Biography
Folk = people = real life = the roots of the music of Marty and Lil.
Marty and Lil combine flat-pickin’ guitar with djembe rhythm and top it off with sweet harmonies to create a warm and lively musical experience... "It's a simple sound, very inviting and very listenable!"
You’ll hear flavours of traditional folk, Celtic, bluegrass, country AND western in their original folk songs, along with covers of contemporary songwriters such as Kim Barlow, Jane Hawley, Ian Tamblyn, Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Kieran Kane and John Prine.
Marty and Lil released an independent CD in 2007, “It’s a Long Way to Roam”, of 10 original songs about cowboys, fur traders, trucks, love, and the old home place.
Their new songs continue a “Canadiana” theme with a suite of songs about the painter Tom Thomson. "It's not just Tom the painter and woodsman in Algonquin Park, but more about what he was thinking and feeling at the time in 1917", Marty says.
Another new song, “Farmer’s Road”, took 3rd place in the “Best Song of Alberta” category at the 2008 Calgary Folk Festival’s Songwriter Contest. (You can hear it in the "Audio" section.)
An honest turn of phrase and a heart-felt melody... that's what characterizes their singing and songwriting. Stories seen through plaid-coloured glasses. Red plaid... honest stuff!
Instrumentation
Marty sings and plays acoustic guitar and octave mandolin.
Lil sings and plays percussion.
They perform as a duo, and with their band, "The Bloomin' Thistles".
Discography
It's a Long Way to Roam (2007) -original folk songs about traveling through life, love and the landscapes that surround us. CD's and MP3's available at http://www.cdbaby.com/martysiltanen.
Homefest Compilation CD (2007) -"Sagebrush and Pine" included in this compilation of artists who performed at the Edmonton Homefest benefit concert in 2007.
Homefest Compilation CD (2005) -"It's a Long Way to Roam" included in this compilation of artists who performed at the Edmonton Homefest benefit concert in 2005.
RMB (rootsmusicband) - Live @ Expressionz (2002) -a live off-the-floor recording with Ron D. Taylor. Marty's song "Road Kill" first appeared on this CD.
Links
| http://www.martyandlil.ca |