Featuring founding Nitty Gritty Dirt Band member Les Thompson, Les' wife Stephanie Thompson, and Lisa Taylor, Andrew McKnight & Beyond Borders blends his charming tenor voice and acoustic and electric guitars in a frequently shifting mix of banjo, mandolin, upright bass, drums, and percussion. The band has delighted concert and festival audiences since their collective debut at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington (March 2008) as well as on their acclaimed CD/DVD set One Virginia Night.
Valuing the artistry of taut arrangements over flashy instrumental jams, they have earned acclaim for their exquisite 3- and 4-part vocal harmonies as well as the unusual and constantly changing combinations of instruments. Their eclectic arrangements fuse oldtime influences, roots rock sounds, and an assimilation of many stylistic elements that truly stretch "beyond Appalachian, beyond blues, beyond folk". Over the last decade they've written a collection of songs together prominently featuring each of the members.
The warmth and chemistry between these seasoned musicians has delighted music fans and presenters alike at some of the highest-quality venues around the mid-Atlantic region, including the Lincoln Theater, Herndon Festival, the Barter Theater, Shepherdstown Opera House, the Chrysler Museum of Art, and the Mountain Aid concert at Shakori Hills NC.
Hailing from Springfield, West Virginia, Maryanna, Ben, and Baxter are a group of cousins that have been making music together since childhood. The trio covers music through the decades; incorporating heartfelt folk, oldies, and modern hits, as well as some nostalgic 90s favorites. Most importantly, their sound is rooted in family, memory, and the country farm they grew up on together.
