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Miss "V" - The Gypsy Cowbelle

Whether she's building a banjo, riding the Divide, singing around a campfire, floating the Grand or hitchhiking across America, this little gal is doing her best to seize Life's Rich Pageant. "V" has balanced her back-country experiences with countless asphalt tours, seeking enlightenment through solitude as well as through her interactions with people from all walks of life. A knack for recognizing the humor in everyday life, an appreciation for history, a hunger for adventure and a ceaseless sense of creativity collectively establish Miss V's unique perspective and personality. Her experiences, free spirit, clever lyricism and classic rhythms on the guitar and her homemade banjo, blend together to create her signature "Genuine Cowbilly" music. This Gypsy Cowbelle and her music possess a universal and timeless allure that has charmed fans from coffee houses and campfires to festivals and honky tonks across America for nearly two decades.

”We selected “V” ~ The Gypsy Cowbelle because she has a fascinating personal story that is reflected in her music and presentation…audiences’ understanding of Wyoming history is enriched through her music…’V’ is the quintessential Wyoming singer/songwriter, and Wyoming is lucky to have her as a cultural ambassador…”

- Virginia M.  Wyoming PBS

Miss “V” on Montana Blue Roundup with Happy Pappy / May 2018

Homespun Instruments  / May 2019

Listen to "V"s 2008 radio interview on "Hear It Now" with with Merrill Piepkorn on North Dakota's "Prairie Public Radio" (KDSU)

Prarie_Public_Interview

Artist Statement

"Music is the common thread which binds my life experiences. Now a performing artist for over twenty years, my music reflects the ‘folk’ process of learning by those whose paths I have crossed. My teachers range from street musicians in New Orleans to virtuosos of the Appalachian Mountains; from old-time banjo frailers in the Pacific Northwest to cowboys in the Wyoming mountains. The result is my signature “Genuine Cowbilly” music.

A musical family with a love of classic country set the formative seed for my style, which was further cultivated by travelling America and caretaking a remote ranch with no modern amenities for fifteen years. The lifestyle inspired me to design and build my signature “Plank Banjos.”  Immersion in western lore and a lifelong interest in bygone days created the historical dynamic of my repertoire while extensive travels honed the cultural component of my performances.

Employing song and the folk process, I continue to share American history and culture nationwide, with audiences of all ages. Through interactive workshops, I now help others create their own instruments and music, as well as teaching traditional tunes to the next generation. Using music as a platform, I aspire to unite audiences, reveal history, evoke creativity, celebrate universal themes and depict characters found along a road less travelled. Most important, I strive to remain “Nothing Fancy but Guaranteed Authentic!”

Miss V's Fireside Chat