Wil Maring and Robert Bowlin Live at The Frisco Depot

As a teenager Wil Maring sat for long summer hours at her family’s roadside vegetable stand , picking out selfmade tunes on her Sears guitar to pass the time. She never dreamed of the path she would one day follow. Wil has become a highly respected songwriter, a winner of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting
Contest at Merlefest, a Kerrville New Folk Finalist, and has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry with her original music, in addition to touring extensively in Europe and Japan . The well-crafted songs, her solid rhythm and fingerstyle guitar work, and her clear, airy, expressive vocals give her music a unique, appealing
sound. Added to the contributions of the accomplished musicians with whom she tours, you get a beautiful original acoustic music which straddles the fence between bluegrass, folk, and acoustic country, sometimes containing subtle hints of celtic, oldtime, and even pop music. Her songs paint pictures of the rural southern Illinois landscapes where she grew up, and delve deep into universal human emotions, evoking a nostaglic, introspective melancholy that delivers the listener to a comfortable, hopeful place. Wil’s music is a heartfelt music, not easy to categorize.
The songs stand strong by themselves, whether performed as a duo or with Shady Mix, her band. Wil’s live performances of original music are spiced with songs from the bluegrass, western, folk and country genres, to form a wide repertoire of acoustic music sure to please almost any audience. Her live show seems to appeal to all age groups, from the toddlers dancing in front of the stage to the seniors requesting the songs their parents used to sing. Increasingly, requests are coming from the originals on the six Wil Maring /Shady Mix releases to date. As Dave Higgs, respected host of Nashville Public Radio’s nationally syndicated bluegrass program describes the performance: “Absolutely, hands-down some of the most mesmerizing, exciting, interesting and enjoyable acoustic music I have ever heard. Wil’s songs are just in a league of their own, and the picking…. the interplay between (the musicians) is simply astonishing. Not clones — but an inspired group with a different message. I love it!”

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

“I think Wil is one of the most talented singer/songwriters around… love her music.”
– Carl Jackson, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter/producer

“Wil Maring, one of the most underrated writers in bluegrass, returns with a new collection of songs about familiar topics like home, family, the road, and relationships. Her approach is refreshingly intimate and subtle, rendering the songs simultaneously contemporary and timeless, in a way that rewards repeated listening. The singing matches the grace of the songwriting, and her top notch regular band, with great guests like Rob Ickes and Stuart Duncan, couches everything in shimmering, spacious sound. Plus there’s a great cover of a Stevie Winwood song – how’s that for contemporary bluegrass?”
– Bruce Bergathon “Acousticity” WGLT, Bloomington, IL

“When you are finished reading this review, please, please go to her website and have a listen to her voice. I can’t even begin to describe what it is about it that attracts me so. Is it the easy back-porch alto, the slight twang, the way it just sounds real? ……Whether you focus on the heartfelt poetry of the lyrics or the gently intricate playing, Maring and company welcome you to a very genuine place in the country. Essential!”
– Michael Devlin, Music Matters Reviews

“Don’t get much better than this…. Nothing else to add except to urge you buy this excellent album.”
– Maverick Country Music Magazine, United Kingdom

“Congratulations, Wil, on another great record! Strong songwriting, excellent production, and stellar players – this one will be getting lots of spins!”
– Bud Johnson, host of syndicated Acoustic Accents, Tok, Alaska

Admission $5