By John W. Barry
Ginger Winn, center, performs with Lost Leaders, Peter Cole, on the left, and Byron Isaacs, on the right, at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY, on Nov. 15. Photo by John W. Barry.
A capacity crowd and a rainy night set the stage for a most compelling performance at The Falcon in Marlboro, in New York’s Hudson Valley, this past Saturday, Nov. 15.
This auspicious occasion featured the band Lost Leaders singer-songwriter Ginger Winn. Lost Leaders features on bass and vocals Byron Isaacs, who is currently on a break from touring the world with The Lumineers. Byron played in the Levon Helm Band and is in roots ensemble Ollabelle. Guitarist and vocalist Peter Cole is well-known for the band Lava Baby.
Winn’s songwriting and stage presence charmed the crowd. Lost Leaders brought their signature-seismic approach to performing, one that brings tone, texture and spirit—with an affirming rock and roll rumble and roar—to anything they do or touch.
Fear not if you made the terrible choice of not attending this show. Winn and Lost Leaders will be back at in Hudson, NY, due north of Marlboro and across the Hudson River, this coming Friday, Aug. 21. The venue will be the Park Theater in a cozy town with a historic main boulevard and rich heritage.
In advance of this show, We’ve asked our three musical co-conspirators—Winn and Lost Leaders in Marlboro performed their own sets and joined together for a few tunes—to share a little something about themselves. We cornered them with a list of 10 questions and present them here for your review.
Click here for information on this show and to purchase tickets. The Park Theater is at 723 Warren St., Hudson, NY. Anyone attending the show is asked to bring pantry foods and canned goods like grains, pasta, beans and oats; bread; non-alcoholic beverages, including bottled water and juices; and healthy snacks that are non-perishable, as well as bulk foods in sealed containers. These donations will support Hudson Valley neighbors experiencing food insecurity.
And now, what’s to know about Byron Isaacs, Peter Cole and Ginger Winn:
Lost Leaders bass player and vocalist Byron Isaacs:
1-What was your first album?
Charles Mingus, “New Tijuana Moods.” I bought it as a CD. It was the first I bought with my own money.
2-What was your first concert?
Billy Joel on “The Stranger “tour at the Astrodome in Houston
3-Did your first concert leave any significant impact on your life?
It made me a Billy Joel fan forever and also it was loud! Ever since, I bring earplugs to concerts.
4-Where are you from, where do you live now and how does the notion of “home” shape you as a musician?
Houston Texas, and now Brooklyn, New York. Music itself is an interplay of tension and release so good music is always the feeling of leaving and returning home.
5-What song would you consider a “guilty pleasure.”
It used to be liking bands that other musicians didn’t like. But now I don’t care! So there’s no
guilt.
6-Is there a song that you didn’t write, that you love so much you wish you had written it?
Anything by Joni Mitchell, Suzanne Vega, or Kris Kristofferson
7-What’s the last book you read?
We listened to the Mel Brooks autobiography in the car that was great. It’s called “All About Me!”
8-What’s the craziest gig you ever played and why was it off the rails?
Ollabelle played the food tent at a festival called Country Thunder in Wisconsin. It was 105 degrees and a Hell’s Angels rally was happening at the festival. They didn’t provide the promised backline so we had no instruments. A band that played before us lent us their gear. After, Fiona McBain had to go into the office and shake them down for our payment.
9-How would you describe the Hudson Valley, NY, music scene to someone who has never experienced a show in the region?
Well, I would say that the Hudson Valley leaves an indelible mark on any artist of any genre. There’s something about the majesty and mystery of the hills that brings out an authentic honesty and a stripped-down realism. And the audiences are so steeped in high quality music that they come primed and ready for a good time.
10-If you could collaborate with any living musician, famous or otherwise, living or dead, who would it be and why?
I immediately want to say “Paul McCartney” for all the obvious reasons. So I can steal his licks!
Lost Leaders guitarist and vocalist Peter Cole:
1-What was your first album?
The first records I got were given to me by my cousin. The first was probably “Meet the Beatles.”
2-What was your first concert?
Either Pete Seeger or Arlo Guthrie. My parents took me to see them all the time. I probably saw Arlo Guthrie more than any other artist.
3-Did your first concert leave any significant impact on your life?
No.
4-Where are you from, where do you live now and how does the notion of “home” shape you as a musician?
I was born in the Bronx and now I live in Westchester County. The concept of home gives me the emotional grounding I need in order to write.
5-What song would you consider a “guilty pleasure.”
All pleasure, no guilt.
6-Is there a song that you didn’t write, that you love so much you wish you had written it?
Like 400,000 songs. Yes! A thousand times yes.
7-What’s the last book you read?
Neil Gaiman, Norse Mythology.
8-What’s the craziest gig you ever played and why was it off the rails?
At some point Lava Baby, in Georgia maybe, got in a fight with a promoter and the gig never happened.
9-How would you describe the Hudson Valley, NY, music scene to someone who has never experienced a show in the region?
Communal.
10-If you could collaborate with any living musician, famous or otherwise, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Tom Petty. It would make me a better songwriter.
Singer-songwriter Ginger Winn:
1. What was your first album?
My very first album was a demo project my mom and I made called “DESPOTIC.” My first commercial release was “STOP-MOTION”, which I put out with my current label, Keep Good Company Records. The first album I listened to was Ed Sheeran’s “+”. As a new songwriter, I learned a lot.
2. What was your first concert?
The Lumineers at CitiField this year. It was life changing.
3. Did that first concert leave a significant impact on you?
Definitely.
4. Where are you from, where do you live now, and how does the idea of “home” shape you as an artist?
I’m from Charleston, South Carolina. I live in Kingston, New York now, and I spent a few years in Cape Town in between. “Home” for me is wherever my instruments and studio live. I’ve moved a lot, and the people I meet in each place always filter into the music I make.
5. What’s a song you’d consider a “guilty pleasure’?
“The Maze” by Stop Light Observations. They’re a band from Charleston who’ve built a following nationally, and they were huge for me when I was a teenager. That song feels hopeless and comforting at the same time, which is a hard balance to pull off.
6. What’s a song you didn’t write that you wish you had?
“Good Life” by OneRepublic.
7. What’s the last book you read?
My friend started a book club, and she’s a fan of Liz Moore’s novels. The most recent one I read was Long Bright River. Her writing is wonderfully suspenseful.
8. What’s the craziest gig you’ve ever played, and why was it off the rails?
I accidentally ended up on a punk rock bill with bands way younger and way louder than me. I was the last act, just me and an electric guitar playing folk/indie songs. I got so anxious trying to match their energy that I almost passed out onstage.
9. How would you describe the Hudson Valley music scene to someone who’s never experienced it?
Folk music runs the show, and the sense of connection between artists is unlike anything I’ve experienced elsewhere. It’s a real community.
10. If you could collaborate with any musician, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Fleetwood Mac. Their songwriting, harmonies and overall sound have always felt timeless to me.
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