Bill Staines

Now in his sixth decade of performing, Bill Staines tells heartfelt stories in song of places he's been and people he's met. Bill's songs have turned into folk standards, running through the repertoires of several generations of performers including Jerry Jeff Walker, Grandpa Jones, Fairport Convention, Priscilla Herdman, Gordon Bok, Aiofe Clancy, and Peter, Paul and Mary. He's a champion yodeler, a wit to match the standup world's best, a guitarist with a unique style (a southpaw, he plays a right-handed guitar upside down), and a musician with a gift for instantly memorable tunes that are liable to turn into singalongs at any time. Says Nanci Griffith (for whom Staines's "Roseville Fair" has been a longtime staple): "Bill Staines has been my hero since 1977. He carries on where Woody left off—carrying on the tradition of stories and characters you wish you knew."