Mia Adams & The Scenic Roots

***2010 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival "Emerging Artist Showcase" Performer***

***2008 Great Waters Folk Festival Songwriting Competition Finalist***

"Mia Adams' soulful heart and earthy groove infuse her singing and make everyone who hears her feel a little less lonely each time she takes the stage."
Tom Kimmel

In the musical tradition of Emmylou Harris, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt or Maura OConnell, Mia Adams has a knack for choosing undiscovered covers written by top-notch songwriters. A passionate fan of passionate music, she sleuths for songs at picking parties, songwriter circles, folk festivals, jazz clubs and rock concerts and makes them her own with her silky, earnest alto. Lately, she's begun to pepper in a few of her own tunes as well. As a lark, she submitted her own compositions to the Jim Beam Country Band Search Contest in 2001. Winning the live competition to a packed house at The Wildhorse Saloon was a happy surprise as her music is more funky folk pop than country, but it does go to show that she can put across a tune. Her cover of Dana Coopers Standing in My Own Way was featured in Lifetime Televisions Marriage Material.

After graduating Bennington College in her native Vermont, this songbird packed her bags and migrated south to Nashville. Learning the ropes as a backup singer, Adams has performed live and/or recorded vocals with Norah Jones, Richard Julian, Amos Lee, Ellis Paul, Tom Kimmel, Sam Bisbee, Adrienne Young, Buddy Mondlock, Dana Cooper, Michael Lille, Louise Taylor, Greta Gaines, David Halley, Scott Christopher Murray, Patrick Fitzsimmons and Toni Catlin. Recently she had the pleasure of performing on The Today Show singing backup for Norah Jones, on Mountain Stage with Richard Julian broadcast nationally on NPR and being featured on her own on The Songwriter Sessions on Nashville Public Radio. At Burlingtons Higher Ground, she's opened for Vusi Mahlasela, Ellis Paul and one of her personal musical heroes,Maia Sharp. She also recently opened for Buddy Mondlock. She recently performed In The Round at The Bluebird Cafe's tent at the first ever Country Throwdown tour and at Falconridge Folk Festival 2010 in the Emerging Songwriters Showcase. A regular for Burlington's First Night Celebration, she hosts her own In The Round Songwriter series at On The Rise in Richmond, VT featuring some of Vermont's finest.

Mia grew up on a mixed musical diet of New England folk (Cheryl Wheeler, Carly Simon), 70s disco & rock (Stevie Wonder, Elton John) and 80s pop (Prince,The GoGos, Marshall Crenshaw). A true renaissance gal, Mia is an accomplished actress as well. She recently was a guest star on HAWAII FIVE-0 and originated the role of Maddie in Maura Campbell's FLOWER DUET. She has been featured in videos for Suzi Ragsdale and Buddy Mondlocks music on European MTV, made a cameo appearance in Norah Jones Sunrise and has appeared on TNN, CMT, CBS, PBS, and PAX TV. Her dream role would be to portray the life of a singer a la Sissy Spacek or Jessica Lange. She is currently developing a one-woman show to showcase her talents. My acting background affects the material I choose, she says, Most of it is very emotionally driven either through the story or the melody. I find myself gravitating towards songs that are almost like monologuesan infectious groove will also get me every time. She counts Sam Phillips, Patty Griffin, Eliza Gilkyson, Aimee Mann, Jonatha Brooke, Shawn Colvin and Edie Brickell on her short list of contemporary influences.

Also a percussionist on occasion, anything from brushes on an upside down Crystal water container to Fischer Price Toys has been turned into a beat keeper in her hands. So far no drummers taken a shaker out of my hands, and I usually get approving nods., she says, I play self taught auxiliary percussion with professional instruments mixed with odd noisy stuff I find at yard sales.

Currently, Adams is pulling resources to record her first albums worth of material.