Sara at the Oswego Music Hall. Photo by Terrance Manion. RETURN to ARTIST DIRECTORY

NAME: Sara Milonovich CULTURE: Adirondack GENRE: Bluegrass with Celtic and North American influences REGION: Central Leatherstocking COUNTY: Montgomery BIO: Sara has been playing the violin since she was four years old. She joined The Adirondack Fiddlers at age seven, and at age twelve released her first cassette of traditional fiddle tunes, Traditionally, Sara. She has performed with various classical ensembles throughout New York State, and in 1998 she released the CD Mrs. Ippy Fiddle, under the name Sara Miles (as her last name was often mispronounced), which was a nominated semifinalist for the 1999 Grammy Awards. From 1999–2002, she toured the U.S. and Ireland as a member of the Celtic/bluegrass/roots band, The McKrells. Her tune, “Cead Caloigne Sneachta” (The First Snowfall), from the McKrell’s holiday album Merry Christmas, placed sixth in the 2001 Just Plain Folks Awards for best holiday song. Her fiddle and voice (and flute and whistles) were also featured on their 2002 CD hit “The Ground Running.” In June 2001, Sara traveled to Mt. Airy, North Carolina, with John Kirk and Trish Miller, where she competed in both the Bluegrass Fiddle and Folk Song contests, placing first and second, respectively. She continues to actively perform throughout the U.S. and Europe in the Americana roots, folk-rock, bluegrass, Celtic, and Appalachian music scenes, collaborating with artists such as Richard Shindell, Cathie Ryan, The McKrells, Pete Seeger (on his Grammy-winning album, At 89), Eliza Gilkyson, Quickstep, Anne Hills, Antje Duvekot, and Leslie Ritter and Scott Petito, among others. Her newest CD, Daisycutter (which also received a Grammy semifinalist nod), was released in 2009. It features many of her own compositions, along with fresh readings of songs by a variety of contemporary writers. The album is also notable for the many friends from her various musical lives who joined in: newgrass mandolin stalwart Mike Marshall, Nashville bassist Viktor Krauss, renowned singer/songwriters Richard Shindell and Eliza Gilkyson, famed Austin player and producer Lloyd Maines, Irish guitarist John Doyle, former La Bottine Souriante members André Brunet and Denis Frechette, jazz reedman Matt Darriau of The Klezmatics, and Springsteen banjoist Gregory Liszt, among others. In her live performances, she’s supported by her five-piece band (also called Daisycutter)—a group of adventurous fellow travelers from the many and varied music scenes of New York City. DISCOGRAPHY: Sara Milonovich: Traditionally, Sara (1995, Bittersweet Productions) Mrs. Ippy Fiddle (1998, Starr Records) Daisycutter (2009, Loon Music) Sara Milonovich and Greg Anderson: Forward In All Directions (2004, Quarktet Music) Goodbye To The Snow (2008, Quarktet Music) (For a list of other collaboration efforts, see website) LISTEN: : 1. “No Sweat Helene,” from Daisycutter 2. “The First Snowfall” (by Sara Milonovich), from Daisycutter WEBSITE: www.saramilonovich.com CONTACT: saramilonovich@yahoo.com

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