Winning their first International Bluegrass Music Association annual award before they'd ever released an album, the group has blazed new trails by combining an unfettered ensemble sensibility with outstanding individual strengths, typified by the Grammy nomination earned by fiddler Jim Van Cleve for a selection from his hot-selling solo debut, No Apologies, the five consecutive IBMA Mandolin Player of the Year honors given to Adam Steffey and the acclaim that greeted guitarist Clay Jones' solo release, Mountain Tradition.

For the rest of Mountain Heart -- banjo man Barry Abernathy, bassist Jason Moore, Jones, Steffey and Van Cleve -- it was both Shilling's talent and the intensity of his love for music that made him an attractive candidate for membership. "Jim and I actually first heard him a couple of years ago, when we were working on Clay's solo record [Mountain Tradition]," Abernathy says. "He was playing at a club, and we went over and listened to him, and he was just unbelievable. He's such an incredible musician -- he thinks about music, he's got it on his mind; he wants to be good at everything he does.

Blending tradition and experience with youthful energy and exploration, and with a new lineup that preserves the essence of the group's spine-tingling experience yet also adds a new dimension of intensity and creativity, Mountain Heart is set for an exciting 2007.

The Ark is Ann Arbor's nonprofit home for acoustic music. Considered one of the top music clubs in the world, The Ark is renowned for the quality and breadth of its programming. The Ark is an intimate 400-seat club presenting performers who fall into the wide-ranging genres of folk and roots music. With live music nearly 300 nights each year in one of the best listening rooms anywhere, The Ark is a sure bet for a memorable evening of enriching entertainment, musical artistry, and personal warmth.

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