Old Time Music, Flatfooting, Square Dance
Photo courtesy of artist
The Mustard Cutters are an old-time stringband from Southwest Virginia known for lively two-stepping songs and danceable traditional tunes. The group features Gina Dilg on fiddle, Ivy Sheppard on banjo, Tyler Hughes on guitar, and Hasee Ciaccio on bass.
Fiddler Gina Dilg is a visual artist, musician, and dancer, and has played several times for Midday Mountain Music and Milepost Music in the duo The Lovely Mountaineers. She was also a featured artist in a solo exhibition at the Music Center with her show Half-Tone Folk Heroes: Traditional Musicians as Pop Art.
At age 15, guitar and banjo-player Ivy Sheppard announced to her parents that she was going to make her living playing music. She met up with Janice and Bill Birchfield in 1999 at a fiddlers convention, followed them home, and subsequently performed with the Roan Mountain Hilltoppers for several years. She toured extensively with The South Carolina Broadcasters playing the music music of the Carter Family, transitional old time-bluegrass tunes, and originals. She also runs radio stations WEHC and WISE-FM in Emory, Virginia.
On guitar and banjo, Tyler Hughes, began learning the traditions of mountain music and dance at age 12. He is also an accomplished square dance caller. As a dance caller, Tyler believes that everyone should have the chance to join in the fun. His dance calls are crafted so that dancers of all experience levels can get out on the floor comfortably. In addition to his playing and calling, Tyler is also the Director of The Crooked Road.
Hasee Ciacco holds down the rhythm with the upright bass. In recent years, Hasee has toured and recorded with artists including the timeless and legendary Laurie Lewis, the all star bluegrass band Sister Sadie, the trailblazing Alice Gerrard and the visionary Jake Blount.