DANA ROBINSON - Songwriter | Americana | Old-Time

Richard Dana Robinson was born in Eugene, Oregon in 1961, and raised in the Bay Area of

California. His childhood and teen years were infused with the music of the Beatles, Simon

and Garfunkel, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and the popular singer-songwriters of the 70s.

Dana took up the guitar at ten years old and began writing songs emulating the sounds he

was absorbing. In 1977, Dana spent his sophomore year of high school in London and was

exposed to the punk scene and prog rock bands of the time, which became an

undercurrent to his attitude and musical style.

From 1979 to 1983 Dana hitchhiked relentlessly across the western United States, restless

and looking for a place to take root. In 1984 after a summer spent busking around Europe

he found a home in Northampton, Massachusetts. Dana took a job cooking at The Iron Horse, an intimate, 100-seat music club. There he witnessed performances from some of

the great songwriters and musicians of the time. Artists such as Shawn Colvin, Loudon

Wainwright, Bill Staines, Martin Simpson and Doc Watson provided live examples of how

one person, armed with a guitar, could move an audience and make a living doing it. In

1986 Dana released his debut recording, Threshold Music.

In 1987 Dana changed direction and moved to Vermont where he bought 30 acres of land,

built a cabin off the grid, started a bakery business, and had a son. In 1995, Dana released

his first CD, Elemental Lullabye. That summer, Dan Storper (Putumayo Music) heard the

album and invited Dana to be a part of the “Shelter” benefit, which included a performance

at Carnegie Hall in New York city. Being included in a project with some of the most lauded

contemporary songwriters of the time gave Dana the confidence he needed to pursue

songwriting full time.

In the 25 years from 1995 to 2020, Dana (with his wife, Susan joining him to become a

duo in 2002) recorded a dozen albums, played thousands of concerts, and toured over a

million miles across the United States and the United Kingdom. Their music has been

featured in Ken Burns’ documentaries (Our National Parks - 2009, The Dust Bowl - 2012),

as well as several small, indie films.

In 2017 Dana was invited to become Executive Director of Cabot Arts, a non-profit arts

organisation in his home village of Cabot in Central Vermont. There he founded several

music and arts festivals, including Old-time On The Onion, the Cabot Village 12th Night

Celebration, Green Mountain Old-time Workshop Weekend, The Cabot Arts and Music

Festival, and The Cheese and Culture Festival. Dana has also hosted dozens of concerts

and musical workshops featuring folk and acoustic artists from across North America and

the United Kingdom.

Dana’s songwriting expresses a reverence for nature and the landscape. Inspired by

contemporary writers such as Robert Macfarlane, Barry Lopez, and Annie Dillard, Dana’s

writing captures places in time with uncanny detail to reflect truths and connection with the

forces that shape our lives. Dana’s lyrics strive to remind us that we have agency in the

world despite the daunting and shifting challenges that life presents.

Dana’s sound embodies the spirit of places that he has lived: the expansiveness of the

Western States, the intimacy of New England, the passion of Great Britain’s traditional

ballads, and the grit of Southern Appalachia. Dana incorporates elements of old-time and

country blues with rock and folk sensibilities. Equally adept at American flat picking and

English fingerstyle, Dana often combines them to create a rhythmic style uniquely his own.

Dana’s fiddle playing is influenced by the Round Peak-style from North Carolina.

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Please note this ticket price DOES include a BYOB fee should you wish to bring alcohol to the venue.

All additional purchases of non alcoholic drinks and home baked sweet treats from the cafe counter are always very much appreciated.

Description supplied by the event organiser.