Biography
3 PENNY ACRE BIO
3 Penny Acre is a musical collaboration between three songwriters: Bayard Blain, Bernice Hembree, and Bryan Hembree. Fans and critics have identified their unique, Ozark-inspired sound as distinct, yet universally appealing. Listeners in all corners have come to appreciate their attention to lyrics, harmony, and carefully crafted acoustic arrangements steeped in roots music traditions but with a focus on fresh, new songwriting.
Shortly after forming as a band, 3 Penny Acre won the 2008 Walnut Valley Festival (Winfield, Kansas) NewSongs competition. The Winfield exposure helped to solidify the band’s path as emerging artists in the folk and roots music world. The band set their sites on touring extensively over the next 4 years. The relentless touring helped 3 Penny Acre to build a loyal and growing fan base across the nation. The band coupled their touring schedule with success on radio. Their sophomore album “Highway 71”, released in the summer of 2010, debuted on the folk radio charts at #3, including the title track “Highway 71” as the #1 song, and held that position for two months. When the annual charts were compiled, they had a top 10 song of 2010 and a top 40 album of 2010.
3 Penny Acre built upon their radio success with "Highway 71" and toured extensively to support the album, including performances at some of the most revered venues/concert series/festivals across the nation such as Kerrville Folk Festival, Woody Guthrie Folk Festival, St. Louis Folk and Roots Festival, Gallivan Center (Salt Lake City), Eddie's Attic, Madison Square Park Concert Series, The Dosey Doe, The Ram's Head, The Blue Door, and many more.
3 Penny Acre has proven to be more than just a one dimensional creative force. In 2011, 3 Penny Acre provided the music for a new play funded by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), "Sundown Town". Their appearance in the groundbreaking play helped to solidify the band's diverse appeal and demonstrated their multifaceted creative interests.
The band also founded and hosts the annual Fayetteville Roots Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The festival has grown rapidly over the last three years. The band has had the opportunity to present some of their "heroes" of music including Guy Clark (2011), John Prine (2012), David Grisman (2012), and Darrell Scott (2012) and showcase some of the brightest new voices in the folk and roots music world.
Fans of 3 Penny Acre have also enjoyed the chance to see Bernice Hembree and Bayard Blain regularly appear at festivals as guest musicians to other well-known artists including Eliza Gilkyson and Gregory Alan Isakov.
Lastly, Bayard Blain continues to gain a reputation as an emerging luthier. 3 Penny Acre exclusively plays Bayard guitars, mandolins, and bouzoukis live and in the studio. Bayard’s instruments have garnered a reputation as the choice for other touring musicians such as Johnsmith, Joe Jencks (Brother Sun), Jonathan Byrd, PJ George (Bearfoot and Nora Jane Struthers), Anthony DaCosta, Cory Brannan, Ezra Idlet (Trout Fishing in America), and many more.
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