A native of Poughkeepsie, NY, Claire Lynch moved with her family to Hazel Green (near Huntsville), Alabama at the age of 12. In high school, inspired by the folk-pop music of the day, Lynch sang in an informal trio with her sisters. She also met her future husband, Larry Lynch, and after graduation, she was invited to hear a bluegrass band that Larry had formed with fellow students, called Hickory Wind. She was so taken by their performance that she accepted their invitation to sing with them. Later, the band changed its name to the Front Porch String Band with Lynch’s vocals as its centerpiece.

In 1981, after nearly eight years of performing, the band retired from touring just after its first nationally-released recording. During this time, Lynch raised a family but continued to write songs, a number of which were recorded by Country and Bluegrass luminaries such as Patty Loveless, The Seldom Scene, Cherryholmes and Kathy Mattea. She also spent considerable time in the studio as a session vocalist.

In 1991, the Front Porch String Band regrouped and in 1995, Lynch received her first Grammy nomination. She received another Grammy nomination in 1997 and was named the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) Female Vocalist of the Year in 1997 for her work with Front Porch Swing Band as well as her solo efforts.

Lynch took another break from music in 2000 then formed her own Claire Lynch Band five years later. That year, she earned two IBMA nominations. In 2007, Rounder Records released a collection of music from her previous five albums on their label. More IBMA nominations followed as well as an induction into the Alabama Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. In 2010, Lynch received three more IBMA nominations, and was named Female Vocalist of the Year.

Lynch’s career reads like a Who’s Who of Country, Folk and Bluegrass, as she has sung with (or written songs for) Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Pam Tillis, Alison Brown, Patty Loveless, Kathy Mattea, Ralph Stanley and many more.

Visit Claire's web site at http://www.clairelynch.com/