Buddy Mondlock
Buddy Mondlock writes songs. He does it so well that some great songwriters have recorded his songs on their own albums. Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, and Janis Ian, to name just a few. You mightʼve heard his song “The Kid” (recorded by David Wilcox, Peter, Paul and Mary and Cry, Cry, Cry) and maybe even sung it yourself around a campfire. He draws you into his world – where a single snowflake follows the trajectory of a relationship, where you get you pocket picked by a Roman cat, where you might swim over the edge of the world if youʼre not careful and where dreams that donʼt come true still count.
When Buddyʼs not on the road you can find him in Nashville but he grew up in Park Forest, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. He didnʼt have a troubled childhood. His parents were nice to him. They paid for guitar lessons when he was ten and they never said, “when are you going to get a real job?” He sang Crosby, Stills and Nash songs with his sisters and answered his little brotherʼs questions from the top bunk. A few years away at college puzzling over Homer and Plato and then he was back. Living in the big city this time and playing open mics at Chicagoʼs crucible for songwriters in those days, the famed Earl of Old town. He once opened for the amazing Steve Goodman there on New Yearʼs Eve. Buddy was 21. Says he could have walked out of there that night and gotten hit by a bus and he wouldnʼt have felt like life cheated him at all.
Along with his concerts Buddy teaches songwriting workshops as well. In 2012 he was on staff at the Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson college in North Carolina teaching two intensive courses over a weekʼs time. And in 2013 Buddy returned once again to the Kerrville Folk Festival to perform and teach at the song school there.
Dana Cooper
Out of the heartland of America, stomping grounds of Truman and Twain, “powerhouse” troubadour Dana Cooper dedicated himself to a life of music over 40 years ago. This song poet engages and inspires audiences around the world with his quick wit, insightful stories and commanding presence. He is the recipient of the 2014 Heritage Musician award from Pilgrim Center for the Arts in Kansas City, MO. He was also named the 2015 Spirit of Folk award winner by Folk Alliance International. He has performed on Austin City Limits, Mountain Stage and the Kerrville Folk Festival where he was nominated for their Hall of Fame. Cooper’s songs have been recorded by top-notch artists such as bluegrass star Claire Lynch; Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell; and luminary songwriters Pierce Pettis and Susan Werner. Cooper’s mixture of flat-picking, finger-picking and percussive strumming style is legend among other guitarists. An expressive singer his voice is ageless evoking a rich lifetime of experience.
His prolific endeavors have resulted in 20 albums. The critically acclaimed Miracle Mile on Compass Records was nominated for a Nashville Music Award as “Best Pop Album” and was chosen by Performing Songwriter magazine as one of the top DIY recordings for the year. Harry Truman Built a Road was named one of the best records of 2002 by The Tennessean and was also chosen as one of the top twelve DIY recordings for that year. Made of Mud released on King Easy Records in 2005 won Cooper the “Best Male Songwriter Award” by Indie Acoustic Project. Working with co-producer/guitarist Thomm Jutz, Cooper released Building a Human Being in September, 2015. This is Cooper’s 25th album and it’s gaining momentum on Americana radio stations all over the US.
Bill West
One voice. One guitar. Over 1,500 shows and counting. 9 states. 2 countries. Over 100,000 miles on the road. Thousands of satisfied listeners. Smooth vocals. Lyrics that come from a heart that shares the exact same memories as yours. Melodies that create instant nostalgia