Flat Mountain Girls
a high-energy, old-time string band
from Portland, Oregon
Winners of the
2006 String Summit
in North Plains, OR.
The Flat Mountain Girls are known for tight, raw
three-part harmonies, powerful fiddling, and performances
that explode with irrepressible glee and bawdy humor. Their repertoire includes arrangements of Carter
Family classics, traditional songs from the Southern
mountains, cowboy yodels, romping fiddle tunes, and the occasional
original. They combine tremendous tremendous enthusiasm with great respect
for the old-time tradtion.
On fiddle:
is Lisa Marsicek Lisa’s fiddlin’ has an unmistakable drive
that takes over your feet! She started playing fiddle in Chicago in the early 1990’s, and with a
solid foundation in Midwestern tunes, she moved to Georgia to learn Southern fiddle styles.
Her love for old-time music began with an obsession with 78 RPM records and the gems
those old records contained. Lisa performed with the Sugar Beats, and
recorded with Freakwater on ‘Feels Like the Third Time.’ A twist of fate brought her
to Portland where she co-founded the Flat Mountain Girls, as well as Miz Kitty’s
Parlor, a 1920’s style vaudeville show.
On banjo
is Rachel Gold who has been playing old-time and bluegrass music since falling in love with the
Carter Family ten years ago. She performed with The Potbelly Boys and
The Bristol Sisters before seeing the light and
moving to Portland, where she co-founded the Flat Mountain Girls in 2001.
Rachel also plays guitar and sings in Whiskey
Puppy. Her energy, humor, and love for old string band music are reflected in her powerful
performances, old-style no-holds-barred lead and harmony singing, and maniacal obsession
with both gingham and old-time song lyrics.
On guitar
is Nann Alleman she got hornswaggled into joining the Flat Mountain Girls in the
Summer of 2003. She has been playing music since she was in diapers,
co-founding her first band, Mad Hattie, in 1997. She currently heads her own
crazy roots band, Spigot. Nann brings a driving guitar, masterful
songwriting, heartbreaking harmonies, powerful lead singing, and an unmatchable
stage presence to the Flat Mountain Girls.
On upright bass is Laura Quigley
she has been singing all her life, informally harmonizing with her mom, Carol,
and, for years, training and singing in jazz and classical choirs in high school and college in
Eugene, OR. She also studied theater and music at Portland
State University. Laura began teaching herself
the upright acoustic bass in 1998, and in 2001
became the Washington State Champion Bass
Player and has been called upon by artists such
as Laurie Lewis and Jim Page. She is also the bass player for Portland band
Misty River and was a cofounder of the Midnight Serenades.
What folks are
saying about the Flat Mountain Girls
Toni Williams, Old Time Herald Reviewer:
“Great songs, gorgeous vocals, and amazing
energy!”
Bluegrass Unlimited, April 2006:
“The vocal trios are particular highlights,
along with the group’s high-energy fiddling. The Flat
Mountain Girls have created a charming offering of old-time music
performed with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor.”
Roots Music Report, March 2006:
“Before television there was only radio to
entertain folks after supper on many a night. Well The Flat Mountain
Girls are just too young to have been on the radio back in
those days but continue a sound that has almost vanished
from the music industry today by presenting their music pure
and honest. This new release is as roots as roots music can get.
These ladies harmonize wonderfully and their style is just
fantastic. This is acoustic bluegrass at it very best.”
Willamette Week,
October 2005:
“The Flat Mountain Girls’ new album, Honey
Take Your Whiskers Off ...
dig's up music from a bygone
era, summoning up the image of sisters singing in a
county fair. All the usual suspects of old-time music revival
acts abound: twangy harmonies, jaunty banjo and guitar
playing, and a high-lonesome fiddle, played beautifully by Lisa
Marsicek. By releasing an album of mostly covers, the Flat
Mountain Girls have made the songs the real stars. The
... songs feel as raw and as fresh as when they first leaked out
of a dusty living room
radio.”
Willamette Week, September 2004:
“The Flat Mountain Girls’ down-home American
bluegrass will have you hankering for a porch, a rocking chair
and a jug of home brew. These three ladies really get into
it, breathing excitement into their mix of traditional and
original songs.”
Hipfish, November 2005:
“Serving up the goods on the current and
steady lust for oldtimey string band music, Portland’s Flat Mountain
Girls are in demand! They’re fresh off a CD release,
honey take your whiskers off – chock full of juicy three-part
harmonies and original renditions of tunes by Utah Phillips,
Riley Puckett, the Louvin Brothers, and more. A real hootin’
tootin’ hot-time in the old town tonight!”
Willamette Week, March 2003
“Flat Mountain Girls - It’s some of that
corn-slurping old-time craziness, this time psycho-conducted from ‘30s
Appalachia by three clogging, harmony-singing female maniacs.”
Cd Baby reviews
2005
“Move over Uncle Earl. I haven’t enjoyed an
old time album so much since The Red Clay Ramblers were at the
height of their powers in the 70’s. The main draw here is the
kick ass singing, but the playing is raw and fine, too.”
Booking
Email: flatmountaingirls@yahoo.com
Tel: (503) 231-5915
Their
official website
I would like to thank the Flat Mountain Girls
for their help with this page.
