The Be Good Tanyas is an all-female
trio of musicians from
Vancouver,
British Columbia,
Canada,
Samantha Parton - guitar, vocals, mandolin, banjo (30 years old)
Frazey Ford - guitar, vocals (29 years old)
Trish Klein - electric guitar, banjo, vocals (26 years old)
The Be Good Tanyas started up in the
Spring of
1999 singing and playing together in
used-clothing stores and cool
restaurants in Vancouver. Their name is from the song "
Be Good Tanya", written by
Obo Martin McCrory, a friend of Samantha Parton’s.
They arranged original songs, and started to create their own songs, with strong callbacks to a time 200 years gone. It all sounds like a blend of bluegrass, jazz, country, and warm gospel. They arrange a number of old songs in new ways, like the Creole "Lakes of Pontchartrain".
They produced one fine album, Blue Horse, in 1999, with a beautiful use of harmony, and amazing vocals and instrumentation. Their second album, Chinatown, is destined for release in January 2003. They have toured Canada, USA, UK, and Australia. After the release of Chinatown, they may go on another tour.