Winner of the 2011 Rose Garden Performing Songwriter contest!
Ron somewhat personifies the struggling songwriter... he writes great songs straight from the heart but has challenges in getting them out there. A quiet, soft-spoken man, Carlson seems to prefer communicating through his songs and does that very successfully. In winning the Rose Garden Coffeehouse's 2011 Performing Songwriter Competition, Carlson mesmerized the crowd with a song romanticizing an old Ford Taurus that was passed down through three generations, then turned to his octave mandolin to tell a touching story about a tree that was dying in the backyard but, through his procrastination, it lived and then began to support creature life again.
Carlson lives with his wife Bettie in North Oxford, MA and is a paper-hanger by trade. He began dabbling in music at age 13 and plays numerous string instruments including guitar, octave mandolin, banjo, and ukulele.
We can't wait to hear more of his songs if they are anything like the two he played in the competition -
Barbara Phaneuf
Barb as been around the block a couple of times, and she would not be unhappy about being described this way. A writer of songs both funny and poignant, she was on a fast track early in her career, performing with some of the very top singer-songwriters of the day. Then, life got in the way and she kind of put her music away for a while. But when she returned, it was with a box full of wonderful new songs that she delivered in her typical cheerful and bouncy way. Of course her voice is a true and beautiful instrument, but her abilities on the guitar often amaze those seeing her for the first time. A country-folkie at heart, she sometimes slides into some jazz progressions and swing chords that help liven up every performance.
Barb is also a playwright, having written a 15-song musical called "PURR." Not surprisingly, a steady theme thought her life has been a cat presence.
Here is Barb performing "Hot Flash Streak" at a private house party:
"Picky", from PURR the musical. Written by Barb, performed by Aoife Clancy and Jessican Phanuef:
"My Old Street", off of Barb's 1997 album "Good Company"
