Singer/songwriter/musician Alice Gerrard has spent the last thirty years giving of herself to the world of traditional music in just about every possible way – as performer, writer and advocate. Though she’s been a driving force in bluegrass and old-time music for over three decades, it is amazing that Pieces Of My Heart is her first solo effort.

Noted Appalachian novelist Lee Smith characterized the project as “Long-awaited, long-overdue...simply wonderful. Covering a variety of moods, these selections showcase her wide range, though each perfectly-realized tune has its own integrity. Alice has a haunting and distinctive voice and she can do anything – holler, shout, belt it out, swing a little, croon a little, and then flat-out break your heart...I confess to being most knocked out by the original songs [nearly half of the songs on the project are Alice’s] – it is Alice’s emotional honesty which strikes me most in this new collection. These are real feelings, and these are true songs.” Helping Alice to showcase her original compositions and unique arrangements of country ballads and traditional songs is an impressive array of supporting musicians including Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin, Jim Watson, Tony Williamson, Kay Justice, and John Worthington.

Born in Seattle and raised in California, Alice fell in love with old-time and bluegrass music in college during the late 1950s and early 1960s. As part of the Hazel & Alice duo with West Virginian Hazel Dickens, Alice stimulated a generation of bluegrass and old-time music enthusiasts. Mary A. Bufwack and Robert K. Oermann noted in their highly acclaimed account of the role of women in country music, Finding Her Voice, that Hazel & Alice’s music “electrified the folk world, and women, in particular, were inspired by their example...Their sound even created ripples in mainstream country music. Emmylou Harris picked up their arrangement of ‘Hello Stranger’...Naomi Judd was inspired by [their] version of ‘The Sweetest Gift (A Mother’s Smile)’ to begin harmonizing with her daughter Wynonna.”

Alice currently makes her home in Durham, North Carolina. She founded and edited the music magazine The Old-Time Herald.