SHAWN CRAVER LEARNED HIS FIRST SONGS AND FIDDLE TUNES FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN 1970S APPALACHIA AS A KID. IN THE 1980S SHAWN LEFT THE MOUNTAINS WITH A GUITAR AND CRISSCROSSED THE U.S.A. BY TRAIN, PLANE, AND THUMB.
SINCE THEN HE'S SHARED THE SAME STAGES AS CHAIN STATION, CHRIS THILE, ALTAN, JEFF PEHRSON (FURTHUR), OLD SALT UNION, SPENCER AND RAINS, BRUCE MOLSKY, SPECIAL CONSENSUS, DICK KIMMEL, DERVISH, TIM O'BRIEN, NASHVILLE BLUEGRASS BAND, SPOOK HANDY, THE ROUGH AND TUMBLE, SMALL POTATOES, AND MORE.
A DEFT INSTRUMENTALIST, CRAVER IS A 3 TIME MAIN STAGE PERFORMER AT THE KANSAS STATE FIDDLING CHAMPIONSHIPS, A 5 TIME MARYLAND BANJO CHAMPION (OLD TIME), AND MID-ATLANTIC MANDOLIN CHAMPION.
HIS GUITAR WORK CAN BE FOUND ON DICK KIMMEL'S "FISHING CREEK BLUES" RELEASED BY VIRGINIA'S COPPER CREEK RECORDS IN 2000. BLUEGRASS UNLIMITED DESCRIBED CRAVER'S 1999 RELEASE "OVER THE BLUE RIDGE" AS "A TREASURE TROVE..."
WITH DECADES OF ROAD STORIES AND A LIFETIME OF MOUNTAIN LORE UNDER HIS BELT, SHAWN IS ALSO A WORDSMITH WHO RECENTLY SERVED AS A PANELIST WITH NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR MARIA DAVANAH HEADLEY.
PAST PERFORMANCES
Lovegrass Wilson Lake, Kansas, National Endowment for the Arts/Humanities, Rocky Gap State Park Cumberland, Maryland, Yosemite National Park, California, Tiffany Tavern Alexandria Virginia, Coolfont Concert Series Berkeley Springs West Virginia, Renfrew Museum Waynesboro Pennsylvania, Windrush Gallery Friendsville, Maryland, Newman University Wichita Kansas, North Texas Irish Festival Dallas Texas, Sioux River Folk Festival Canton South Dakota, Mankato State University Mankota Minnesota, KS State Fiddling & Picking Championships Lawrence Kansas,The Friendly Inn Ellicott City Maryland, Owl and Monkey San Francisco California,Cross Ranch Bluegrass Festival Cross Ranch North Dakota,Winfield Art in the Park Winfield Kansas, Garrett College McHenry Maryland, Pipestone Performing Arts Pipestone MN, Society For the Preservation of Bluegrass Music, Downtown Concert Series Helena Montana, Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Association Winter Weekend, Minneapolis MN, Dulono's Pizza Minneapolis, The Orpheum Wichita Kansas,Pearl Street Mall Boulder Colorado, Cumberland Maryland Celtic Festival,Spencer Iowa Bluegrass Festival, Riverfest Wichita Kansas,Mt. Grove Bluegrass Festival Mt. Grove West Virginia,The Songwriter Showcase Branson Missouri, Maxwells Morgantown West Virginia,Cumberland Rail Festival Cumberland Maryland,Big Island Rendezevous Albert Lea Minnesota,Chisholm Trail Festival Abilene Kansas,Chatauqua Bismarck North Dakota,Chapel Hill Concert Series Wichita Kansas,Highland Festival McHenry Maryland,College Hill Concerts Wichita Kansas,Old Courthouse Concert Series Sioux Falls South Dakota, Owl and Monkey San Francisco California, Courtyard Santa Fe New Mexico, Cumberland Rail Festival Cumberland Maryland, Helena Montana Concert Series, Dulono's Pizza Minneapolis Minnesota and more...