Having trained under the tutelage of Roy Acuff, Jimmie Driftwood, and Grandpa Jones, Cathy Barton earned recognition as their protégé. Her command of the frailing banjo style brought her multiple victories at the Tennessee old-time banjo championship. At the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield she was the first to present the hammered dulcimer, and she later earned a master’s degree in folklore. Through years of collaboration with old-time performers, Dave Para assembled an expansive collection of traditional songs and stories while cultivating a commanding stage presence that translates directly to their recorded work. The couple formed close ties with numerous old-time musicians and invited them to participate in both live performances and studio sessions. Their albums frequently feature additional legacy folk artists alongside Missouri old-time fiddlers and Bob Dyer, known as the Bard of Boonville. Together with Bob, Cathy and Dave undertook an extensive project to gather and document Civil War songs from the Midwest. The resulting recordings highlight Dave’s accomplished six- and 12-string guitar playing, Cathy’s work on banjo, dulcimer, and autoharp, and the couple’s distinctive harmony vocals, creating a rich listening experience. ~ Don Stevens
