Clearwater Festival Hosts Folk Group Cry Cry Cry

From Croton - On- Hudson: Celebrated singer-songwriters Lucy Kaplansky, Richard Shindell and Dar Williams will revive their celebrated folk-pop collaboration, Cry Cry Cry, on June 18th at the Clearwater Festival in Croton-on-Hudson, NY for their first performance in nineteen years. The band recorded their eponymous debut in 1998 for Razor & Tie Records followed by a sold-out nationwide tour including New York’s Town Hall.

The collection of twelve mostly cover songs was really a tribute to fellow singer-songwriters. A mainstay on radio during the late 1990s and early 2000s, the album ranked fourth among AAA radio station’s most played records in 1999 and continued in high rotation well into the 2000s.

The record was consistently praised by the press: The Washington Post raved, “Cry Cry Cry illustrates the advantages of taking the best works of contemporary folk musicians and fleshing them out with lovely, three-part harmonies” and the New York Times cheered for the trio’s “gorgeous harmonies.” Entertainment Weekly wrote “Cry Cry Cry’s purity of heart and sound is spirit renewing.”

Cry Cry Cry will perform selections from their debut as well as favorites from each of their individual discographies.

While each of the band members has previously performed at the Clearwater Festival, Cry Cry Cry are enthusiastic about returning to the stage together. Shindell said, “we were called back into existence by Clearwater. They floated the idea of a reunion for several years and we finally thought, if not now then when?”

Each member of Cry Cry Cry has spoken about their belief in the power of songs and the power of singing in harmony. Pete Seeger dedicated his life to teaching the world to sing together so it’s fitting that the reunion will take place at Clearwater.

“We certainly did not expect to be reuniting at this unique moment in time, when people are coming together giving voice, partly through music, to what matters and to our collective values.” Kaplansky stated.

Williams added, “When you have a musical bond, it's like siblings. You are always returning to that unspoken language and understanding. I love Richard’s and Lucy's voices more than ever.”

Joining Cry Cry Cry at this year’s Clearwater Festival will be: Lake Street Dive, Arlo Guthrie, Los Lobos, Richard Thompson, Australian guitar virtuoso Tommy Emmanuel, Josh Ritter, Toshi Reagon and BIGLovely, and Alejandro Escovedo, Joan Osborne singing the songs of Bob Dylan, Tom Paxton & The DuanJuans, Holly Near, A Tribute to Buckwheat Zydeco featuring original members of his band, innovative Montreal based folk-rock band The Barr Brothers; husband and wife team Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams; modern day songster, minstrel and bluesman Jerron "Blind Boy" Paxton; the throat-singing, slide guitar playing one-man-band The Suitcase Junket; and cellist, singer, and former member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Leyla McCalla.

As part of this mission to present artists from around the globe, these acts will also be making their Clearwater Festival debut - amazing salsa band Jimmy Bosch Y Su Sexteto del Otro Mundo; Israeli sisters A-WA, who combine Yemenite folk singing with electronic dance music; Plena Libre, the great Puerto Rican plena and bomba group; Cuban songstress Dayme Arocena; Afro-Venezuelan singer Betsayda Machado; and indie Mambo band Orkesta Mendoza.

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