My New Favorites

My New Favorites have been sharing laughs and good music with audiences across the mountain south since 2010. They offer a constantly changing variety of tunes at every performance and connect with crowds wherever they go. Known for their strong songwriting and great songs, they fuse together a wide spectrum of musical styles into a sound that is uniquely their own. Individually, they play old time, bluegrass, Americana, rock, gospel, Irish, jazz and classical. Together, somehow, they are a fusion of all those styles.

Speaking of fusion, check out how piano, organ and clawhammer banjo happily coexist on their track, "Got To Have That Giving On Your Mind." Or the rock and roll accordion solo on "Go". Or check out the four part harmonies in "Meet Me In The Water" and "Long White Robe."

Playing in My New Favorites means bringing your own musical influences to the group, AND (this is important) being willing to learn from and be influenced by one another. The result is great music. But it's a style that does not readily fit into any particular genre.

My New Favorites is billed as an Americana band. That's the closest thing to a "non-label" label that anyone could come up with. But as one elderly concert attendee asked them one night before a show: “Americana? You people play Americana? Why don’t you just play music?”

Right on. Right on, Mr. Concert-goer, whoever you were and wherever you are. Right on that there doesn't have to be a label, a category, or a genre. Music just IS.

My New Favorites are songwriters as well as performing musicians. They write about 90% of the music they play. That just seems to work best for them. The songs have become their voice. And we use our voices to share them.

Everyone in the band has performed for years, but the group hooked up as My New Favorites in 2010. Since then, things have been busy. They’ve played festivals, concerts and clubs all around the southern mountains. They released their debut CD at the beginning of 2013.

Here’s some info on the players in My New Favorites:

Jeff Benedict is a singer and songwriter who plays guitar and banjo in the band. He writes most of the stuff they play. Then he watches as the rest of the band arranges it, changes it and births it out into the world.

Linda Waltner is a classically trained violinist, but doesn’t let that get in the way of being a first-rate fiddler. Right at home with Bach or Bob Dylan, she can also do old-time and Celtic.

Amy Benedict, “the little girl with the great big bass,” is a veteran performer on the old time scene. A lifelong singer and dancer, she brings strong melodies and harmonies to the band’s vocal mix.

Tracy Johnson plays the keyboards and the accordion, and does a great job singing. She's the only one in the band to play Carnegie Hall! Her strong musical style helps drive the music forward through every performance.