Kym Warner
Encyclopedia
Kym Warner is an Australian musician and record producer
, and a founding member of the American bluegrass
band The Greencards
. Warner was an aspiring bluegrass musician (which was unusual in Australia at the time) after inheriting the music from his father, an early Australian bluegrass pioneer. The winner of the Australian National Bluegrass Mandolin Championship for four consecutive years, Warner had toured with country music artists Gina Jeffreys, and with Young again in Kasey Chambers
's band. Before the band formed, Carol Young
and Warner both knew each other, and according to Warner had been drawn to bluegrass and American roots music
through an appreciation of George Jones and Merle Haggard. After meeting, Warner and Young made the decision to emigrate to America, to pursue musical careers there. Later, Young and Warner were living together in Sydney
, and trying to find work in the moribund Australian bluegrass scene. After leaving Australia, they spent time in West Texas
before relocating to Austin.
Warner and Young met the other founding member of The Greencards, Eamon McLoughlin
, at a recording session. Warner was producing an album for the recording artist Bill Atkins, and found they needed a fiddle player, which led to the recruitment of McLoughlin. Initially the immigrants got to know one another through their mutual love of Monty Python
, Benny Hill
, and Fawlty Towers
. They began to have jam sessions afterwards, and according to Warner, there was evident chemistry between the trio, which led to their writing songs together. They named themselves The Greencards, for the fact that all three band members carried United States green cards
. They eventually began to perform shows locally in Austin to finance the recording of what would become their debut album, 2003's Movin' On. In the process, they became one of the most popular musical groups in Austin. Representative of an emerging "newgrass" movement, The Greencards' acoustic sound was said to incorporate eclectic influences from Irish traditional, European gypsy, and Latin American sources.
Their first performance together as a band was at the Austin Irish pub, Mother Egan's. Given a noon to 3 pm time slot, they surprisingly began to fill the pub with patrons week after week, with fans there calling them the "Bluegrass Bunch". Several months later, The Greencards began performing an additional three to five times per week in Austin, in addition to their Mother Egan's Sunday show. Warner credited the frantic pace of their performance schedule during their Austin formation for their cohesion as a group and for driving them to create more new original music. During their time performing locally in Austin, they toured with various local Texas musicians, including Robert Earl Keen
.
According to McLoughlin, Kym Warner's father, Trev, was instrumental in bringing bluegrass music to Australia.
In 2005, Warner and The Greencards toured extensively with Bob Dylan
and Willie Nelson
. During the summer segment of the 2005 tour, Warner wanted to have the opportunity to pick Dylan's brain, but never had the chance. Warner did not get to spend much time with him, but Dylan told him at the end of the tour, "You’ll be fine from now on." In December 2007, it was announced that their song "Mucky the Duck" from Viridian was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Country Instrumental Performance
at the 50th Grammy Awards, but ultimately lost to Brad Paisley
's "Throttleneck". Written by Warner, "Mucky the Duck" was inspired by one of the band's favorite Houston musical venues, The Mucky Duck.
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and a founding member of the American 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...
band The Greencards
The Greencards
The Greencards are a progressive bluegrass band that formed in Austin, Texas, and are currently based in Nashville, Tennessee. The band was founded in 2003 in Texas by Eamon McLoughlin, an Englishman, and Australians Kym Warner and Carol Young. The musicians originally performed in local Austin...
. Warner was an aspiring bluegrass musician (which was unusual in Australia at the time) after inheriting the music from his father, an early Australian bluegrass pioneer. The winner of the Australian National Bluegrass Mandolin Championship for four consecutive years, Warner had toured with country music artists Gina Jeffreys, and with Young again in Kasey Chambers
Kasey Chambers
Kasey Chambers is an Australian country singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of steel guitar player Bill Chambers, and the sister of musician and producer Nash Chambers.-Solo success:...
's band. Before the band formed, Carol Young
Carol Young
Carol Young is an Australian musician, and a founding member of the American bluegrass band The Greencards. Young is originally from Coff's Harbour, in New South Wales. Prior to the founding of The Greencards, Young won the Australian Independent Country Artist of the Year award in 2000, and had...
and Warner both knew each other, and according to Warner had been drawn to bluegrass and American roots music
American Roots Music
American Roots Music is a 2001 multi-part documentary film that explores the historical roots of American Roots music through footage and performances by the creators of the movement: Folk, Country, Blues, Gospel, Bluegrass, and many others....
through an appreciation of George Jones and Merle Haggard. After meeting, Warner and Young made the decision to emigrate to America, to pursue musical careers there. Later, Young and Warner were living together in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and trying to find work in the moribund Australian bluegrass scene. After leaving Australia, they spent time in West Texas
West Texas
West Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
before relocating to Austin.
Eamon McLoughlin
Eamon McLoughlin is a British musician who plays fiddle, viola, mandolin and cello, and was a founding member of the American bluegrass band The Greencards. He currently lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee as a freelance session musician, and performing live with MCA Recording Artist Josh Turner...
, at a recording session. Warner was producing an album for the recording artist Bill Atkins, and found they needed a fiddle player, which led to the recruitment of McLoughlin. Initially the immigrants got to know one another through their mutual love of Monty Python
Monty Python
Monty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
, Benny Hill
Benny Hill
Benny Hill was an English comedian and actor, notable for his long-running television programme The Benny Hill Show.-Early life:...
, and Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
. They began to have jam sessions afterwards, and according to Warner, there was evident chemistry between the trio, which led to their writing songs together. They named themselves The Greencards, for the fact that all three band members carried United States green cards
United States Permanent Resident Card
United States lawful permanent residency refers to a person's immigration status: the person is authorized to live and work in the United States of America on a permanent basis....
. They eventually began to perform shows locally in Austin to finance the recording of what would become their debut album, 2003's Movin' On. In the process, they became one of the most popular musical groups in Austin. Representative of an emerging "newgrass" movement, The Greencards' acoustic sound was said to incorporate eclectic influences from Irish traditional, European gypsy, and Latin American sources.
Their first performance together as a band was at the Austin Irish pub, Mother Egan's. Given a noon to 3 pm time slot, they surprisingly began to fill the pub with patrons week after week, with fans there calling them the "Bluegrass Bunch". Several months later, The Greencards began performing an additional three to five times per week in Austin, in addition to their Mother Egan's Sunday show. Warner credited the frantic pace of their performance schedule during their Austin formation for their cohesion as a group and for driving them to create more new original music. During their time performing locally in Austin, they toured with various local Texas musicians, including Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen
Robert Earl Keen, Junior is an American Texas Country singer-songwriter. He is popular with fans of traditional country music, folk music, college radio, and alt-country. Keen currently resides in Kerrville, Texas and maintains a ranch in Medina, Texas.-Early life:Growing up in Houston, Texas,...
.
According to McLoughlin, Kym Warner's father, Trev, was instrumental in bringing bluegrass music to Australia.
In 2005, Warner and The Greencards toured extensively with Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
. During the summer segment of the 2005 tour, Warner wanted to have the opportunity to pick Dylan's brain, but never had the chance. Warner did not get to spend much time with him, but Dylan told him at the end of the tour, "You’ll be fine from now on." In December 2007, it was announced that their song "Mucky the Duck" from Viridian was nominated for the 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 ....
at the 50th Grammy Awards, but ultimately lost to Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
's "Throttleneck". Written by Warner, "Mucky the Duck" was inspired by one of the band's favorite Houston musical venues, The Mucky Duck.
External links
- Official site, thegreencards.com
- Official MySpace for the Greencards
- Country Music Television Profile
- The Greencards collection at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
's live music archive