It’s rare for an artist to bridge the divide between critical acclaim and dedicated fan engagement. CHRIS PUREKA is a Portland-based singer-songwriter whose body of work has resonated deeply with these seemingly disparate milieus. Her music has straddled the folk, americana and indie rock genres over the course of her 20 year career, and over that time, her bold vulnerability in processing the intimacies of life in song has struck a chord with those listeners who crave authenticity and depth.
Chris’s elegant emotionality as a vocalist and her flair as a lyricist have garnered her favorable comparisons to Chan Marshall, Bruce Springsteen, and Patty Griffin. Over many years of touring on both sides of the Atlantic, she has shared the stage with such diverse and esteemed artists as The Lumineers, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Cowboy Junkies, Haley Heynderickx, and Ani DiFranco. She has had her songs featured on such television shows as Brothers and Sisters, Covert Affairs and Shameless and well as a song featured in the Sundance featured indie film, The Royal Road. Along the way, Chris has remained truly independent, selling nearly 50,000 albums through her own label, Sad Rabbit Records.
MaryLeigh Roohan -
“The wisdom of an old soul in the body of a young, yearning individual.” Whether it’s her
dynamic and passionate performances, or her poignant and honest songwriting, this
sentiment has been expressed throughout Roohan’s career. With style that shifts
seamlessly from sunny indie pop to heartfelt Americana and a soulful stage presence,
she’s an entrancing presence.
MaryLeigh was nurtured as a writer and performer at the celebrated Caffe Lena before
shipping off to play pubs in Scotland for a year. Since moving back to the states, she
has performed everywhere from intimate cafes to wild festivals and has had the
pleasure to tour the US and Europe.
After releasing two full-length albums, an EP, a handful of singles and scoring the
documentary Women of ’69 Unboxed, Roohan took time away from her solo adventures
in 2015 to expand her musicianship by playing in bands - most notably as a multi-
instrumentalist in the mildly choreographed dance-pop project Jenn Champion. Though
the future is full of mystery, she is excited to be returning to her own music and getting
back on the road again.
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