(About The Heather Berry & Tony Mabe Show CD)
“Why is it so difficult to write a review about a project that is so wonderful?! No Matter what I write that won’t begin to say how I feel about this project. I played this project for six days in a row (approximately 16x) and I still couldn’t get my fill. When I thought I heard it all, I played it again, and I discovered something I missed the last time I heard it. This project is the “sound of traditional American music”. The voice of Heather Berry is something very special. Add to that the voice of Tony Mabe and you have a one two punch that is lethal. Their lead and harmony singing are amazing! If that wasn’t enough, just listen to their instrumental prowess on the banjo, guitar and autoharp. I guarantee that you will be impressed! I loved each and every song on this project. On a scale of 1 to 10 this is a 12!! This CD should win an IBMA award for best project! You’ll be sorry if you don’t add this one to your library. I can’t wait to share it with my listeners!”
~ Al Shusterman, DJ for Backroads Bluegrass on KBCL in Fair Oaks, CA
“Tom T. and I had Heather, herself, pegged for a while now as being “as awesome as Allison, of the same caliber of Emmylou and unassumingly sharing the legendary quality of Maybelle.” Then along came Tony to add even more magic and creating what is now the Heather & Tony Show. To quote Tom T., “Heather and Tony go together like biscuits and gravy; my favorite music and my favorite breakfast.”
During the Medallion Ceremony, when Tom T. was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, Heather and Tony with autoharp, guitar and Heather’s voice brought the crowd of music world dignitaries to its feet. Later former head of Opryland Bud Wendell prophesied “Miss Dixie, your girl is going to be a great star”. Accolades for the talented twosome flow freely through multiple genres including Bluegrass, Country, Gospel, Folk, Americana and from many areas of musical involvement. It impresses us that we are in accord with intelligent well informed people of such good taste.
“Heather Berry’s pure angelic voice brought us to our knees the first time we heard her sing. She has been uniquely blessed with a pure talent and love for acoustic roots music that will endear anyone who hears her.” ~ Laura & John Carter Cash
“In the music business we spend a lot of time talking about purity, beauty, tone, pitch, and heart. Then Heather Berry sings and we just shut up and listen.” ~ Peter Cooper, Senior Music Writer, The Tennessean, Americana Artist, Grammy Nominee
“Her guitar and autoharp playing are so Carter Family like she should’ve been born a Carter. As far as I’m concerned, she is one.” ~ Dale Jett, son of Jeanette Carter, Grandson of Sara & AP Carter
“I’m hoping to see more of Heather Berry & Tony in the Americana Genre.” ~ Joyce Ziehli, Publisher, Americana Gazette
“She’s pure good: an engineer’s dream.” ~ Rebekah Long, Recording Engineer
We’re proud of you Heather & Tony. Thanks for recording our songs. Walk Slow!”
- Dixie Hall
Before Bluegrass
“Heather Berry is from the Great Valley of the Shenandoah, a place rich in shades of blue and green, and where American singing is steeped in community, family, and church. She sings with her beloved Tony, blending voices and instruments in a melodic style invented back when the noisy new automobile was scaring horses, John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd were in short britches, Victoria was the Old Queen, and Civil War veterans marched in all the July 4 parades, scaring the bejesus out of the kids with the Rebel yell.
Heather and Tony prove that old parlor style is still a great sound, and Dixie and Tom T. Hall have composed some new songs that fit well in the old keys. Before bluegrass? Well, yeah. But not before creecy greens, a yum, yum free food from the cornfields that fed a lot of mountain people devoted to crumbling cornbread into creecy pot liquor. Creecy greens can grow under snow and arrive in late winter, free for the taking.. So sing along with Heather and Tony, they are a small young family, and perhaps you will smell some creecies cooking…”
- Joe Wilson, National Council of The Traditional Arts
Heather on: Before Bluegrass
My husband and I have been wanting to record a project like this since we first started dating. Now thanks to Tom T. and Dixie Hall and Blue Circle Records, we are so happy to present this album to you.
These are the kind of songs that we grew up on, and are very near and dear to our hearts. For name’s sake, we’re calling this “Before Bluegrass” because it really is the style of music that bluegrass came from.
From the late 20’s on up through the early 40’s, this was the kind of music that was being played in the hills and mountains, especially in the South East, and what was popular on the radio all over the country at that time. The folks that made it famous like the Original Carter Family, Jimmy Rodgers, and Charlie Poole (to name just a few) are some of out biggest influences. And we want to not only help to preserve the heartfelt, beautifully pure music that they made, but to also maybe introduce it to new audiences
who will hopefully love it just as much as us.
All of these songs were recorded completely live. There are no punches, vocal tuning, or effect; just honest “homegrown” music that means the world to us.
- Heather Berry Mabe