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April Verch Band On Mountain Stage

April Verch Band.
Brian Blauser

The April Verch Band makes its first-ever appearance on Mountain Stage, recorded live at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston, W.V. A young, internationally renowned Canadian fiddler, singer, songwriter and step-dancer, Verch embraces mountain and old-time music that's true to tradition but distinct in its own right.

Acoustic-music luminary Dirk Powell has called April Verch "a rare mix of all the technique and super-flashy things, along with the deep soul and tradition that comes from having grown up with the music." Alongside Clay Ross on guitar and Cody Walters on bass and banjo, Verch can be heard playing fiddle and singing while step-dancing on a large piece of wood, which helps amplify the sound. Here, she plays a few medleys of traditional songs, as well as "Still Trying," a piece she wrote and sings herself. Her eighth and most recent album is titled That's How We Run.

This performance was originally published on April 12, 2012.

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