Robin Flower is a wildly creative musician. Her technical expertise on mandolin, guitar, and fiddle results in great romps through her own original instrumental compositions, songs and traditional fiddle music. Robin has been an innovator, moving convincingly through a myriad of styles resulting in music that is hauntingly beautiful as well as intellectually challenging. Always with an ear towards Irish music, Robin has visited and revisited Ireland and is thoroughly moved to explore this time-beyond-time traditional fiddle music. With this amazing music as inspiration, Robin and duo partner, Libby McLaren wrote 24 instrumental tunes for the CD, Steelhead in the Riffles. Robin and Libby are currently working on their 5th CD which will be a mix of their powerful vocals showcased in original and Irish songs as well as outstanding original and Irish tunes. Before her partnership with Libby McLaren, Robin recorded 4 albums, 3 for Flying Fish Records. These albums garnered consistent airplay on college radio stations and on folk programs throughout the US, Canada, and Germany. Babies With Glasses, 1st Dibs, Green Sneakers, and More Than Friends appeared in Critic's Poll's of top 10 albums in the years they were released. The Robin Flower Band toured constantly throughout the US and Canada, performing at major folk venues and festivals. Her passionate performances, both in concert and on records, earned her such awards as California Arts Council Touring Grants, Frets Magazine's Best New Artist Award, 2 National Association of Independent Recording Society Awards and many others.
"Babies with Glasses...hot mandolin from Flower strikes like lightening with gut-wrenching virtuosity. Addiction is likely!"
-Folk Roots
"1st Dibs....A strong, stirring foray into New Acoustic Music."
-Billboard
"Tremendous talent on display".
-Globe and Mail
"Jackpot! This album (1st Dibs) is great stuff! Flower is one of the best talents to emerge in the past several years - ignore her at your peril!"
-Folk Report
Robin Flower was born in Cleveland, Ohio into a loving, working class family. Her mother's people came from the hills of Kentucky and her father's from western Pennsylvania. Both were musical, singing and playing harmonicas. Robin's 1st instrument was the violin which she played for three years. Reading music and the type of music that was offered didn't interest Robin and her parents let her quit. For a few years Robin continued to pursue her passions of baseball and fishing but something was missing. When Robin was 14 she was introduced to the guitar by the girl up the street and everything changed. She started spending a lot of time up the street until finally her parents realized she was gone for large periods of time. They borrowed money from Robin's paperboy brother for her first guitar. Robin remained gone for many hours but now it was because she was hidden away in the attic with her guitar, her new best friend. She started composing instrumental tunes and songs right away. Always enjoying team sports, Robin, at 14, formed her 1st duo with her sister, Scottie. They performed around town and in Kentucky, including the Eastern Kentucky Folk and Jazz Festival. Next was a trio that included a high school friend. After high school, Robin went to the local college for 9 days, worked in the display department of the Public library, catered, went to Art school for a year and a half, and worked a good union job, delivering the mail for a year, all the while playing guitar and absorbing the popular folk and rock music of the time. When she was 22 she saw the movie Easy Rider, bought a motorcycle, quit the Post Office, and rode 4000 miles, "looking for America." She found it and developed a lifelong love for America. Robin landed in Southern California, worked a few factory jobs, pumped gas, moved to New Mexico for a short while, hitchhiked to New Hampshire, back to California, and then to Oregon where she fell in love with a clawhammer banjo player. Everything changed again. Robin bought a fiddle, borrowed a mandolin, and started to flatpick her guitar. She remembered that her mother sang her songs from Kentucky, bringing back memories of long summer visits with her aunts, uncles, and many cousins. Mountain music had a familiar and deep resonance for Robin. She had the great opportunity to go on tour with fingerpicking legend, Elizabeth Cotten and oldtime music stars, Hazel and Alice. She played in an oldtime trio, touring across the United States for 3 months which included a performance at the 1st National Women's Music Festival in Indiana. She continued playing oldtime music while playing with a jazz band, which broadened her musicality and understanding. Robin moved to Berkeley, California, joining a touring rock band. It was a rough and tumble experience along with great fun, living out a rock lifestyle. But always, acoustic and traditional music grabbed her heart. Robin played with acoustic duos and trios ( Barbara Higbie, Nancy Vogl, Laurie Lewis), toured with Holly Near, then finally with her own Robin Flower Band. Through her four solo albums, she further explored her own song and tune writing as well as playing traditional songs that had a political bent. She currently spends her time performing with duo partner, Libby McLaren, and the band, Camogie, with Libby, Irish singer Mary McLaughlin, and Danny Carnahan, founding member of the jam band, Wake the Dead. Robin also teaches fiddle, mandolin, acoustic and electric guitar and leads a community stringband. She remains passionate about flyfishing and baseball, has a large, organic vegetable garden, and shares 4 fabulous cats and a home with partner, Libby McLaren in Oakland, California.
