Amy Kucharik is a singer-songwriter and ukulele player who grew up in Southern Illinois and currently lives in Somerville, MA. She picked up the ukulele when a friend taught her to play "Ghost Riders in the Sky" during a birthday party, and began writing songs on it almost immediately; after getting laid off from an editing job, Amy started performing on a regular basis and never looked back. She is known for sweet ukulele sounds and sassy lyrics, delivered with a voice and style that recall early jazz and blues performers, but with a modern sensibility. Amy has performed at venues in Somerville, Cambridge, and the greater Boston area as well as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Dallas and St. Louis. She is backed on this album by an impressive lineup of musicians, including horn and string players, sometimes known as "Friends (With Benefits)." Amy is also a visual artist, and she creates all her own album art and band flyers. The artwork for Cunning Folk was created on scratchboard and colored via Photoshop. Amy's songwriting is influenced by her love of swing and blues dancing, and her band has performed at dance events including Sweet Molasses Blues 2013 in Boston and Montreal Bagel & Blues 2014. Her EP, Dance Crush Blues, recorded especially for dancers, is available on Bandcamp.com. Cunning Folk includes a broader musical spectrum, including folk, country and klezmer influences as well as blues and jazz. The songs focus around ideas of culpability and the power of persisting and owning one's own fate. But philosophizing aside, these tracks are ultimately catchy and dance-worthy. All songs by Amy Kucharik (ASCAP) (C)(P)2014 Amy Kucharik - Vocals, ukulele, goat bells Khrysti Smyth - Backing vocals Randi Bernier - Trumpet Tim Lewandowski - Trombone Jeremy Valadez - Saxophone, clarinet Michael Valdez - Piano, keyboards Chris Sartori - Upright bass on 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 & 10 Greg Toro - Upright bass on 1 & 8 George Woods - Guitars Ariel Bernstein - Drums Lang Zerner - Washboard Ansel Barnum - Harmonica Bethany Weiman - Cello Amy Levine - Violin Jake Bush - Accordion Tim Mason - Voice of doom Produced by George Woods Engineered by Tom Bianchi & Ariel Bernstein Mixed by Andrew Rumschlag Mastered by Nick Zampiello & Rob Gonnella at New Alliance East Photography by Devon Rowland Art and design by Amy Kucharik Associate Producer - Bob Colleary