Post by fogcitygal on Jan 26, 2008 8:09:55 GMT -5
In remembering her roots, Alison shows what a class act she really is!
from TheTelegraph.com:
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Alison Krauss has not forgotten her roots
By DAN BRANNAN
January 25, 2008
"In the newspaper business, we get an opportunity to meet some of the rich and famous. Through the years, I have encountered many politicians, movie stars, rock and country music stars and professional athletes.
Anymore, it’s unusual for those politicians, movie stars, rock or country stars or even athletes to remain close their roots. Anytime we want to remember that, think about the odyssey of Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan in Hollywood.
For Alison Krauss, the 20-time Grammy Award-winning country and bluegrass star, she never has forgotten her home state of Illinois or her roots in this area.
Krauss grew up in Champaign and signed to Rounder Records at age 14 as an amazing fiddler prodigy. She first met Mike Harman while playing with the band, Silver Rail, in Alhambra, and the two have been friends ever since.
Harman, the bluegrass musician from Foster Township, told me it was highly possible Krauss would attend the 30th anniversary Harman Family and Friends show at Lewis and Clark Community College on Jan. 19. I don’t think I truly believed I would see her until she walked in with her long brown coat with a black velvet collar and long, flowing blonde hair, piercing clear eyes and fiddle.
Krauss was personable and as I pictured her from other interviews and performances on national television. I told her I admired her for being genuine and being down-to-earth and asked her how she has remained grounded. She told me she has grown up with very down-to-earth people, both professionally and through her family, so she has not had any other option than to remain grounded on a personal level. Her immediate family has moved to Nashville, Tenn., where she lives now with her son. I think it is great that her family now lives close to her.
Harman said Krauss is a humble person.
“Some of the upper echelon of music don’t teach humbleness,” he said. “You are who you are. She lets her voice and talent speak for it; she doesn’t have to tell anybody anything.”
The most enjoyable part of the Harman show last weekend was watching youngsters John Harman, 11, Jared Bensman, 12, and Maria Bensman, 11, and Corrina Logston, 17, perform with Krauss and the Harman band.
I don’t think any of the youngsters will ever forget those few moments on stage with the star.
Logston, a Red Bud violinist, said she hopes to continue to play the violin in the future and possibly attend Belmont University in Nashville. She is from a family of players and has been playing the violin for almost four years.
Logston describes meeting Krauss and playing with her as “exhilarating.”
“It is something I will always remember. It will always be etched in my memory,” Logston said. “She was so cordial and amenable; just the sweetest person. She looks just like all of her pictures. She is very graceful, and her attitude is really cool. A lot of times you meet people who are high up, and they aren’t that way. She is a down-to-earth person and is not on her high horse.”
The young in attendance took to Krauss, but so did the older portion of the crowd. Mary Young has been to the Harman Family and Friends concert for 27 of the 30 years. She thought it was wonderful that Krauss returned to play with the Harman band.
“She came back to her roots, where she started with Mike (Harman) and them,” she said.
For me, the most touching part of the entire night came when Maria Bensman sang “Oh, Atlanta,” made popular by Krauss. I kept thinking that Krauss was going to step in and join in chorus, but she refrained, saying, “Maria was doing just fine without me.”
In the audience, it was hard not to have tears in your eyes when Maria Bensman sang the song. Stacy Harmon came up with the idea for Maria Bensman, John Harman and Jared Bensman to perform “Oh, Atlanta,” and it worked flawlessly.
“I want to be like Alison Krauss one day,” Maria Bensman said. “She was a very nice person and kind. This was something I will never forget.” "
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from TheTelegraph.com:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Alison Krauss has not forgotten her roots
By DAN BRANNAN
January 25, 2008
"In the newspaper business, we get an opportunity to meet some of the rich and famous. Through the years, I have encountered many politicians, movie stars, rock and country music stars and professional athletes.
Anymore, it’s unusual for those politicians, movie stars, rock or country stars or even athletes to remain close their roots. Anytime we want to remember that, think about the odyssey of Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan in Hollywood.
For Alison Krauss, the 20-time Grammy Award-winning country and bluegrass star, she never has forgotten her home state of Illinois or her roots in this area.
Krauss grew up in Champaign and signed to Rounder Records at age 14 as an amazing fiddler prodigy. She first met Mike Harman while playing with the band, Silver Rail, in Alhambra, and the two have been friends ever since.
Harman, the bluegrass musician from Foster Township, told me it was highly possible Krauss would attend the 30th anniversary Harman Family and Friends show at Lewis and Clark Community College on Jan. 19. I don’t think I truly believed I would see her until she walked in with her long brown coat with a black velvet collar and long, flowing blonde hair, piercing clear eyes and fiddle.
Krauss was personable and as I pictured her from other interviews and performances on national television. I told her I admired her for being genuine and being down-to-earth and asked her how she has remained grounded. She told me she has grown up with very down-to-earth people, both professionally and through her family, so she has not had any other option than to remain grounded on a personal level. Her immediate family has moved to Nashville, Tenn., where she lives now with her son. I think it is great that her family now lives close to her.
Harman said Krauss is a humble person.
“Some of the upper echelon of music don’t teach humbleness,” he said. “You are who you are. She lets her voice and talent speak for it; she doesn’t have to tell anybody anything.”
The most enjoyable part of the Harman show last weekend was watching youngsters John Harman, 11, Jared Bensman, 12, and Maria Bensman, 11, and Corrina Logston, 17, perform with Krauss and the Harman band.
I don’t think any of the youngsters will ever forget those few moments on stage with the star.
Logston, a Red Bud violinist, said she hopes to continue to play the violin in the future and possibly attend Belmont University in Nashville. She is from a family of players and has been playing the violin for almost four years.
Logston describes meeting Krauss and playing with her as “exhilarating.”
“It is something I will always remember. It will always be etched in my memory,” Logston said. “She was so cordial and amenable; just the sweetest person. She looks just like all of her pictures. She is very graceful, and her attitude is really cool. A lot of times you meet people who are high up, and they aren’t that way. She is a down-to-earth person and is not on her high horse.”
The young in attendance took to Krauss, but so did the older portion of the crowd. Mary Young has been to the Harman Family and Friends concert for 27 of the 30 years. She thought it was wonderful that Krauss returned to play with the Harman band.
“She came back to her roots, where she started with Mike (Harman) and them,” she said.
For me, the most touching part of the entire night came when Maria Bensman sang “Oh, Atlanta,” made popular by Krauss. I kept thinking that Krauss was going to step in and join in chorus, but she refrained, saying, “Maria was doing just fine without me.”
In the audience, it was hard not to have tears in your eyes when Maria Bensman sang the song. Stacy Harmon came up with the idea for Maria Bensman, John Harman and Jared Bensman to perform “Oh, Atlanta,” and it worked flawlessly.
“I want to be like Alison Krauss one day,” Maria Bensman said. “She was a very nice person and kind. This was something I will never forget.” "
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