Moonshine Holler profile picture

Moonshine Holler

About Me

Moonshine Holler (Paula Bradley and Bill Dillof) is a versatile husband & wife duet who play and sing traditional music of the southern mountains: heartsongs, ballads, hillbilly blues, minstrel ditties and breakdowns, with some old-time flatfooting to boot! Their love and knowledge of American traditional music is evident in their lively and engaging performances, and their repertoire reflects a wide range of traditional music styles – from the plaintive singing of the Carter Family to the fast fiddle breakdowns of the southern stringbands. Both Paula and Bill are accomplished musicians who have performed at many festivals, including the Philadelphia Folk Festival, the Alaska Folks Festiva, the Wheatland Music Festival,MN OT and Bluegrass Festival, Renfro Valley Barn Dance, Bluff Country Gathering, Pinewoods Folk Music Week, Hillbilly Days in Pikeville, KY, and the Hudson Clearwater Revival. Additionally, they are sought-after traditional music teachers and have been staff instructors at Augusta (Elkins, WV) and Swannanoa (Asheville, NC) Old-Time Weeks, Rocky Mountain Fiddle Camp, the Maryland Banjo Academy, and the Bluff Country Gathering (Lanesboro, MN). They also recently performed live music for an equity production of the play “The Knights of Mary Phagan”. Paula and Bill reside in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts. Paula also plays with Jawbone (Bruce Molsky & Tony Trischka) as well as tinkles the ivories with honkytonk heroines Girl Howdy.I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 06/03/2007
Band Website: www.runmountain.com
Band Members: Bill Dillof: guitar, harmonica, banjo, Hawaiian guitar, fiddle,vocals . . . . . . Paula Bradley: guitar, banjo, banjo-ukulele, vocals, Appalachian clogging, kazoo
Influences: Bill and Paula draw their inspiration from rare 78 rpm recordings of the southern "old-time" music of the 1920s and 30s, including artists such as Ernest V. Stoneman, The Carter Family, Uncle Dave Macon, Jimmie Tarlton, Wilmer Watts, B.F. Shelton, Will Gilmer, Dilly, Dock Boggs, The Blue Sky Boys, Jimmie Rodgers and G.B. Grayson. With deep devotion to the diverse and haunting textures of that era, Bill and Paula represent their favorites on period instruments (guitar, banjo, fiddle, Hawaiian guitar, banjo-ukulele, harmonica) in sundry and often surprising combinations.
Sounds Like: “Being passionate about early country music means nothing less than a lifetime of study and devotion. You eat, drink and breathe these wonderful old traditions until they become part of your being and you can speak from them with clarity and inspiration. Paula & Bill are two artists who have done just that. As Moonshine Holler, their sweet music will transport you to a wonderfully different place and time and leave you a smile on your face and a lilt in your step.” - Bruce Molsky . . . . . . “Paula & Bill are two of the most versatile and knowledgeable old-time musicians I know. They can pull off so many facets of the tradition with such ease. They’re great players, great singers, and they know how to have fun!” - Rayna Gellert . . . . . “You can be pretty confident that any group featuring Bill and Paula will come up with old-time music of the best sort” - Tom Paley, founding memeber, New Lost City Ramblers . . . . . “It’s a joy to watch a husband-wife team that has so much fun on stage. Moonshine Holler offers up great vocals and spine-tingling duet harmonies, sweet picking and twangin’, more instruments than you can shake a stick at, and a varied repertoire that ranges from fiery old-time fiddle chestnuts to little-known country crooners. Highly recommended!” - Rani Arbo, of Signature Sounds recording artists, Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem
Record Label: Unsigned

My Blog

Ernest Stoneman Tribute, Galax, VA, Sept. 5 - 6, 2008

I am back home now after a glorious swing down to Galax for the Stoneman Tribute at the Rex Theater and Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax and on the WPAQ Merry-Go-Round in Mt. Airy, NC. It went far bet...
Posted by on Thu, 11 Sep 2008 23:01:00 GMT

Harry Smith Frolic

We are back home from the Harry Smith Frolic. Paula and I were so weary when we left Sunday afternoon that we took the long, lazy way back through the western Massachusetts countryside rather than suf...
Posted by on Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:42:00 GMT

Estey reed organ

I would like to announce that Paula and I have just acquired an Estey portable (fold-up) reed organ: oak case, two pedals and very heavy. After two days I figured out how to open it & Paula has be...
Posted by on Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:27:00 GMT

Mt. Airy

Ok, we're new at this, we admit! Just back from the Mt. Airy Fiddlers Convention - more fun that you can shake a banjo at!  Paula's thrill - playing in a session with Benton Flippen. Whoa. Bill's...
Posted by on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:35:00 GMT