The Greencards

The Greencards have accumulated awards and acclamations, from the Americana Music Award in 2006 for "Emerging Artist of the Year" through tours with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson to last year's "Best Country Instrumental Performance" Grammy nomination for "Mucky The Duck," a track from Viridian in 2008, and another in 2010 for "The Crystal Merchant" from Fascination.  Young, who lofted two singles as a solo artist to the top of the Australian country charts prior to leaving for the States, more than meets the demands of this varied repertoire.  Warm and reassuring on "Water in the Well," wistfully romantic on "Lover I Love the Best," eloquent in interpreting the epic lyric to "Davey Jones," her vocals intersect perfectly with the string wizardry of Warner, four-time winner of the Australian National Bluegrass Mandolin Championship.  More than that, Fascination represents the band's achievement of its primary goal, which is to draw from the roots while also advancing the possibilities of the music that inspires them, with each side of this equation nourishing the other.  Just as important, it challenges The Greencards to maintain this process onstage and in its future visits to the studio, by raising the levels of what they expect from themselves.