Artist Information Biography Chris Volpe has won multiple awards for his live solo album "Refugee Blues", recorded in one take, and transformed it into a larger sound in Nashville with his new album "Shipwrecked!" Volpe transformed his music into a larger sound when he moved to Nashville in 2007.  In 2009, he finished recording Shipwrecked! -- which showcases the expanded sound he calls “surrealist folk.”  On the record, Volpe worked with Bob Dylan’s band mate, Donnie Herron; Johnny Cash’s drummer, Kenny Malone; Dave Matthews Band horn player, Jeff Coffin and Patti Griffin’s bassist and cellist Bryn Davies. Quote of review of 'Shipwrecked!": "The fact that Volpe is able to pull off such complex songs ("Shipwrecked") with such assurance makes it remarkable that Volpe's talent hasn't been snapped up by a major label."  --Martin Raybould, Whisperin & Hollerin "Shipwrecked!" may be purchased at:  *CDBaby.com - http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/volpe2 *Itunes *ChrisVolpe.com *MySpace.com/ChrisVolpe Official Band Website: www.chrisvolpe.com www.myspace.com/chrisvolpe chrisvolpe5@gmail.com Performing Songwriter--May 2009 Review of album "Shipwrecked!" Chris Volpe’s gentle vocals, padded by long strains on the harmonica, whining pedal steel and warm acoustic guitars, have a nice way of relaying some hard truths on his new disc, Shipwrecked. Shades of Neil Young emerge in the bleak “Afraid of the Dark,” which tackles the weighty issue of environmental pollution and paints a picture of the resulting mess when mankind fails to react responsibly. The seven-minute song is sonically dissonant and intentionally noise-cluttered, accurately reflecting Volpe’s morose lyric. His tongue-in-cheek writing style takes center stage in the sharp social commentary “Dusty Bibles” and the sax-accented “Don’t Go,” in which he begs his lover to ignore him: “If I ever tell you to leave, don’t go.” Occasional electric guitars, alto and soprano sax, clarinet, bass and cello round out a set that demands repeated plays. Artfully done, Shipwrecked is easy on the ears while pricking the listener’s conscience. —LCB http://performingsongwriter.com/pages/music/117.cfm Whisperin & Hollerin-review "Shipwrecked!" Aug. 2009 author: Martin Raybould From the opening chords of the first track - 'Where I Bury My Words' - you know this is going to be something special. A lonesome pedal steel backs Chris Volpe's lonesome voice as he sings the line "Every day is a new day is what they say" with a a distinct air of resignation. The melancholy mood is unmistakable, giving the song in a desolate tone of someone barely keeping his head above water on a par with that found on Ryan Adams' classic 'Heartbreaker' album. What is instantly evident is that Nashville-based Volpe is not only an exceptional songwriter but also that he has assembled a top rate backing band to ccompany his turns on guitar, banjo and harmonica. Donnie Herron has played pedal steel and fiddle with Bob Dylan, Kenny Malone has drummed with Johnny Cash & Cat Stevens, Jeff Coffin was blown sax and clarinet with the Dave Matthews Band while bassist Bryn Davies has backed Patti Griffin. If you're going to be shipwrecked, this is the sort of crew you want on board. Having such a great band gives Volpe the luxury of being able to switch musical styles at ease. Although you'd be right to place it in the Americana rack, the songs also touch upon elements jazz-folk-country and pop. The folkier tracks work best for me but then again I've always been a sucker for pedal steel and the sax touches stray too close to AOR territory for my taste. 'Dusty Bibles' is one of the album's key tracks. This is a tongue in cheek morality tale about what happens when you turn your back on the good book. As proof, he gives a series of ungodly sinners with names ranging from Saddam Hussein to Keith Moon. The dark humour pitches it in the folk-noir territory that reminded me a little of Jim White. It's quite a fun tune. A more successful long track is 'Afraid Of The Dark', where Volpe reflects on the environmental mess of our planet with a depth of vison and articulacy to match the weighty subject matter. The fact that he is able to pull off such a complex song with such assurance makes it remarkable that this is Volpe's debut release and incredible that his talent hasn't been snapped up by a major label.     On other songs, Volpe wears his influences on his sleeve so it's not hard to spot nods to Bob Dylan (Highway 61) and Leonard Cohen (Stranger Song) on 'Steamroller Rain' and 'Ice Upon The Ocean' respectively. Another clue to the roots of his sound lies in the sure footed cover of Townes Van Zandt's classic 'Colorado Girl'. I can think of no higher praise than to say that this is on a par with the recent version of the same tune by the mighty Steve Earle. Volpe's website lists a clutch of various musical organisations who have recognised his songwriting skills. With the right breaks and decent airplay he should make an equal impression on ordinary joe listeners. This is one of those albums that you'd do well to buy two copies of - one to enjoy for yourself, the other to spread the word.        Performer Magazine - October 2008 -Chris Volpe, the esteemed Nashville guitarist and songwriter, has completed his first studio album with a live band, and the players are just as musically talented as he is. The band consists of Jeff Coffin (two-time Grammy Award winning jazz musician, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones), Bryn Davies (Patti Griffin, Uncle Earl), Kenny Malone (Cat Stevens, Tom Waits, Johnny Cash) and Donnie Herron (BR549, Bob Dylan). The record will be available sometime January and the band will be on the road to promote it. Performer Magazine - November 2008 Singer-songwriter Chris Volpe recorded a short performance in a unique location. The performance took place in Bluegrass Underground, a natural underground amphitheater in the Cumberland Caverns in McMinnville, TN. Volpe performed two songs from his new album "Shipwrecked!", “Dusty Bibles” and “Bury My Words.” The performance aired on WSM/650 AM, the original broadcaster of the Grand Ole Opry, in September. Videos of the performance, which was recorded by Phil Harris, can also be found on YouTube. AWARDS: *Nashville based finger-picking singer/songwriter, Chris Volpe, wins Round 4 of the 2008 Lyric Writer Awards - "Shipwrecked" *Top 4 Finalist - 2009 Gary Allen Nashville Songwriting Contest - "Steamroller Rain" from new album "Shipwrecked" *International Winner--2006 Album of the Year/Singer-Songwriter-- Independent Music Awards for "Refugee Blues" *International Winner--2006 Singer/Songwriter Awards--We Are Listening, Sphere Studios in South London with Producer, Steve Williams. "Shoes" *International Best Folk Song Finalist-- 2006 International John Lennon Songwriting Contest-- (Round I)"Where the Rubber Meets the Road" *International Best Folk Song Finalist-- 2006 International John Lennon Songwriting Contest--(Round II)"Shoes" *Billboard 14th Annual World Songwriting Contest-Honorable Mention Award-"Shoes" *Billboard 14th Annual World Songwriting Contest-Honorable Mention Award-"Jersey Sun" *International Finalist & Honorable Mention Award-- 2006 International USA Songwriting Competition-"Shoes" *International Best Folk Song Honorable Mention Award-- 2006 International Song Prize.com winner-"Shoes" *International Songwriting Competition 2006 Semi-Finalist--"Albuquerque" (Instrumental) *Winner "Best Song Award"-- The West Coast Songwriting Association Contest (October '04) "Shoes" *Great American Song Contest-9th Annual Lyrical-Finalist 2007-"Dusty Bibles" *International Finalist-2007 Song of the Year Award--"Shoes" *International Honorable Mention-2007 Unisong 11th Annual Songwriting Contest--"The Bandwagon Farm" *International Top Finalist-2007 Unisong 11th Annual Songwriting Contest-L.U.N.C.H./Local United Network to Combat Hunger--"Shoes" [Chris Volpe is extremely honored and expresses sincere gratitude for being recognized by the aforementioned musical organizations] WHAT'S BEING SAID ABOUT CHRIS VOLPE'S  "REFUGEE BLUES": "After hearing this, all I can say is long live the finger picker!" -Frank Gutch Jr. - Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange "The musicianship on this album is obviously incredible." -Shut Eye Records "Bay Area Songwriter Chris Volpe's Transient Folk Music Shines!" -NPR.org Open Mic "While the fingerpicking of this self-taught virtuoso often draws comparison to the legendary guitarist, (Leo Kottke) it is his lyricism that sets Volpe apart..." -San Francisco Bay Guardian "With his sound arrives the first train back to spirit in music!" -Saint Mary's College, Berkeley, CA "Given the way the album sounds, it's amazing when one considers the fact that all fifteen tracks were recorded in one take, nor were there any overdubs..." -Jeremy Petersen of KISU 91.1 FM "In House" Radio Show "...intense and romantic Americana of the highest quality." -coolnoise.co.uk "Lyrically it's ingenious and a terrific read if you want to spend some time glimpsing behind someone else's eyes.  Pick it up!" -J. Sin - smother.net "If you are a fan of thought-provoking lyrics and acoustic guitar play, then pick up Chris Volpe's "Refugee Blues," you'll be glad you did!" -CelebrityCafe "....all with poetic musings and a voice that would make the likes of Paul Simon proud..." -BeatKing "When I labeled the CD for my folk DJ's, I noted that all the tracks were fantastic!" -WUML Folk Director, Kornflake FESTIVALS, NEWS AND UPDATES: *Rythm & Roots Reunion- Bristol, TN September 18,19, 2009 *Red Gorilla - (SXSW) Austin, TX March 2009 *"Shipwrecked!" has been selected by PBS for use on the 2009 edition of Roadtrip Nation. ("Salvation's Round the Bend") *Rhythm & Roots Reunion - Bristol, TN week of September 19, 20, 21, 2008. *Chris was on tour with Steve Earle and Allison Moorer from August 1st, 2008 to September 16, 2008. The tour included several days in Canada, from Nova Scotia to the Thousand Islands, several Northeast dates, including the Newport Folk Festival, and the Saratoga Springs Folk Fest, which featured Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Conor Oberst, Levon Helm, and Bob Dylan with his band. *Forecastle Festival - 7th annual Louieville, KY - Volpe chosen to represent Nashville June 2008.  Paste Magazine selected Forecastle as top 33 festivals in the country *"Refugee Blues" has been selected by PBS for use on the 2007 edition of Roadtrip Nation. (Where the Rubber Meets the Road, Ashtray Memories, Wait 'til Tommorrow, Albuquerque). *Songs from Refugee Blues are being played on upcoming epsiodes of various TV shows such as MTV's Real World, Extreme, Road Rules, and Oxygen's Bad Girls Club. *Featured "Spotlight Artist" on Sonicbids website  week of October 9, 2006. *17th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards @ the Kodak Theatre, November 2007 *North by Northeast (NXNE) in Toronto, Ontario-June 2007 *New Music West, May 2007, Vancouver, British Columbia *South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas-March 2007 *Hyperactive Music Festival 2006 in Albuquerque, NM and was invited back again in 2007! *San Franciso Folk Festival 2006 "Featured Performer" where he was referred to as "One of the Best!"  Invited back in 2007! *Chris Volpe began with Tinderbox Music in August 2006. Tinderbox Music is well known for its stellar work with Indepedent Artists and Chris is proud to have such a quality organization behind him *"Refugee Blues", with the help of Tinderbox Music, entered the CMJ top 30 charts alongside major label releases. *"Refugee Blues" is being played regularly on a growing list of internet radio stations such as Pandora, Radio Crystal Blue, and mvyradio presents/local music cafe. Folk-Singer/Songwriter, Chris Volpe, captivates audiences with his master guitar playing and soulful voice. Through his songs, Volpe tells haunting tales of American experiences--from giving up everything and everyone you know to move to New York City in "Jersey Sun," to feeling lost in this vast country in "Refugee Blues," the title track of Volpe's most recent CD.  He won the studio time to record "Refugee Blues" when he was awarded "best song" at the West Coast Songwriting Association's (WCSA) contest.  All 15 songs on the CD were recorded live in one take, with no overdubs, editing, or effects--a stellar recording feat--which only adds credence to Volpe's innate music abilities. What's more, he is earning recognition for his self-taught, self-made, self-released music by winning  the 2006 Folk Album of the Year through the Independent Music Awards (IMA) for "Refugee Blues". Contestants for this competition were self-released as well as independent label artists.  The judges for this competition, to name a few, were Norah Jones, Melissa Etheridge, and Bill Wyman. He is also the winner of the Singer/Songwriter Awards, an international competition based in London (We Are Listening), providing aspiring and professional musicians with the opportunity to have their music heard by leading music industry pros. It is at the forefront of the entertainment industry creating professional opportunities for up and coming artists all over the world. Volpe has taught himself to play piano, bass, banjo and drums, among other instruments. Volpe's top-quality singing and songwriting has also garnered him numerous awards as the top winner, finalist and honorable mentions as shown above. Other venues played include Hotel Utah (San Francisco), the legenday Sweetwater Saloon, where he won "Best Song" for "Shoes", the first track of "Refugee Blues", the legendary CBGB's (NYC), Arlene's Grocery (NYC), Galaxy Hut (Arlington, VA), the Herndon Festival featuring Suzanne Vega (Herndon, VA), and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, (Cleveland, OH) where he and his former band earned first place in the Battle of the Bands, (1.13.01). Instrumentation Chris Volpe - vocals, banjo, guitar, harmonica Discography "Shipwrecked" 2009-12 song studio full-length CD "The fact that Volpe is able to pull off such complex songs ("Shipwrecked") with such assurance makes it remarkable that Volpe's talent hasn't been snapped up by a major label."  -Martin Raybould, Whisperin & Hollerin "Refugee Blues" 2006-15 song full length CD "Refugee Blues" has entered the CMJ top 30 Charts:  KSMC -  Moraga, CA Ch #2 (4 weeks in a row) NVWR - Reno, NV #5 ADD WCSR - Milwaukee, WI Ch #12 WLOY - Baltimore, MD Ch #19 KUIW - San Antonio, TX Ch #22 WLCA - Godfrey, IL Ch #23 TIR      -  Fullerton, CA Ch #24 WMLN - Milton, MA Ch #24 Other Radio Stations playing "Refugee Blues" are: -High Plains Public Radio in Garden City, Kansas -WLFR-FM Radio in Pomona, NJ    -WRUW 91.1 FM in Cleveland, OH    -WELH, Brown University in Providence, RI  - KISU 91.1 FM, Pocotello, ID  -WDVX 89.9 FM-Writer's Block Radio Show, Knoxville, TN And many more stations throughout the United States and Canada. "Refugee Blues" can be purchased at cdbaby.com, bordersstores.com, and iTunes Previous/Unreleased Records: "Leave 'em All Behind" 2003-10 song CD "Sketches" 2001-11 song CD "Sunny Days Never Ask Questions" 1999-11 song CD Links http://www.chrisvolpe.com