About Us
About the Band
Appalachian Heaven
Appalachian Heaven is a six piece Melbourne based, traditional string band, playing traditional music from the Northern American “old time” repertoire. The band members include several singers and play a variety of instruments including fiddles, guitar, dobro, double bass, mandolin and clawhammer banjo. They are vocally entertaining and perform for square dances, concerts, as well as extensive teaching experience in banjo, fiddle and flat pick guitar workshops. The tunes are from the rural south of the USA and include some modern country music songs. Many of the tunes are from recordings made between 1920 – 1940. With its origins in traditional music of Europe and Africa, “old time” music represents perhaps the oldest form of North American traditional music other than Native American, and thus the term “old time” is an appropriate one. Their new album, “In the Pines” was launched in April at the National Folk Festival, where the band knocked everyone’s socks off with their incredible talent, exceptional musical skills and showed their love of traditional material.
Appalachian Heaven plays string band music from the USA Southern Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, Virginia, Nth Carolina, and Kentucky. They are an entertaining, driving Victorian string band. They are influenced by the “New Lost City Ramblers”. Ian has played with Tracy Schwartz and Mike Seeger (RIP).
As well as extensive trad West Virginia and Round Peak tunes, they play several Bill Monroe tunes, Nickel Creek, Gillian Welch a capella harmony, and several Alison Krauss tunes. Appalachian Heaven play and call fast Southern square dances with Maggie Duncan as an experienced dance caller.
They want to re-create and honor the music of the mountains. But … they divert into modern USA country and Bluegrass music when they want to, and often! They sing happy and sad songs; they also want the audience up and dancing!
Ian Alexander
Ian Alexander first became interested in old-time Appalachian music 20 years ago, and started playing clawhammer banjo. Ian visits the USA to go to the large fiddle festivals nearly every year and sponsors bringing USA musicians each year out to Australia for Harrietvile Festival and the National Folk Festival. Ian has been taught banjo by some of the greatest current Appalachian players and has played with many fine fiddlers, including old fiddlers from the last generation. Ian started the Appalachian Heaven string band five years ago. Ian loves playing with his band at many Victorian music festivals.
Maggie Duncan
In a previous life Maggie studied classical violin and piano and DIY folk guitar. She discovered fiddle music and now revels in Irish, Scottish, American and Australian traditional music. She can be found playing in dance bands, sessions, parties, shopping centres, folk festivals and concerts, and is well known as a teacher of traditional fiddle, conducting regular workshops and teaching individual students.
She is also a keen dancer and dance caller, and loves to play fiddle tunes for dancing.
Kevin Parsell
Plays old time music, bluegrass, Texas swing, Irish, and ragtime
Plays guitar, mandolin, ukulele (aim in life is to play dobro)
Teaches music to many students for over twenty years
Has been playing music for over thirty years
Participated in many festivals including Port Fairy, Harrietville, National Folk Festival, Beechworth – Kelly Pick, Kilmore Celtic, Maldon, Tamworth
Founding member of the “Murphy, to be sure” band
CDs – with Coolgrass; Tony O’Rorke – “Fiddle Tunes for Flatpick Guitar”
Kimberley Wheeler
Kim is a young musician from Geelong who was originally classically trained in clarinet. She discovered rock music and was next seen playing bass guitar for a heavy metal band in front of her own MONSTER amplifier.
Kim now plays bass and sings vocals in Gerry Hales’ “Innocent Bystanders” and “Uncle Bill” … two great Melbourne bands.
Kim joined Appalachian Heaven in 2009 as bass and vocalist.
Together with Gerry Hales Kim runs the “Guitar Gallery” in Fitroy.
Kim’s instruments are bass, guitar and she is a great singer.
