Bering Strait (band)

Infobox musical artist |
Name = Bering Strait


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Background = group_or_band
Alias = Siberian Heatwave
Origin = Obninsk, Russia
Genre = Country
Years_active = 1996-2006
Label = Universal South
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Past_members = Natasha Borzilova
Ilya Toshinsky
Lydia Salnikova
Alexander “Sasha” Ostrovsky
Sergei “Spooky” Olkhovsky
Alexander Arzamastsev

Bering Strait was a country music band made up of musicians from Russia, that mixed country music with traditional Russian song making. Their style was sometimes "redgrass" (a reference to bluegrass). The band achieved prominence in 2003, being nominated for a Grammy Award and featured in a segment on the prestigious American news program "60 Minutes", but never caught on with major sales. The group disbanded in 2006.

History

Bering Strait is actually the band's second name. In 1996 they first recorded in the US under the name Siberian Heatwave and were guests on TNN's Prime Time Country. The band dissolved in late May, 2006, but the official announcement was not made until June 01, 2006.

At the time of its dissolution, the band comprised five musicians:

* Alexander Arzamastsev (drums)
* Natasha Borzilova (lead vocals, acoustic guitar)
* Sergei “Spooky” Olkhovsky (bass)
* Alexander “Sasha” Ostrovsky (dobro, steel guitar, lap steel)
* Lydia Salnikova (lead vocals, keyboards)

Former member Ilya Toshinsky played electric guitar, acoustic guitar and banjo on the band’s first album but left the band after recording the second album. Other former Bering Strait musicians are Sergei Passov (mandolin and fiddle), and Andrei Misikhin (bass).

Natasha Borzilova is the daughter of a nuclear scientist who died from the results of the Chernobyl disaster.

Works

Bering Strait’s self-titled debut album was released in 2003 on Universal South Records. The song “Bearing Straight” from the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance, but eventually lost out to the Dixie Chicks.

A full-length documentary film, [http://www.emergingpictures.com/bering_strait.htm "The Ballad of Bering Strait"] , chronicled the band's career over two and a half years, and was released to theaters and broadcast on CMT. They were featured in a segment on "60 Minutes", and several tracks from the album were used in the television shows "Animal Planet" and "Alias". Despite the media exposure, the album sold only about 150,000 copies and received almost no radio airplay.

The band’s second album, "Pages" was released in 2005 and featured a more rootsy, less polished sound. The first single from the album was a country remake of Fleetwood Mac’s "You Make Lovin’ Fun".

Current projects

Sasha and Spooky are currently playing with the new group buckledown. Lydia and Natasha are pursuing solo projects.

Discography

Albums

Singles

References

* "60 Minutes", 2003

External links

* [http://www.beringstraitfans.com/ Fan community]
* [http://www.lydiasalnikova.com/ Lydia Salnikova]
* [http://www.myspace.com/beringstrait Bering Strait’s Myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/natashaborzilova Natasha Borzilova’s Myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/lydiasalnikova Lydia Salnikova’s Myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/buckledownmusic Buckle Down’s Myspace page]
* [http://www.myspace.com/mikekinnamon Michael Kinnamon’s Myspace page]