humility and innocence of Woody Guthrie." - Poughkeepsie Journal
David Kraai (pronounced cry, meaning crow) is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and bandleader who has been traveling and performing his melting pot of country, folk and rock for over a decade. His roots stem from New York’s Hudson Valley, but his music has taken him all over the United States, and at times abroad, gaining him an ever-growing fan base.
Carrying on the tradition of Cosmic American Music, David’s influences include Gram Parsons, Neil Young, Bob Dylan and The Band. These influences along with his unique sense of melody and lyric help create a sound that is truly his own. Kraai has been fortunate enough to release several albums and share stages and bills with some of his heroes like Pete Seeger, Levon Helm, Garth Hudson, Dickey Betts, Leon Russell, Charlie Louvin, Dr. Ralph Stanley and more.
David Kraai’s new album, North Mountain Rambling, was recorded in the basement of the legendary Big Pink - a house just outside of Woodstock, New York. It’s been fifty years since Bob Dylan and The Band recorded The Basement Tapes there and this is the first album recorded and released from Big Pink since those historic sessions. Performers on the album include Dylan alumni Rob Stoner (Rolling Thunder Revue, Desire, Hard Rain, At Budokan, Live 1975) and Eric Weissberg (Blood On The Tracks, "Dueling Banjos"), in his final session.
David says of the album, “I had the idea to record here over a decade ago. It never left my mind, kind of like the songs that came out of this basement. It would be an absolute life-highlight to make any music in these hallowed walls, but to bring new songs into the world from this special place again is very magical. This location, these players, fifty years… it’s more than a dream come true, to me it’s the most perfect circle.”
author of Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, and American Folk Outlaw Performance (Routledge 2017)
| David has performed onstage with: Pete Seeger Garth Hudson, Randy Ciarlante (The Band) John Sebastian (The Lovin' Spoonful) Danny Louis (Gov't Mule) John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) Jim Lauderdale Victoria Williams Red Simpson Cindy Cashdollar (Bob Dylan, Asleep at the Wheel) Floyd Domino (Willie Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel) Jerry Marotta (Paul McCartney, Peter Gabriel, Indigo Girls) Eric Weissberg (Dueling Banjos, Bob Dylan) Bill Keith (Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys) John Platania (Van Morrison) John Simon (The Band, Janis Joplin, Taj Mahal) David Amram Terrapin Family Band Larry Packer (The Last Waltz) David Bennett Cohen (Country Joe and the Fish) Tim Easton Professor Louie & The Crowmatix Members of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue Members of Jimi Hendrix's Gypsy Sun and Rainbows Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd Members of Gram Parsons & Emmylou Harris’ Fallen Angels Members of The Flying Burrito Brothers Members of Hot Tuna Members of Shaver/Billy Joe Shaver Members of Mountain Members of The David Grisman Sextet Members of Doug Sahm & The Texas Tornados Members of Plastic Ono Elephant's Memory Band Members of The New Christy Minstrels Members of The International Submarine Band Career and performance highlights: Named number 2 current protest song by Neil Young’s website Release named 79th album of year by WNCW Live on National Public Radio (NPR) National Rock Convention performance & appearance Interviews for Howard Stern and John Sinclair radio shows Cowrite with Bob Weir (Grateful Dead) lyricist Gerrit Graham Garage Band Tribute to The Beatles & The Rolling Stones CDs Levon Helm Studios, Bethel Woods, Carter Family Fold, CBGB’s Antone's, Eddie's Attic, Bearsville Theater, The Knitting Factory Gregg Allman Album Release Party performance Gram Parsons Tribute Festivals & Concerts Gene Clark & “Sneaky” Pete Kleinow Tribute Concerts Daniel Pearl Memorial Concerts Tour |
Opened for and on bills with: Levon Helm, Jim Weider (The Band) Dickey Betts & Great Southern Leon Russell Charlie Louvin Dr. Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys Al Jardine (The Beach Boys) Mary Wilson (The Supremes) Joan Osborne Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives David Bromberg Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt) Firefall Tommy James Little Anthony & The Imperials Sonny Landreth Dar Williams Denny Laine (Paul McCartney's Wings, The Moody Blues) Tony Levin (John Lennon, Peter Gabriel) Blondie Chaplin (The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys) The Kentucky Headhunters Elizabeth Cook Tracy Bonham Larry Campbell & Teresa Williams Steve Kimock & Friends Jim Kweskin Happy Traum Burrito Deluxe Walter Egan Donna The Buffalo Rory Block Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion Members of the Grateful Dead Members of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Band Members of Jefferson Airplane Members of Traffic Members of Little Feat Members of Gregg Allman Band Members of The Black Crowes Members of Poco Members of The Yardbirds Members of The Hollies Members of Blackberry Smoke Members of moe. Members of BR549 Members of Spirit Members of The Merry Pranksters |
