The Cupcakes
Woodstock, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2012 | INDIE
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This review is from: Trouble & Joy (Audio CD)
Take three women who have been on the “folk music” scene for more years than they probably want to admit (hey, it’s more “experience”) and put them together to write songs for a trio and throw in some cover songs (the Carole King/Howard Greenfield Everly Brothers hit “Crying in the Rain”; Willie Dixon’s “The Same Thing” – from the female point of view) and what do you get? The Cupcakes.
Recent news report have said the “cupcake craze has died down; the chain of Crumbs bakeries has closed up shop) but not here. With this – their first release – they are making some pretty fine music.
The trio consists of Lyn (short for Lyndon, by the way) Hardy who recorded many albums with her former husband Jay Ungar (as Jay & Lyn), Ely Wininger (whose solo albums I’ve always enjoyed) and Janice Hardgrove (who is the only one of the three I wasn’t familiar with, who is apparently an award winning cupcake baker. Now I know she writes songs too. Four of the 13 songs are her compositions)
The CD comes in a very simple cardboard sleeve with monochrome photos of the trio on both front and back and a track list (with writing credits and times) plus the production credits. Lyrics are always nice to have but the voices are clear enough that I didn’t need them.
If you like folk music from the 1960s and 70s when lyrics were simple and just fun to sing, I think this trio from upstate New York will fill your bill. Take a bite and see for yourself.
I hope you found this review both informative and helpful.
Steve Ramm
“Anything Phonographic” - Steve Ramm
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
The Cupcakes ...is a Trio performing Acoustic, Americana, and Folk/Traditional
Recipe for The Cupcakes: Start with 3 uber talented women; add 5-6 instruments, (3 at a time); then cream together with a bouquet of awards for songwriting and independent music. Stir in 6 CDs, sprinkle with jingles, tours with famous people, production credits, and videos. Ice the whole thing with
humor and harmony. No need to bake- The Cupcakes definitely do the cooking!
Janice Hardgroves first memory with music goes way back to singing harmony on such songs as "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" with her grandfather at the age of 4. She grew up to become a jingle singer and, for over a decade, she sang national jingles for everyone from McDonald's, to Diet Coke, AT&T, Burger King, Pepsi, and on and on. As co-owner of London by Night Productions, she co-produced and arranged albums for John Gorka, Christine Lavin and Lucy Kaplansky, as well as scoring numerous national videos for Ricoh, At&T, and Schick, among others. Her song "Chamomile Flowers" is archived in the Smithsonian Institution. She also received 2 honorable mentions in Billboard's International Songwriting Competition in 2009. Currently she is working on her "Saturday Morning Songs" album, singing with the Dharma Bums and most notably performing with The Cupcakes!
Lyn Hardy has performed folk, rock, old time, contra, blues, and country music in the USA, Canada and Europe since 1965. She has toured and recorded with Jay Ungar, The Putnam String County Band, Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys, and David Bromberg. Lyn formed and wrote most of the songs for Rude Girls, an eclectic all woman band renowned for their beautiful, outrageous and humorous music. Their first album, Rude Awakening (Flying Fish/Rounder Records) earned a NAIRD Award (National Association of Independent Record Dealers) for Best String Band Album. Lyns song, "The Ballad of Francine Hughes was chosen by the Smithsonian Institution for the Folk Song America- A 20th Century Revival collection, and Ronnie Gilbert recorded Lyn and David Hornungs, "Girl in the Red Velvet Dress. Lyn has six albums to her credit, and in addition to being a Cupcake, she plays with her daughter Ruth Merenda, cellist Abby Newton and her daughter Rosie Newton in the Mother Daughter String Band.
Elly Wininger got her start in the NYC Folk Revival scene playing blues and ragtime guitar in the basket houses of Greenwich Village. She played opening night at CBGB and performed there regularly and in other NYC venues such as Kennys Castaways, Dr. Generositys, Folk City & the Bitter End. She was a 2010 Official Showcase Selection at the Folk Alliance Midwest Conference and a 2010 Songwriting Competition Finalist at the Susquehanna Music & Arts Festival. In 2008 Elly was a Folk DJs Choice at the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance, and she has Honorable Mentions from the International Songwriting Contest and Song of the Year. Ellys 2 most recent CDs: Back Eddy Blues and Part Time Paradise have received widespread radio play and critical acclaim. When Elly is not being a Cupcake, she hosts a live Webcast variety show: "Catskill Cabaradio and plays with the Dave Kearney Trio.
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