Song:Ain't No Grave
Album:Shaken By A Low Sound
Crooked Still is classified as a bluegrass group though they're more of a folk music group that uses bluegrass elements. You may have heard their recording of Ain't No Grave on the HBO series True Blood. Crooked Still are from Boston. Lead singer Aiofe O'Donovan was a student at the New England Conservatory of Music in 2001. She was in the folk group The Wayfaring Strangers and so was bassist Corey DeMario. They met cellist Rushad Eggleston and and banjo player Gregory Liszt and formed Crooked Still. Eggleston was studying at Berklee. They started playing local clubs. The CD Hop High was released in 2004 after adding violinist Brittany Haas. For the 2006 CD Shaken By A Low Sound, they signed with Signature Sounds to get better distribution. They perform mostly traditional music. Ain't No Grave appeared on the HBO series True Blood. Bluegrass traditionalists might not appreciate the use of the cello. But I think it works well within the context of the group. Eggleston left and was replaced by Tristan Claridge in 2008. Eggleston moved back to California and formed Tornado Rider. Crooked Still recorded three more albums and then went on hiatus after a 2011 tour. That hiatus became more permanent after Aiofe O'Donovan signed with Yep Roc. She has released three albums. Last year she toured with Sara Watkins and Sarah Jarosz. Brittany Haas is a member of the Dave Rawlings Machine. So though it doesn't look like Crooked Still will reform, their music should be of interest to folk and bluegrass fans. Here's Crooked Still performing Ain't No Grave at the Greenhoe Theater in Landmark College in Putney, VT Apr. 4, 2009.
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