CLAUDIA NYGAARD and HARM’S WAY
CLAUDIA NYGAARD
Claudia Nygaard is a mesmerizing storyteller and a cinematic lyricist who writes songs that are heartfelt, humorous, scrappy, and sensual, And she does so with a daredevil’s vulnerability and a complete lack of self-censorship. Nygaard, with her powerful, resonant, and deeply emotive amber honey voice, is a master at putting a tear in your eye with a song that breaks your heart, and then with a quick wit and an outlandish sense of humor, she’ll replace it with tears of laughter.
Building on the craft she learned while a staff songwriter on Nashville’s Music Row, she has won numerous awards including the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting Competition, and with the title cut of her latest album “Lucky Girl”, the Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Competition. “Lucky Girl” charted at #3 on the Folk Alliance Radio song chart and #5 on the album chart, and gave her a significant debut on the Americana chart. It also received impressive reviews from the press. Legendary folk music magazine “Sing Out” claimed the songs “rival the likes of Guy Clark or Ian Tyson”.
HARM’S WAY
Harm’s Way is an Atlanta-based, folk/Americana music group that has entertained in the Southeast since the mid-1970s. Playing monthly concert series, private events, parks or wineries, Harm’s Way’s mostly acoustic sound is always well received. Their song list includes many familiar classics by favorites such as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Eagles and the Everly Brothers, as well as many folk tunes you may not be familiar with, but will enjoy just as much.
The group is led by Harmon Koeltz, who began his career as a drummer and band leader in high school. While playing bars, parties and weddings, he found his voice during one gig, when the band saw that he was singing along while drumming, and remembered the lyrics better than the lead vocalist! Vocalist Liz Bradley has been lead-singing in banquet orchestras since the 1980s, singing pop, folk, rock, traditional big band/swing and more. Phil Griffin is a singer/songwriter born and raised in Atlanta. He began playing guitar at age 9 when his gather brought home a Harmony acoustic and he’s been playing ever since. Phil has been making his way through the ever-growing Atlanta music scene and can be found around town playing lead guitar for Harm’s Way.