About Hey Mavis
Northcoast Americana band “Hey Mavis” was formed as part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park artist-in-residence program. Producer Don Dixon (REM/Smithereens/Red Clay Ramblers) “discovered” the group on a Christmas compilation CD and went on to produce their first two albums, both of which hit the top 10 on the national Folk DJ-L radio charts and amassed favorable reviews across the globe. Hey Mavis’s third release, produced by Yonder Mountain’s Adam Aijala, received similar accolades and has outsold its predecessors by a factor of two.
Hey Mavis's latest project, Silver Ribbon Dream—Songs & Stories of the Ohio & Erie Canal, is a book/CD of original songs and illustrations funded by John S. and James L. Knight Foundation in collaboration with nationally-acclaimed artist Leandra Drumm. Slated for release in October, 2018, preliminary reviews have ranged from "unconventionally beautiful" to "startlingly original." A traveling gallery exhibit accompanied by Hey Mavis performances is currently being scheduled in cities throughout the Midwest for the 2018-2019 season, including appearances with the Muncie Symphony and the Tuscarawas Philharmonic.
Hey Mavis has appeared on NPR’s Mountain Stage, NPR’s Whad'ya Know?, and PBS’s Songs from the Center. The group has performed standing-room-only shows at the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival as well as nine consecutive sell-out concerts in their hometown of Akron Ohio. In 2017, Melissa Etheridge saw Hey Mavis perform at a benefit concert and recruited the group to perform on her 2018 music cruise (yay!).
Band Members
Laurie Michelle Caner (vocals, banjo, songwriting) is a homeschooling mom, a songwriter, and Ms. May in the 2015 Banjo Babes Calendar. She has been hailed as a role model for mothers who strive to honor their own artistic vision while continuing to raise a healthy family. Her banjo playing is of curious origin, but beautifully serves as a foundation for her lyrics. Laurie’s songwriting tells the story of life—with all of it’s beauty, heartache, disappointment and joy—weaving a musical tapestry that speaks the truth of love, life and the human condition.
Eddie Caner (violin, viola profunda) spent a dozen years performing as a sideman in national touring bands and orchestras, including Page & Plant, Luciano Pavarotti, Smokey Robinson, and Natalie Cole. Eddie always amazes the audience with his Hendrix-like tone and precision—he can soar beautifully over Laurie’s vocals or play a raucous, dirgy groove. He was once labeled by the legendary music critic Jane Scott as “the most versatile musician on the planet”. Eddie spends his free time as a physics instructor at Case Western Reserve University.
Bryan Thomas (bass) is a versatile and nationally well-respected musician. He studied Cuban music in Havana with Carlos Del Puerto, served as Ohio Arts Council guest artist-in-residence and toured as bassist with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. Bryan steals the show every time Hey Mavis performs. His playing is a wonderful body-rhythm-bass conversation, accented by his homemade “Chank-o-matic 6000”, a vintage, weathered tambourine affixed to a stand and pedal. Bryan currently holds the position of Bass Professor at Kent State University and is a sought-after clinician.
Anthony Taddeo is a drummer, composer and Out of the Drawer Percussion (ODP) performing artist. Anthony graduated with honors from The Newschool for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City and has performed with a wide variety of artists from all genres of music, including Melanie Charles, Nitzan Gavrieli, Rachel Brotman, and Tony & Grammy winner Steve Kazee.
"With seven words, you took me there, I was standing exactly where you stood, and I knew the emotions that flooded your heart."
~Hey Mavis Fan
Hey Mavis has had the privilege of performing at venues such as:
Melissa Etheridge Cruise (main stage headliner)
Telluride Bluegrass Festival (Telluride, CO)
Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (headliner at The Little Theater)
Cain Park (Cleveland, OH--main stage headliner)
LC Pavilion (Columbus, OH)
Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (headliner)
The State Theater (Cleveland, OH)
The Kent Stage (main stage headliner)
Lock 3 (Akron, OH)
The Sportsmen's Tavern (Buffalo, NY)
The Abilene (Rochester, NY)
The Rongovian Embassy (Trumansburg, NY)
Culture Center Theater (Charleston, WV)
Hamilton Center for the Arts (Hamilton, OH)
Fairfield Community Arts Center (Fairfield, OH)
Paw Paw Festival (Athens, OH)
Turtle Hill Folk Festival (Rochester, NY)
Eastman House (Rochester, NY)
The Historic Taos Inn (Taos, NM)
Adelphia Music Hall (Marietta, OH)
Lancaster Music Festival (Lancaster, OH)
Jefferson Barracks (St. Louis, MO)
The House of Blues (Cleveland, OH)
Myer's Memorial Bandshell (Ashland, OH)
Hoover Auditorium and Pavilion (Lakeside, OH)
The Beachland Ballroom (Cleveland, OH)
Cuyahoga Valley National Park House Concert Series
Mill Creek Concert Series (Youngstown, OH)
Human Rights Coalition Annual Gala (Cleveland, OH)
First Night Akron (Akron, OH)
Akron Firestone Auditorium w/ the Firestone H.S. Orchestra (Akron, OH)
Brookstock (Cleveland, OH)
