Leela and Ellie Grace
Encyclopedia
Leela and Ellie Grace are a duo of American singer/songwriters. They are sisters, the daughters of Paul and Win Grace
. They perform a mixture of original compositions by both sisters, traditional folk
and old time
songs, and covers of songs by other contemporary folk songwriters.
The Grace family released three albums as a quartet: Carved Out of Time (1990), In Dreams I Hear Music (1993), and Dance Upon This Earth (1996).
"Carved Out of Time" was re-released on CD as "Fiddle, Folk and Foolishness" in 2006. This CD also includes "Fifty Miles of Elbow Room" (1987) and "A Place In the Choir" (1984).
In 2008 they released their second album, Where the Waters Run, with five original songs by Leela, three by Ellie, one co-written, and two traditional songs. Folk disc jockey Steve Jerrett named Where the Waters Run as one of the 15 best new albums of 2008.
and guitar
. Ellie plays fiddle
, mandolin
, and guitar. Both also perform percussive dance, combining elements of clogging
, tap danging
, step dancing
, and other styles.
Leela currently lives in Portland
, Oregon
. Ellie currently lives in Asheville
, North Carolina
.
Paul and Win Grace
Paul and Win Grace, now known as Paul Fotsch and Win Grace, were a married duo of American folk musicians and old-time musicians. They released seven albums between 1984 and 2006 and toured extensively across North America. They performed with daughters Leela and Ellie Grace as The Grace Family...
. They perform a mixture of original compositions by both sisters, traditional folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and old time
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
songs, and covers of songs by other contemporary folk songwriters.
Early career
Leela and Ellie were born in Columbia Missouri in 1977 and 1978 respectively. Growing up, they frequently traveled with their parents, traveling musicians Paul Fotsch (formerly Grace) and Win Grace. They grew up surrounded by the music of their parents and their parents' peers and colleagues, and started performing with their parents at an early age.The Grace family released three albums as a quartet: Carved Out of Time (1990), In Dreams I Hear Music (1993), and Dance Upon This Earth (1996).
"Carved Out of Time" was re-released on CD as "Fiddle, Folk and Foolishness" in 2006. This CD also includes "Fifty Miles of Elbow Room" (1987) and "A Place In the Choir" (1984).
Recent Works
Leela and Ellie started touring as a duo in 1997, and in 2003 released their eponymous first duo album. It contains one original song by Ellie and four by Leela, plus nine additional songs, a mixture of traditional songs and covers.In 2008 they released their second album, Where the Waters Run, with five original songs by Leela, three by Ellie, one co-written, and two traditional songs. Folk disc jockey Steve Jerrett named Where the Waters Run as one of the 15 best new albums of 2008.
Instruments
Leela plays banjoBanjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
. Ellie plays fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, and guitar. Both also perform percussive dance, combining elements of clogging
Clogging
Clogging is a type of folk dance with roots in traditional European dancing, early African-American dance, and traditional Cherokee dance in which the dancer's footwear is used musically by striking the heel, the toe, or both in unison against a floor or each other to create audible percussive...
, tap danging
Tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sound of one's tap shoes hitting the floor as a percussive instrument. As such, it is also commonly considered to be a form of music. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses more on the...
, step dancing
Step dance
Step dance is the generic term for dance styles where the footwork is the most important part of the dance. Body and arm movements and styling are either restricted or considered irrelevant.Step dance is one end of a spectrum of dance styles...
, and other styles.
Current status
In addition to performing, individually and together, both Leela and Ellie teach classes in percussive dance, harmony singing, banjo (Leela) and other topics. They also continue to write.Leela currently lives in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. Ellie currently lives in Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.