Kristen Short / The Band: Bios
Alan Bean
(production consultant/electric and acoustic guitarist)
Alan is the co-owner and recording engineer of Baked Beans Recording Studio in Harrison, Maine. Alan was a production consultant for Kristen's "Dove In A Hurricane" CD released July 2000 and for her "The Loan" CD released January 2007. He performs electric and acoustic guitar on her 2nd and 3rd CDs, and he did live performances with the New England group from 2000-2004. Wife Kim Bean also supported live performances and recordings on keyboard/piano from 2003-2004.
Karen Mason
(supporting vocals)
Karen is a gifted vocalist who joined up with Kristen's New England performing group in Fall 1999. She performed supporting vocals for Kristen's live performances 1999-2001, and she also performs on Kristen's version of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon," featured on Kristen's "Dove" CD. Karen is also the lead vocalist for the Maine band The Rogue Pogies.
Henry Priebe
(acoustic guitar/harmonica)
Henry is a veteran performing musician and singer-songwriter from the Oxford Hills area of Maine. Henry performed with Kristen's New England performing group from 1999-2003. Henry performed acoustic guitar and harmonica at Kristen's live performances, and his musical performances also can be found on Kristen's songs on her second CD, "The Right Place" and "Power To Believe."
Heather Pierson
(Keyboard/Hammond B3/Supporting Vocals)
Heather is a singer/songwriter/musician who Kristen has worked with since 1999. Catch her performances on Kristen's second CD, "Dove In A Hurricane" on songs like "Down This Road," "Second Chance" and "Sanctuary." Heather’s keyboard, guitar and vocal talents are featured on Kristen's third CD, “The Loan.” Heather is a versatile artist with an abundance of creativity! She has four original CDs of her own on her record label, Vessel Recordings, that Kristen highly recommends you hear! (See Heather's web site at heatherpierson.com) Heather supports Kristen's live performances with her lovely musical talents on keyboard, harmony vocals and guitar.
Lissa Schneckenburger
(fiddle)
Lissa is a wonderfully talented New England-style fiddler who recorded on Kristen’s third CD, “The Loan.” Lissa is touring extensively across the country, and she has a number of CDs to her credit. See Lissa’s web page at www.lissafiddle.com.
Chris Short
(trumpet, vocals, writer inspiration!)
Chris is a physician, a musician, and a wonderful husband who has encouraged me from the beginning stages of my singing and songwriting to produce my music. He helps with my music promotions and booking. He is the inspiration for much of my music, and I wouldn't be where I am today without his love and support. Chris also performs supporting vocals on my first CD (on "The Other Half That Makes You Whole") and performs trumpet on my song "Free," featured on my second CD, "Dove In A Hurricane." We have two little ones in our family, Allison and Ian, a cockatoo named Conway, and a yellow lab named Bo.
Mark Valliere
(drums/percussion)
Mark is a versatile and creative drummer who performed with Kristen's New England group from 1999-2002. Mark's drum and percussion arrangements can be found on Kristen's 2nd CD, "Dove In A Hurricane."
Bob Walsh
(Keyboard/Songwriter)
Bob is a talented piano/keyboard musician and songwriter who Kristen has had the pleasure of working with since the very beginning recording stages of her first CD, "Blossom In The Dust." Bob assisted Kristen with the primary arrangements of those recordings, and he also was an integral part of Kristen's second CD and live performances. Bob co-wrote two songs with Kristen for her second CD, "Dove In A Hurricane," and he is also in the process of releasing CDs of his own original recordings in the months ahead.
Marlene Weindorf-Ek
(acoustic guitar/supporting vocals)
Marlene is an acoustic guitarist and vocalist who in 1991 gave Kristen her start in songwriting by arranging the music to Kristen's poem, "Through It All." Marlene's acoustic guitar performances can be found on Kristen's debut CD. She also performs guitar and supporting vocals at Kristen's Pennsylvania performances.
Tony Krasinski
(drums/guitar/bass)
Tony is a versatile and creative musician whose drums, guitar and bass performances can be found on Kristen's debut CD. Tony's musical arrangement of those instruments on Kristen's "Blossom In The Dust" CD helped to transform those recordings from the original keyboard/vocal tracks of the demo versions to the fully arranged versions found on the CD. Bravo, Tony! Tony's bass performances can be found on Kristen's 2nd CD on "Too Little Time" and "Dove In A Hurricane," and he performs as part of Kristen's Pennsylvania performing group.
Laurie Hitt and Tom Hitt
Laurie performed piano/keyboard on Kristen's debut CD on "The Other Half That Makes You Whole." She assisted Kristen with the primary keyboard arrangement of five of Kristen's songs from the "Dove In A Hurricane" CD. She also performs keyboard at Kristen's Pennsylvania performances.
Tom Hitt is the owner/engineer of Cycling Troll Recording Studio in Fairview, Pennsylvania. Tom assisted in the production of Kristen's debut CD as well as recordings for "Dove In A Hurricane" and "The Loan." Tom performs percussion and backing vocals at Kristen's Pennsylvania performances.
Jim Pacheco
(electric/acoustic guitar)
Jim is a touring lead guitarist/vocalist turned physician, but he can still rock! (Kristen brought him out of musical retirement to record with her!) His hauntingly memorable acoustic and electric guitar performances can be found on "Mirror Image" from Kristen's debut CD.
Jay Hitt
(singer/songwriter)
Jay is a wonderful singer/songwriter from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Jay invited Kristen to perform backing vocals on two of his original CDs, "Gentle Persuader" and "The Bright Extraordinary Day." A duet written by Jay and recorded with he and Kristen is featured on her "Dove In A Hurricane" CD entitled, "What Will We Do?" Jay also performed acoustic guitar on Kristen's "Dove" CD on "Too Little Time." Kristen’s third CD features her recording of Jay’s “My Little Corner of the World” (produced in Nashville), as well as two adult contemporary duets written by and sung with Jay, “One Love,” and “Love Survives.” Kristen looks forward to linking up with Jay for performances in Pennsylvania when she tours in the area.”
Rusty Wiltjer
(drums/percussion)
Rusty Wiltjer has been a professional drummer for 40 years and a potter for 35 years. He merges the unique qualities of clay into the powerful forces of rhythm with beautiful and hauntingly resonant works of musical art. Featured on his web site at www.wiltjerpottery.com are examples of the handcrafted instruments he uses in performances with Kristen Short, including Rusty's air drum, a modified Nigerian udu drum with one, two or three skin heads at different locations on the shell that with either the sound-hole or the port produce endless tonal possiblities.
Rusty performed percussion with Kristen in 2000 at the Augusta Civic Center performance in Augusta, Maine, and in addition to many other creative, musical and sailing endeavors, he has performed with Kristen and Heather Pierson as an acoustic trio since April 2006.
