Biography In January 2010 Dyann Arthur, independent folklorist, musicologist and Berklee College of Music alumni (BA 1980 Magna cum laude) founded MusicBox Project (“MBP”) a non-profit corporation in the state of Washington, whose mission it is to document and preserve our musical history while advancing music education and avenues of creation and performance. Dyann and husband Rick Arthur conducted field recordings most of 2010 for a collection of oral histories and performances of women instrumentalists (not vocalists per se) in traditional genres of American Roots Music, especially those with familial and geographic ties to the tradition who are currently active in their musical endeavors. MBP is highlighting the stories of these women musicians, gendered discussions on education and performance, and the creative strategies these artists use in navigating challenges to making traditional music, while integrating their contributions into the twenty first century and onto the World Wide Web.
Biography Dan Maher originally fell in love with folk music as a teenager growing up in Spokane. A celebrated musician, he actually began his career in music during his college years at Washington State University, performing covers of the Eagles and Neil Young in venues around the area. His love for folk eventually led to his involvement with public radio as the host of what has come to be the weekly three-hour folk music radio show, Inland Folk, which is approaching its 31st year on the air. He is his own producer, editor and engineer for the show. Having collected over three decades worth of folk music, Dan now eagerly makes the transition to the digital age. He likes the change to digital mainly because it makes it easier to share music, but has to admit that all those years of hauling music back and forth from home for the show has played its part in convincing him. As a student who recently helped him move about five thousand of his old vinyls said, “Nothing musical has a right to be this heavy anymore.” Dan also works full-time for the office of Student Involvement and Leadership Development at WSU, coordinating student and organizational development programs, and is an advisor on multiple committees for ASWSU. In his free time he is an avid baseball fan, and loves listening to Vin Scully’s broadcasts of Dodgers games. Over the years Dan has generously volunteered his time during fund drives as well as offering free concerts in return for public support for both Spokane Public Radio and Northwest Public Radio.
