Concertwire.com

The bare-bones, rustic, and poignant sounds of singer/songwriter and banjo player Abigail Washburn seem so genuine and natural they must come from a person who grew up in love with and surrounded by folk and bluegrass. The way Washburn came to this music is much more complicated, as it involves China, lost banjos, and the rock group Collective Soul. Washburn grew up singing but had no longing to become a professional musician. Time singing backup in reggae, gospel, and R&B bands was nothing more than "fun," but a trip to China in 1996 changed all that. Picking up the native language faster than she imagined and falling in love with Chinese culture got her to thinking. Reconsidering the culture of her own homeland, Washburn bought a banjo and decided to explore the rich heritage of folk and bluegrass music. Washburn played a mini-tour of China before returning home to record her debut with help from Béla Fleck, Jordan McConnell of the Duhks, and Ryan Hoyle of Collective Soul. The result, Song of the Traveling Daughter, appeared in 2005. The band released their debut album, Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet, on May 20, 2008. Following the album's release, the Sparrow Quartet embarked on a one-hundred plus date tour of North America.