Miss Ohio radiates a warmth and intimacy, holding themselves honest and open. With entrancing vocals and harmonies, rich and powerful fiddle and effortless bluegrass style guitar, the two artists completely give themselves over to the music through stories of pure love, loss and tragedy.
Recently having performed the main stage at The National Folk Festival, Miss Ohio has been met with praise for their songwriting and bluegrass instrumentation.
"... (Miss Ohio) struck a rich vein of sumptuous sound from the very first bar of their performance. Their tasteful song choices, and note perfect playing and singing, entranced the sell-out crowd and set the bar very high..." Ken Grady, Upside Adelaide
Bluegrass duo, Miss Ohio is made up of fiddle/vocalist Mae Napier-Traeger and guitarist/vocalist Gage Stead. Their deep love for the traditional music of the Americas shines through their lyricism and harmonies as well as their virtuosic playing as they welcome the audience to become entwined in everything they create.
In 2019, Miss Ohio accompanied Adelaide band Kelly's Wayke on their Victoria tour and play alongside them regularly. The duo have held a residency at The Railway Hotel from 2019-2021 and also regularly perform around South Australia.
Miss Ohio performed in The Fringe 2021 at The Jade where they were met with stunning reviews.
"Adelaide duo, Miss Ohio, opening for a cappella group Little Sylvie at The Jade on Sunday afternoon, struck a rich vein of sumptuous sound from the very first bar of their performance. Their tasteful song choices, and note perfect playing and singing, entranced the sell-out crowd and set the bar very high for the headliners to follow.
Guitarist Gage Stead plays beautifully and possesses a rich voice filled with appropriate nuance enhanced with occasional inflections that bring to mind the very best voices of American country music of the South.
Mae Napier-Traeger, on fiddle and vocals, matches Stead for virtuosity on her instrument whilst providing stunning harmonies that evoke a strong emotional response in the listener. The two performers obviously enjoy working together, smiling with admiration as each note the other slots into the aural tapestry blends in so seamlessly.
Their well-chosen songs indicated a connoisseur’s musical palette, ranging from covers like the their opening Appalachian lament, Piney Mountain; through the classic Redd Stewart & Pee Wee King ballad, The Tennessee Waltz, and mischievously on to Charley Jordan’s 1930 paean to venereal disease, Keep It Clean. They also did a fantastic version of Gillian Welch’s Elvis Presley Blues that almost outdid the original. A version of Captain Beefheart & The Magic Band’s Sure ‘Nuff ‘N Yes I Do, was a total left field surprise and proved to be as enjoyable as it was unexpected.
The set also included original material, and Stead’s I’m Fine, inspired by a friend’s devastating bushfire losses, more than held its own for quality in the company of the fine songs the duo chose to include in this show.
I did not want this too short performance to end! And whilst this is the only appearance the duo have booked in for the Fringe this year, I heartily recommend to everyone that any performance these two wonderful musicians may schedule around town in the future would most definitely be worth checking out." - Ken Grady, Upside Adelaide
Miss Ohio is currently recording an album set to release mid 2023
Awards:
The Barn at Wombat Flat's Emerging Artist Scholarship (2021)
