Bering Strait (band)
Encyclopedia
Bering Strait was a country music
band made up of musicians from Russia
, that mixed country music with traditional Russian song making. Their style was sometimes called "redgrass" (a reference to bluegrass
). The band achieved prominence in 2003, being nominated for a Grammy Award and featured in a segment on the prestigious American news program 60 Minutes
, but never caught on with major sales. The group disbanded in 2006.
At the time of its dissolution, the band comprised five musicians:
Former member Ilya Toshinsky played electric guitar, acoustic guitar and banjo on the band’s first album but left the band after recording the second album. Other former Bering Strait musicians are Sergei Passov (mandolin and fiddle), and Andrei Misikhin (bass).
Natasha Borzilova is the daughter of a nuclear scientist who died from the results of the Chernobyl
disaster.
was released in 2003 on Universal South Records. The song “Bearing Straight” from the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance
, but eventually lost out to the Dixie Chicks
.
A full-length documentary film, "The Ballad of Bering Strait", chronicled the band's career over two and a half years, and was released to theaters and broadcast on CMT
. They were featured in a segment on 60 Minutes
, and several tracks from the album were used in the television shows Animal Planet
and Alias. Despite the media exposure, the album sold only about 150,000 copies and received almost no radio airplay.
The band’s second album, Pages
was released in 2005 and featured a more rootsy, less polished sound. The first single from the album was a country remake of Fleetwood Mac’s "You Make Lovin’ Fun".
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
band made up of musicians from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, that mixed country music with traditional Russian song making. Their style was sometimes called "redgrass" (a reference to bluegrass
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
). The band achieved prominence in 2003, being nominated for a Grammy Award and featured in a segment on the prestigious American news program 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
, but never caught on with major sales. The group disbanded in 2006.
History
Bering Strait is actually the band's third name. Original name of the band was Cheerful Diligence. In 1996 they first recorded in the US under the name Siberian Heatwave and were guests on TNN's Prime Time Country. The band dissolved in late May, 2006, but the official announcement was not made until June 1, 2006.At the time of its dissolution, the band comprised five musicians:
- Alexander Arzamastsev (drums)
- Natasha Borzilova (lead vocals, acoustic guitar)
- Sergei “Spooky” Olkhovsky (bass)
- Alexander “Sasha” Ostrovsky (dobro, steel guitar, lap steel)
- Lydia Salnikova (lead vocals, keyboards)
Former member Ilya Toshinsky played electric guitar, acoustic guitar and banjo on the band’s first album but left the band after recording the second album. Other former Bering Strait musicians are Sergei Passov (mandolin and fiddle), and Andrei Misikhin (bass).
Natasha Borzilova is the daughter of a nuclear scientist who died from the results of the Chernobyl
Chernobyl
Chernobyl or Chornobyl is an abandoned city in northern Ukraine, in Kiev Oblast, near the border with Belarus. The city had been the administrative centre of the Chernobyl Raion since 1932....
disaster.
Works
Bering Strait’s self-titled debut albumBering Strait (album)
Bering Strait is the self-titled debut album from the country music band Bering Strait.Early versions of the album did not have "When Going Home," but instead had two additional tracks...
was released in 2003 on Universal South Records. The song “Bearing Straight” from the album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance
Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance was awarded from 1970 to 2011. Between 1986 and 1989 the award was presented as the Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance ....
, but eventually lost out to the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
.
A full-length documentary film, "The Ballad of Bering Strait", chronicled the band's career over two and a half years, and was released to theaters and broadcast on CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
. They were featured in a segment on 60 Minutes
60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
, and several tracks from the album were used in the television shows Animal Planet
Animal Planet
Animal Planet is an American cable tv specialty channel that launched on October 1, 1996. It is distributed by Discovery Communications. A high-definition simulcast of the channel launched on September 1, 2007.-History:...
and Alias. Despite the media exposure, the album sold only about 150,000 copies and received almost no radio airplay.
The band’s second album, Pages
Pages (album)
Pages is the second studio album from the country music band Bering Strait. It was released June 28, 2005 via Universal South Records Pages is the second studio album from the country music band Bering Strait. It was released June 28, 2005 via Universal South Records Pages is the second studio...
was released in 2005 and featured a more rootsy, less polished sound. The first single from the album was a country remake of Fleetwood Mac’s "You Make Lovin’ Fun".
Current projects
Sasha and Spooky are currently playing with the new group Buckledown. Lydia and Natasha are pursuing solo projects.Albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
||
| Bering Strait Bering Strait (album) Bering Strait is the self-titled debut album from the country music band Bering Strait.Early versions of the album did not have "When Going Home," but instead had two additional tracks... |
|
17 | 98 |
| Pages Pages (album) Pages is the second studio album from the country music band Bering Strait. It was released June 28, 2005 via Universal South Records Pages is the second studio album from the country music band Bering Strait. It was released June 28, 2005 via Universal South Records Pages is the second studio... |
|
— | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart | |||
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Jagged Edge of a Broken Heart" | Bering Strait |
| 2003 | "Bearing Straight" | |
| 2005 | "You Make Lovin' Fun" | Pages |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Jagged Edge of a Broken Heart" | Deaton-Flanigen Productions Deaton-Flanigen Productions Deaton-Flanigen Productions is a music video directing duo composed of Robert Deaton III and George Flanigen IV. The two have directed multiple music videos, primarily in the field of country music... |
| 2003 | "Bearing Straight" | Stephen Shepherd |
External links
- Audio/Video - All six members are the only guest in program 254 of the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour