Steph "Pearly" Jenkins and Rosie "Snap" Newton have been playing fiddle tunes and singing country songs for over a decade. They both grew up in musical families, and met at the Ashokan Fiddle and Dance Camp. They moved to Ithaca for college in 2006, where they immersed themselves in the old-time music scene, often playing with local favorites Richie Stearns and Mac Benford. On their eponymous debut record they are joined by Rosie's mom, Abby Newton, a renowned Celtic cellist, and their friend Steve Selin, a local fiddler and luthier in Ithaca. Though they live in different parts of New York State, they get together to play occasional gigs in Brooklyn and Ithaca. See more about Steph and Rosie below!
ROSIE NEWTON
Rosie Newton grew up immersed in the rich folk music scene of Woodstock, NY, and began playing the fiddle when she was eight. Newton attended college in Ithaca, NY, where she studied Viola Performance. While in Ithaca, she found herself swept up by the area’s music scene, which infused her with a deep appreciation for the beauty and diversity of roots music. During this time she also developed a love for singing, and this, in addition to playing fiddle, forms an integral part of her performance.
Newton’s interests now span a wide range of musical styles, from Irish and old time to country and pop. She recently toured the Northeast playing zydeco fiddle with Louisiana legend Preston Frank. Newton currently performs in a duo with Richie Stearns, and plays with The Duhks, Red Dog Run, the Evil City Stringband, Home Remedy and The Pearly Snaps. She has recorded two CD's with her duo projects: The Pearly Snaps, self titled, in 2010, andTractor Beam, Richie and Rosie, in 2013; and recently released a CD with Red Dog Run. Her fiddling can also be found on the new Duhks record, Beyond the Blue. Newton has taught fiddle at Sunshine Coast School of Celtic music, the Taylor Music Festival and the Black Pot Camp. She has appeared at major US music festivals (Rhythm & Roots, Newport Folk Festival, Philadelphia Folk Festival, MerleFest, DelFest) and has performed with Natalie Merchant, Chris Eldridge (Punch Brothers), and Jefferson Hamer (Anaïs Mitchell/Child Ballads). She hopes to continue traveling the world, meeting musicians of all kinds, and exchanging with them her own musical perspective.
STEPH JENKINS
Stephanie Jenkins grew up singing torch songs and playing the bass in jazz bands, but her life was forever changed when she picked up the banjo at age 16. When she moved to Ithaca, NY, to attend Cornell University, she joined her friend and fiddler Rosie Newton to form old-time music duo The Pearly Snaps. She spent college learning about American traditional music, and immersing herself in the rich local music scene. Steph moved back to New York to work full-time as a co-producer and archival footage researcher for Ken Burns. She worked on The Central Park Five, and Jackie Robinson and is currently working on a film about the history of public housing. She has also contributed archival research to Radiolab, and is the musical coordinator for the Person, Place, Thing podcast.
Steph is immersed in the traditional music scene in Brooklyn, NY. Her recent musical highlights include playing banjo on the soundtrack of the hit documentary Weiner, and on the Grammy Award-winning children’s album Home. She enjoys playing banjo and bass with old-time bands The Calamity Janes and The Pearly Snaps. She is exploring writing original music for her solo project, as well as with pianist Ben Cosgrove. She is currently working on multiple albums.