Laura Silverstein
Fingerstyle guitar....my passion...my voice.
Instrumental music, played on guitar, banjo, alone, with a group...speaks straight from the heart.
I discovered the thrill and passion of guitar as a teenager. In my college years, the groundbreaking playing of John Fahey opened the world of solo fingerstyle guitar, alternate tunings, and wonderful musical strangeness to me.
After a couple of decades away from guitar while building and enjoying a satisfying career as an educational psychologist and university instructor, I've returned to music with unexpected passion and drive.
I fell in love with the banjo in the 1990's, and joined High Hills Bluegrass Band (www.highhills.com) which has been --and still is-- a fabulous ride! It's a real treat to make music with Leslie Reagan, Virginia Starling, and Cheryl Richards, my talented and exuberant bandmates and friends. Soon after forming as a band, High Hills opened for the Dixie Chicks, and we are happy to have also shared the stage with other bluegrass greats such as Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs and Eddie Adcock at various festivals. We've become regulars at the Coffee Gallery Backstage in Altadena, and are busy playing many festivals and public and private events.
In the last several years, I've returned to my first love--acoustic fingerstyle guitar. I particularly enjoy playing wonderful old vintage guitars such as my 1913 Martin 0-28 and my 1930 Gibson L0.
Through the inspirational guidance of guitarists John Knowles, Judy Fjell, Kay Eskenazi, Harmony Grisman, Eddie Pennington, Kent Hillman, Eric Schoenberg, and the modeling of Pat Donohue, Doc Watson, and Marcel Dadi, I've added ideas, skills, and more mind and heart to playing the guitar than ever before. A new adventure for me is teaching guitar and banjo at various music camps including Women Making Music, Motherlode's Northwest Women's Music Celebration, and Wild Jammin' Women.
These days in addition to having great times playing with High Hills and teaching at music camps, you'll find me happily playing solo fingerstyle guitar at Borders Bookstores and at coffee houses around Southern California.
I know what a blessing it is to have music in my life, and it is my greatest pleasure to be able to share it with others.
Thank you for your visit!
----Laura
