Allison Williams plays old-time clawhammer banjo in a modern context. A native of the Arkansas Ozarks, Allison got her start as a punk rock musician before rediscovering her musical roots. Years in the mountains of North Carolina educated her in Southern banjo styles, especially the fast, distinctive styles of Hobart Smith and Wade Ward. In 2005 she formed the Forge Mountain Diggers, a hard-driving oldtime band, with Freight Hoppers fiddler David Bass. Allison Williams' solo CD "Give Me the Roses" features driving arrangements of traditional songs, as well as eclectic originals, woven together by a talented backing band: alumni of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the Wiyos, among others.
Chance McCoy is a master in the art of mountain fiddling. The roots of his music reach back to ancient Scotland, Ireland and Africa, blended through the melting pot of early America, and distilled in the mountains for centuries into a unique music passed from one generation to the next. Hailing from West Virginia, a state known for its rich, long standing music tradition, Chance is widely known for his powerful fiddling which has earned many blue ribbons, including the West Virginia Championship.
Allison & Chance have been performing together since they debuted on BBC television in 2009, live at London's Barbican, as part of the Folk America series. Their textured harmonies and tight fiddle/banjo duets bring the power and sweetness of mountain music alive.
"Accomplished and exuberant."
- The Observer (U.K.)