Meg Baird

Meg Baird
Genres	Folk Old-time music
Instruments	Guitar, Mountain Dulcimer
Labels	Tequila Sunrise Drag City Bo'Weavil Wichita P-Vine
Associated acts	Espers The Baird Sisters Bonnie Prince Billy Sharon Van Etten
Website	Official Website

Meg Baird is an American musician originally from New Jersey and currently based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is best known as a founding member and lead female vocalist for the Philadelphia folk rock band Espers. In 2007, Baird released her first solo LP Dear Companion on Drag City. She has also collaborated with sister Laura in The Baird Sisters, and appeared as a backing vocalist on Bonny 'Prince' Billy's 2007 EP Ask Forgiveness. ^[1] She also appeared as a backing vocalist on Sharon Van Etten's second album, Epic. As a solo artist, she has toured with Bert Jansch,^[2] James Blackshaw, Micah Smaldone, Sharron Kraus and others.

Her vocal style has often been compared to that of Fairport Convention's Sandy Denny and Pentangle's Jacqui McShee,^[3][4][5] although she has herself cited Trees' Celia Humphris as the more personally influential member of the 1960s and 70's UK folk scene.^{[citation needed]}

Most recently she appeared on a 7" compilation entitled Meet the Philly Elite, featuring former touring partners Kurt Vile and Jack Rose, as well as US Girls.

Biography

Baird comes from a family with deep roots in the folk tradition. Baird is the great-great niece of Isaac Garfield "I.G." Greer, a historian and Appalachian folk singer born in 1881.^[6] His inclusion on one of the earliest albums issued by the Archive of American Folk Song in the Library of Congress helped expose Baird to folk music at young age while she was taking piano lessons, teaching herself guitar, and listening to Smithsonian Folkways LPs.^[7]

Discography

Meg Baird

• Waltze of the Tennis Players/Dear Companion (A Capella Version) 7" (2006) (Tequila Sunrise)
• Leaves from Off the Tree CD/LP (2006) (Bo'Weavil), a collaboration with Sharron Kraus and fellow Espers member Helena Espvall
• Dear Companion CD/LP (2007) (Drag City/Wichita/P-Vine)
• Seasons on Earth CD/LP (2011) (Drag City)

The Baird Sisters

• At Home CD-R (2003) (self-released)
• Lonely Town CD (2008) (self-released)

Compilations

• So Much Fire to Roast Human Flesh CD (2006) (Bastet)
• Loving Takes This Course: A Tribute to the Songs of Kath Bloom CD (2009) (Chapter Music)
• Meet the Philly Elite (with Jack Rose, Kurt Vile, and US Girls) 7" (2009) (Kraak)
• "We are all one, In the Sun: A tribute to Robbie Basho" CD (2010) (Important Records)

References

1. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Ask Forgiveness Review", Allmusic, retrieved April 15, 2009.
2. ^ "Bert Jansch tour dates", retrieved April 15, 2009.
3. ^ Jurek, Thom. "Dear Companion Review", Allmusic, retrieved April 15, 2009.
4. ^ Hess, Kevin. "Bairded Lady", Phrequency, retrieved April 15th 2009.
5. ^ Gill, Andy. "The latest review", Which Course, retrieved April 15th 2009.
6. ^ Baird, Laura. "Baird Sisters Biography", retrieved April 14, 2009.
7. ^ Drag City press material "Meg Baird: A Biography", retrieved April 14, 2009.

External links

• Official website
• Drag City Records site
• The Baird Sisters official website
• Meg Baird discusses new album 'Seasons on Earth'

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Name	Baird, Meg
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