Formed on a back porch overlooking Paul’s Creek in Asheville, N.C., the Paul’s Creek Band is one of the region’s finest acoustic string bands. Rooted in traditional sounds, their focus is singing and harmonies, old songs and original music with dance-ability and high-energy fun thrown in. Mountain stories and humor scatter through the show as they connect to the audience with songs, guitar, banjo, fiddle, upright bass, Dobro, harmonica and feet.
“You can tell the members of Paul’s Creek Band like each other, it comes through in their smooth harmonies, their solid playing and the infectious good time they bring to their shows,” Grammy winner David Holt
“An enjoyable evening of great old-time music with beautiful harmonies, plenty of humor and even some ‘stage stomping’ dance,” Lynn L. Shields, Executive Dir., Stecoah Valley Cultural Arts Center
“That’s the best dancing i ever heard” Doc Watson
Carol Rifkin’s soaring voice shines on everything from Carter Family lyrics to original songs. An award winning vocalist, musician and recording artist, she’s performed on TV, radio, festivals, the BBC documentary “Down Home, Appalachia to Nashville” (with fiddler Tommy Jarrell), the movie “Songcatcher”, U.S. Documentaries including “Rank Strangers”, “Why Old Time” and danced with Doc Watson and David Holt at regional events. A long time member of the Green Grass Cloggers, she appeared with them in two Emmy Award Winning shows and many festivals. A founding member of the Lake Eden Arts Festival, she served as Assistant Producer for 10 years. Carol co- hosts WNCW’s (88.7 FM) “This Old Porch”, writes about music for the Asheville Citizen Times and national magazines (approx. 1,000 stories published), does public speaking and emcee work, taught at prestigious camps like Ashoken & the Swannanoa Gathering and performs at many of the festivals and events in the region.
Jamie Soesbee is a Buncombe County native who started out playing with pop bands, worked as a professional studio session musician in the ’70s and ’80s and toured internationally with Jazz groups and various dance bands. In 1979, he played bass on the top hit gospel single of all time- Squire Parson’s “Sweet Beulah Land”. An award winning bass player (1st place Mountain State Fair 2009) who genre jumps with ease, he is related to the legendary country singer Jimmie Rodgers who had roots in Asheville (Rogers stayed at Jamie’s grandmother’s home while in Asheville). Completely at home on the upright bass (and electric bass), he sometimes sings lead in a fine clear voice and lends harmonies to many of the songs Carol and Troy sing.
Tom Pittman left Asheville more than 30 years ago and was a founding member of the Austin Lounge Lizards, touring internationally and recording 10 CDs with the band. Five time winners of the prestigious Austin Music Awards, their music appears on movie soundtracks, NPR’s Morning Edition, Mountain Stage, E-Town and much more. The call of his Southern roots brought him back to Asheville and so to Paul’s Creek on resonator guitar and banjo. Accomplished on banjo styles that range from claw hammer to bluegrass, his dry humor slips out between lovely riffs on resonator guitar or banjo. A radio host on the Austin’s KUT and KOOP, he is now on the radio at WNCW.
Lyndsay Pruett is a graduate of Belmont University’s Violin performance program and 
masters many styles. She appears with the Galen Kipar Project, the John Stickley Trio and is a much sought after session and player. With strong family ties in the mountain music community, she is a frequent visitor to Paul’s Creek and will join us in April 2012.
Legendary fiddler Arvil Freeman is a frequent visitor to the stage with Paul’s Creek and joins us whenever he in not working with Asheville’s venerable Stoney Creek Boys.
This spring Texas old time fiddlerElizabeth Pittmman will be an honored guest onstage.
We hope old friends visits Paul’s Creek when they can, like banjo artist George Buckner who lend his talents on Wade Mainer styles and more, he’s busy restoring cars and raising a family and has helped us so much. We hope to see banjo player Troy Harrison bring his Obray Ramsey style to the stage when his duties at work and at the orphanage he works with allow and fiddler Tim Garnder too, when he’s not busy with his new baby or promoting his new solo CD. Fiddlers Michael Pilgrim and most recently, nationally knows musicians Josh Goforth & Jack Devereux played with Paul’s Creek. Micah, Caleb and Bucky Hanks owe us a visit too, we are blessed with great friends at Paul’s Creek…along with our very special friends Marty, Don and Ralph Lewis and the Sons of Ralph.
“Paul’s Creek band represents what mountain music in the Blue Ridge is all about! The musicianship and variety is wonderful. And their interaction with the audience really makes for a great show! Feed & Seed highly recommends this band.” Rev. Phillip Trees, owner
Paul’s Creek has a state of the art sound system available for festivals, concerts, clubs, private events, educational programs & mountain style square dance or clogging session.
More Inf.: (828)-231-9018, paulscreek@gmail.com, www.paulscreek.com Carol Rifkin email Jamie Soesbee email
legendary fiddler Arvi Freeman plays with Paul’s Creek at MerleFest
Arvil George Carol Jamie at Shindig 2011