In Athens, musicians local to the area often perfect the sound of southeastern Ohio folk rock and country, but some Ohio University professors and staff members have now proven that their own grass roots grow just as deep.
Broken Ring is an Americana group comprised entirely of OU faculty and staff, including Colleen Carow, the lead vocalist and guitarist and the marketing communications director of the Russ College of Engineering. The other three members all work in the College of Communication including bassist Tom Daniels, percussionist Bill Rawlins and lead vocalist Jeff Redefer.
Daniels first brought the group together last summer. Carow said that although she has been singing her entire life, she only found her newfound love for playing guitar two years ago.
Those guys have all been playing since they were kids so they are all phenomenal
Carow said. It is really amazing for me to be a novice guitar player to play with these amazing musicians they are so fun to be with. I've always wanted to do more with music as an adult and I just got to a point in my life where there was no other reason not to.
Inspired by folk artists such as Kathleen Edwards and Patty Griffin, Carow instills a similar sound when she and Rawlins come together to write the majority of the group's music. Carow said that she often writes autobiographically, each song reflecting her own personal experiences. In fact, even the band's name was prompted by Carow's recent divorce, a real proof that music can help heal people in troubled times.
I was just getting into music as my marriage was ending and so music has been a life-changing thing for me
Carow said. And
(the name) just seems to have that rootsy feel that Americana has and everyone liked it
so we stuck with it.
Not only does the music support Carow, but the members of the band also act like a second family, supporting each person's endeavors.
I'm a single mom of a four-year-old boy and all these guys are dads so not only do we have a great time playing music
but they are supportive of me personally
Carow said. They treat my son like he's their own and my son has really embraced music and loves the band so it is an awesome thing to see.
With summer on its way, the whole band can soon fully embrace the music as they plan to record new songs over the summer. They plan to have enough songs recorded to release an album in the fall.
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