Kreg Viesselman

Minnesota native Kreg Viesselman brought a voice that seemed older than his years into the contemporary folk scene when he issued the now out-of-print Live at the Cellar Door in 1998. His measured, inward approach found sympathetic listeners once he reached New England, where both the local players and the surroundings sharpened his approach. Many Rivers appeared in 2000 and drew only modest notice, yet Viesselman’s prospects improved after Taj Mahal heard the country and blues inflections running through his acoustic material. Teaming with producer Evan Reeves, he delivered his most complete work yet on the self-titled independent album that came out in 2003; the record quickly gained favor at the online indie retailer www.cdbaby.com and opened opportunities to perform alongside Taj Mahal, Tom Rush, Geoff Muldaur, and Ellis Paul. Early in 2004 he kept touring the album through modest New England venues, and The Pull arrived two years later.