2010 Staff/Instructors

COSY SHERIDAN
Mythic songwriter Cosy Sheridan and her wryly insightful songs have been showcased everywhere from Carnegie Hall to The Dr Demento Show. In her new CD on Waterbug Records, Live At CedarHouse, listeners can sample a taste of Sheridan's live performances and see why she's been called "one of the era's finest and most thoughtful singer-songwriters" and why Acoustic Guitar Magazine wrote, "If I were going to throw an all-girl dinner party at which I wanted to laugh and cry from the hors d'oeuvres to the chocolate pudding, Cosy Sheridan is the first woman I'd invite."

TR RITCHIE
TR Ritchie is a stand-up storyteller and musician in the classic bard tradition, plus a multi-award winner and veteran of songwriting competitions at such festivals as Kerrville, Sisters, Napa Valley, Walnut Valley, Silverton Jubilee and Mountain Stage. Known for his spontaneous, engaging and spirited performances, Ritchie serves up his music with technical grace and unwinds the narrative of his life and times in words and song, by turns witty, insightful and philosophical. Doug Bright, writing in Heritage Music Review, says, "Ritchie dishes up a hearty, diversely spiced and nourishing bowl of 'chicken soup for the soul.'"

ALISA FINEMAN
Central California songwriter Alisa Fineman has garnered many awards for her "quietly radiant folk songs" (Larry Kelp, KPFA Berkeley). A nationally touring and recording artist, Alisa has performed on main stages that include the Kerrville and Sisters Folk Festivals, Strawberry Music Festival, and Kate Wolf Memorial Festival. Voted Monterey County Weekly's Best Folk Musician four years in a row, Alisa's songs explore a sense of place and the connections that shape our lives. With five CDs to her credit, Faith In Our Love, her most recent project, a co-creation with partner Kimball Hurd, has been receiving enthusiastic praise as "good medicine" and "comfort food for the soul" From fans and critics alike.

ERIC JONES
Eric Jones plays mandolin (and guitar)(and is a vocalist) for the popular western slope Bluegrass and Swing band Big Timbre, and has been a cornerstone of the regional music scene for many years. He was a founding member of the Irish-American band Keltika, and his music reflects a fondness for an eclectic mix of traditional Americana styles. A former student at the Steve Kaufman Mandolin Kamp in Tennessee, Eric continues to explore the many nuances of mandolin expressions.

TOM PRASADA RAO

KIMBALL HURD
A founding members of the critically acclaimed California-based national touring trio, City Folk, Kimball is a musician, producer and award-winning songwriter accomplished on not only guitar but also on mandolin, mandola, dobro and banjo. He has been featured on dozens of CD's as a studio performer and his touring experience includes over a thousand appearances with Martin Simpson and his Band of Angels, Tom Paxton, and musical partner Alisa Fineman, with whom he released a first CD last year, Faith In Our Love. Currently working toward a degree in music at Cabrillo College in Aptos, CA, his studies have included collaborations with such well-respected musicians as Nina Gerber and Jody Stecher,

MIKE SIMPSON

CHAD NIEHAUS
Chad is an award-winning artist based in Moab, Utah. He creates acrylic paintings, pastel drawings,and linocut prints inspired by the open spaces of the Colorado Plateau. His work has been featured in A Century of Sanctuary: The Art of Zion National Park,Painters of Utah's Canyons and Deserts, and on NPR's Radio West. Niehaus is currently serving as the official Community Artist in the Parks at Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.

DONI KIFFMEYER