Tim O'Brien and Kris Drever

Tim O'Brien and Kris Drever


Grammy Award-winner O’Brien is a multi-instrumental American country and bluegrass musician. In addition to singing, he plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, bouzouki and mandocello.

Originally from Wheeling, West Virginia, but now based in Colorado, O’Brien grew up in the 1960s and 70s with his ears wide open to the melting pot music scene surrounding him, as well as the likes of the Beatles on the radio. As a teenager he taught himself to play the guitar, fiddle and mandolin, and in 1973, at 19, he dropped out of college and moved to Colorado to pursue music professionally.

In Colorado, he met guitarist Charles Sawtelle, banjoist Pete Wernick, and bassist/vocalist Nick Forster, with whom he formed Hot Rize in 1978. Over the next twelve years, the quartet earned recognition as one of America’s most innovative and entertaining bluegrass bands. Never straying too far from a traditional sound, Hot Rize stood out amongst the competition. In 1990 the group won the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Entertainer of the year award, and in 1993, and then again in 2006, O’Brien took the honours of IBMA Male Vocalist of the year.

A worldwide touring artiste, O’Brien is recognized as a pioneer in crossing musical genres. Of his latest album, he said:

“I could have taken all traditional songs, but I love stuff like California Blues and Busted, which are like folk songs to me, and they fit with the others, and it shows that what is called country music is just another footstep down the same path. Rock and roll, a lot of that is the same too.”

To date, Tim has released more than ten studio albums, and has had a top ten hit in the USA Billboard Hot Country Singles – he is literally one of the best in the business!

Tim will perform in alongside Orkney's own Kris Drever - for information on Kris, visit Lau's page.

more @
www.timobrien.net
www.myspace.com/timobrienmusic

www.krisdrever.com
www.myspace.com/krisdrevermusic