Jennie McAvoy, Deerfield

Jennie McAvoy’s music combines the magic of the traditional ballad singer with the intimacy of the folk-chanteuse. Her voice—she’s a trained mezzo-soprano—is at once angelic and wise. It floats above the current of a rock-solid, deftly fingerpicked acoustic guitar (think Joan Baez or Elizabeth Cotton) on either her vintage Martin or her handmade Nickerson.

McAvoy has an impeccable ear for collecting songs—and an uncanny knack for making them her own. Her vast repertoire spans decades—even centuries—and finally, at the encouragement of her many fans and friends, she has recorded eleven of her best and favorite songs. The resulting CD, So Long On The Flood, is an eloquent collection of traditional and not-so-traditional folk songs. Songs from such artists as Kate Rusby, John Renbourn, Naimh Parsons, Mary Black, and Van Morrison, to name but a few. So Long On The Flood features McAvoy’s voice and guitar surrounded by the lush acoustic guitar and octave mandolin playing of Brooks Williams, and the sonorous cello of Phil Helzer. It is an eloquent and intimate recording.

McAvoy was born in New York City, raised in the Hudson River Valley, and now makes Deerfield, Massachusetts, her home.  We met Jennie when we were all singing with the Pioneer Valley Symphony Chorus and we've been friends ever since. We love her beautiful lilting voice and her wry sense of humor.