BELLOWS FALLS — Bluegrass Gospel Project alums Taylor Armerding, Andy Greene, and Kirk Lord will perform original, time-honored, and contemporary Americana music at the Stone Church on the Hill in Bellows Falls at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 27.
Showcasing compelling, intricately braided vocals, richly textured instrumental work, and solid, innovative rhythm, the three band members bring decades of performing experience to the stage.
Armerding has been a passionate participant in the New England bluegrass/roots/Americana scene for decades.
A founding member of the Boston-based progressive bluegrass band Northern Lights, which recorded nine albums and won a Boston Music Award and a nomination for Song of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association, he achieved national prominence, including appearances at major festivals and tours with Peter Rowan and Vassar Clements.
In 2001, Armerding joined the beloved Vermont ensemble The Bluegrass Gospel Project, which delivered a diverse selection of sacred and secular material to audiences throughout New England until early 2017. Armerding also toured extensively with folk legend Jonathan Edwards, and since 2010 has been a member, along with his son, singer-songwriter Jake Armerding, of the acoustic group Barnstar.
Greene is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and one of Vermont's most versatile acoustic musicians. During the 1980s, he performed with the acoustic group Up the Creek. By the end of the decade, he joined the award-winning contemporary bluegrass band Breakaway as guitarist and principal songwriter; the group toured the East Coast and released several acclaimed recordings.
Greene was a member of The Bluegrass Gospel Project from 2001 until 2005, and in 2009 he formed The Modern Grass Quintet. The MGQ performed in Vermont and New York, recorded two CDs, and remained active on the festival circuit through 2015.
In the fall of 2016, Greene was enlisted to play the banjo with Northern Flyer. He also teaches music and facilitates studio production.
Lord is a sought-after bassist and a well-respected member of the New England bluegrass community. His early years as a rock 'n' roll and R&B musician included a stint with The Truth, and from the 1980s to the early 2000s, he performed with the northern Vermont-based groups Bob Degree & the Bluegrass Storm and Big Spike Bluegrass.
In 2008, Lord became the bassist for The Bluegrass Gospel Project and a year later he helped form The Modern Grass Quintet. By 2016, he added to his list of credits membership in Northern Flyer.
Along with his extensive background as a bluegrass bassist, Lord has shared the stage with numerous New England folk and Americana musicians, including Patti Casey and Colin McCaffrey. In addition to performing, he is an experienced stage and studio tech.