Nora Jane Struther and the Bootleggers

On Friday, February 3, the  me&thee coffeehouse welcomes to our stage a rising Americana singer-songwriter and and her band, Nora Jane Struthers and the Bootleggers.  Only in her mid- twenties, this former high school teacher has received rave reviews for her self titled album.  This is one show you will not want to miss. Doors open at 7:30 PM for this 8:00 PM show at the me&thee coffeehouse which is located at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead at 28 Mugford Street.

Born in Virginia, raised in New Jersey, Nora Jane Struthers grew up singing and playing traditional music with her dad, Alan Struthers. After earning her degree in English Education from New York University, she spent three years teaching high school English in Brooklyn, NY. During these years, Nora Jane and her dad began performing out in New York City and New Jersey, as a duo under the name Dirt Road Sweetheart. In August of 2008, Nora Jane made a career change and moved to Nashville, TN where she recorded her debut album, comprised of eleven original songs and one traditional song. The record, which features some of Nashville's A-List players (Stuart Duncan, Tim O'Brien, Bryan Sutton, Dennis Crouch, and many more) was produced and recorded by industry stalwart Brent Truitt and was released independently in June 2010, staying in the top 40 of the Americana Radio Chart for 14 weeks.

Two days before the release of her record, Nora Jane Struthers and her band, The Bootleggers, won the prestigious Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition (previous winners include Nickel Creek, The Dixie Chicks & Bearfoot). In both 2009 and 2010 Nora Jane was a finalist in The Telluride Troubadour Competition and in 2009, she and the Bootleggers won the Neo-traditional Band Competition at the Appalachian String Band Gathering in Clifftop, WV where Nora Jane was also given the award for Best New Song.

The Bootleggers are: P. J. George - upright bass, harmony, Ward Stout - fiddle, harmony, and Dave Goldenberg, mandolin. Originally from Salem, VA, P.J. George is the primary harmony singer in The Bootleggers.  With a degree in Music Education, P.J. is a talented multi-instrumentalist, proficient on piano, guitar, mandolin, drums, banjo, fiddle and has recently taken up the pedal steel guitar.  Nora Jane & P. J. often perform as a duo and during these shows P. J.'s instrumental skills truly shine. Originally from Wellsville, NY, Ward Stout has been playing fiddle professionally since he was 17 years old with some of the finest bluegrass and country bands on the continent including Bob Paisley and Southern Grass, The Weary Hearts, The Bluegrass Cardinals, Special Consensus, Tracy Lawrence, and Aaron Tippin. Ward is a master of the three T's - taste, tone, and timing.  Originally from St. Louis, MO, Dave Goldenberg is a recent graduate of Berklee School of Music which a degree in Mandolin Performance.  Dave is an extremely versatile player, able to mash a Bill Monroe style "Bluegrass Stomp", transpose a Bach violin concerto, and improvise around the head of jazz standards with equal ease. 

Tickets for the performance by Nora Jane Struthers and the Bootleggers are $18 in advance and $21 at the door.  Tickets are available online at www.meanthee.org and can be purchased in person in Marblehead at either the Spirit of ’76 Bookstore or the Arnould Gallery As at all me & thee coffeehouse events, refreshments are available, including homemade pastries, coffee, and teas.  The me & thee has a handicapped-accessible entrance and an accessible bathroom, is a smoke-free environment, and is easily reached by MBTA bus.  The me & thee is the oldest continually running acoustic coffeehouse in New England, and probably the country.   The me & thee has been and will always be a volunteer, non-profit organization sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Marblehead.  For information and directions, call 781-631-8987 or check the website www.meandthee.org.