The Purple Valley in the Press
1) The Ithaca Times about our CD RElease PArty at the Haunt in August 2011
2) The Ithaca Times about The Purple Valley as one of IThaca's premier Happy Hour bands---
"The Purple Valley
John Saylor, who performs with his wife and daughter in The Purple Valley, has a long history in town. They have been a band since 1995, and the current configuration is Gina Smithson on vocals, Sue Compton on keys, Curtis Kretz on drums, Joseph Rayle on bass, Patrick Barrie on harp and Saylor on guitar and vocals. Saylor and his wife have played with a number of musicians in town, but the family band has stuck for the last few.
"We're partially influenced by Ry Cooder, and we live on Caanan Road in a valley, so the name comes from a confluence of things," Saylor explained by phone. "We always knew the title had to have a ‘the' in it, you know, like The Commitments."
Principally Purple Valley perform at Castaways, but the act also has regular gigs at the Roosterfish in Watkins Glen, the Americana Winery, Dorothy's, Oasis and the Haunt.
"We also enjoy playing benefits and festivals like the Ithaca Festival and the Apple Harvest Festival...this year we'll be playing Porchfest for the first time."
A versatile band, The Purple Valley mostly plays covers, but "it is always danceable, eclectic and covers that people have not often heard. We play a lot of blues and lately have been mixing in more country to country rock kinda material. I think we have a great harp player, a nice mix of vocal harmonies and a fantastic rhythm section."
"Some of the crowd are people we know but most are people we have gotten to know through our gigs, people who like to dance or relax and listen to our music," Saylor added."
2) The Ithaca Times about The Purple Valley as one of IThaca's premier Happy Hour bands---
"The Purple Valley
John Saylor, who performs with his wife and daughter in The Purple Valley, has a long history in town. They have been a band since 1995, and the current configuration is Gina Smithson on vocals, Sue Compton on keys, Curtis Kretz on drums, Joseph Rayle on bass, Patrick Barrie on harp and Saylor on guitar and vocals. Saylor and his wife have played with a number of musicians in town, but the family band has stuck for the last few.
"We're partially influenced by Ry Cooder, and we live on Caanan Road in a valley, so the name comes from a confluence of things," Saylor explained by phone. "We always knew the title had to have a ‘the' in it, you know, like The Commitments."
Principally Purple Valley perform at Castaways, but the act also has regular gigs at the Roosterfish in Watkins Glen, the Americana Winery, Dorothy's, Oasis and the Haunt.
"We also enjoy playing benefits and festivals like the Ithaca Festival and the Apple Harvest Festival...this year we'll be playing Porchfest for the first time."
A versatile band, The Purple Valley mostly plays covers, but "it is always danceable, eclectic and covers that people have not often heard. We play a lot of blues and lately have been mixing in more country to country rock kinda material. I think we have a great harp player, a nice mix of vocal harmonies and a fantastic rhythm section."
"Some of the crowd are people we know but most are people we have gotten to know through our gigs, people who like to dance or relax and listen to our music," Saylor added."
