass chops? Dawn Watson or Becky Smith. Make that huge bluegrass chops.

And Kari Larson, an absolute swing goddess from the Minneapolis area. Big fat tone, huge chops, great note selection, great instrument. A true monster that is relatively unknown. Locally we have very talented players like Beth Dearinger of the Uptown Mandolin Quartet. Lots more but gotta run.

[Fretbear]

Nancy Blake....

[Don Christy]

Brennen Leigh plays mando and has a great voice.

None to hard on the eyes either.

Of course I'm referring to the Weber she's holding. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

http://www.brennenleigh.com/images/photo13.jpg
http://www.brennenleigh.com/images/photo11.jpg
Don

[Kbone]

I second Kari Larson - she's a monster player and can rip on the guitar with the best of them...

[Keith Wallen]

Her name may be mentioned already but all I can think of is the band. The all girl bluegrass band that went country for a few years and then back to bluegrass. This is bad I can't even think of the name of the band now. I think the mando player and her husband have something to do with the Somerset KY festival. Anyway I played there one year and got to watch her play and she was amazing...

Ya'll need to just stop it with the good looking girls playing mando that's just too much to think about all at once! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Lee]

Is this thread restricted to players? Let's not forget Laura Ratcliff, possibly the world's only female builder.

[sunburst]

Didn't anybody see Alison Krause before she had a mandolin player?
Well, anyway, she used to put down the fiddle and play mandolin part of the time.

I once had a mondolin at one of her shows to show to Adam Steffy. I knew she played so I showed it to her too.
She said "I'm a horrible mandolin player!", looked the mandolin over and played some things that would make most of us envious.

[Keith Wallen]

Here's another one: http://www.rebeccahoggan.com (http://www.rebeccahoggan.com/photos.php)...
Eye candy http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif ?
http://www.rebeccahoggan.com/gallery/tn_mando_jpg.jpg
grandmainger - Thanks for posting that link. Rebecca just picked up a new fan. I followed the link to the bluegrass band she plays in "Hit & Run" and they are great. She is a killer mandolin player. I am going to order that cd for sure.