Rachel Burge and Blue Dawning

Comprised of five musicians with a combined professional bluegrass history of over 70 years experience, Rachel Burge & Blue Dawning bring a contemporary style of bluegrass to the forefront and fans are responding.

Rachel is ready for fans to hear it.  “I am very excited about the release of our debut album and hope that listeners will take us in with open arms. We have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of the Mountain Fever Records family and thank Mark Hodges for that opportunity. Blue Dawning and I are excited about what lies ahead for us and we hope that when our music is heard, the listener enjoys it as much as we have enjoyed creating it!”

Burge blends the lines of traditional and contemporary bluegrass as band leader and mandolin player, styling her playing after some of the greatest mandolin players on the circuit today.  People are paying attention including radio listeners and DJs.

“I was fortunate to hear and meet many first generation bluegrass musicians. Even today, when I hear really good bluegrass music, it makes me cry. Rachel’s CD made me cry,” says Bob Mitchell, DJ with WKWC (FM), WFPK (FM/Internet), WMAK(AM/Internet), “The Bluegrass Mix” (Internet), “The Bluegrass Jamboree” (Internet) and “Crescent Hill Radio” (AM/Internet)

“I use a personal 5 point rating scale for each track to determine which songs will receive airplay. Every song on Burge’s release is a 5. I especially enjoyed “Kentucky Mandolin” since that’s the theme song for my weekly program. Rachel and her new band, Blue Dawning, provide first rate entertainment and I highly recommend this release,” Mitchell adds.

A graduate of Glenville State College, she holds a degree in Music Education as well as a certificate in Bluegrass Music.   She was able to participate in one of the only Bluegrass music certificate programs in the nation.  As a result, she has performed with the likes of Jesse McReynolds, Mac Wiseman, Ronnie Reno, The Dillards and many others.

Blue Dawning musicians Lance Gainer on guitar and vocals, Radford Vance (formerly with Northwest Territory) on five-string banjo, Michele Birkby-Vance (formerly with Northwest Territory) on fiddle, and Rick Westerman (Buck and Company, Rarely Herd, The Hart Brothers) on bass and tenor vocals,  all form an experienced group able to interpret Burge’s musical vision.