Red River Breeze

Red River Breeze is an instrumental acoustic instrumental quintet that plays traditional Celtic, Renaissance, Old-Time and World music. The group, which has been in existence for over sixteen years, is based in Clarksville, Tennessee and plays traditional instruments including hammered dulcimer, fiddle, penny whistle, Renaissance recorders, bouzouk... i, guitar, bodhran and djembe. Current m embers of the group are Stephanie Taylor, the founder of the group and the hammered dulcimer, Irish whistle and recorder player; Melanie Beck on fiddle and bouzouki; Vanessa Green on Irish whistle and bodhran; Esther Sooter on cello and vocals; and David Magers on guitar, hammered dulcimer and djembe. Red River Breeze was created around 1999 when Stephanie Taylor began playing Celtic music on recorders and penny whistle with guitar accompaniment in local restaurants and coffee shops in Clarksville, TN - a dream she had had for many years. When Stephanie "discovered" the hammered dulcimer in 2004, the instrument quickly became her primary interest and so she began asking her daughter, Sarah Clark, to join the group on penny whistle and recorder. Sarah, as a good daughter should, finally agreed! As fate would have it, the band grew quickly after this with Byron Dumas joining on fiddle, Steve Jones on upright bass and followed in rapid order with Dixie Jones on guitar, David Elder on mandolin, Melanie Beck on fiddle, and last but not least, David Magers on guitar and occasionally (when Stephanie lets him...), on hammered dulcimer. Over time, the band has added and said goodbye to members as life's other responsibilities had to take priority. We've said goodbye to Steve and Dixie Jones, David Elder (twice!) and Sarah Clark. Currently, Red River Breeze is made up of Stephanie Taylor, Melanie Beck, David Magers, and new members Vanessa Green on Irish whistle and Esther Sooter on cello. Red River Breeze's first album, "Friday Night Favorites", was recorded in May 2006 with Stephanie Taylor, Sarah Clark, Byron Dumas, David Elder, ...Read More