Denver – Grammy-nominated country-folk songstress Iris Dement has largely gained her loyal following and even her record deal through word of mouth. She comes to Swallow Hill bringing her ?dustbowl-era? vocals, sweet Americana tunes and personal stories of small town life with songs from her recently released CD, Lifeline.

With an unusual vocal style, praised for its authenticity, Ben Thompson of The Independent on Sunday hails Iris' vocal twang as "a remarkable instrument. There's a sob in it, a roll of the tongue, a fluting quality that speaks of dust and dryness and the heartbroken slam of porch doors. There is also, every now and then, the hint of a yodel. Backwoods to the roots but nobody's redneck, it's owner is a rare free spirit amid the Stepford Wife legions of air-brushed new country divas." The Washington Post says that her voice "seems to have arrived unblemished from Civil War-era America." She has co-written and collaborated with John Prine for his album In Spite of Ourselves. The album, which included a series of four duets performed by Iris and John, earned her a Grammy nomination. She has sung on recordings with Emmylou Harris, Tom Paxton, Nanci Griffith, John McCutcheon, Tom Russell, Steve Earle and Jann Browne. Influenced by Bob Dylan, Loretta Lynn, Johnny Cash and Joni Mitchell, Iris is also influenced by the gospel music that she sang as a girl growing up in rural Arkansas.

For tickets visit www.swallowhillmusic.org or call (303) 777-1003. Discounts are available for Swallow Hill members.

About Swallow Hill Music Association:
Helping people make music since 1979, Swallow Hill Music Association is one of the largest institutions of its kind in the United States as a source for folk, roots and acoustic music. With more than 2,100 members—some of whom are also volunteers—, Swallow Hill provides a place to celebrate music that is rarely heard elsewhere in the Rocky Mountain Region. Three concert venues house more than 150 performances a year, featuring some of the world's great artists as well as up-and-coming new talent. The Julie Davis Music School at Swallow Hill provides a valuable and affordable extra-curricular educational resource to the community with more than 50 music instructors involved in more than 240 adult classes and 70 children's classes annually.

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