The Honeysuckle Possums are a high-energy, all-women string band, playing old time mountain music, originals and bluegrass. They have been together since 2009 and have two albums completed. Their music has taken them all over California and they continue to gain praise for their beautiful vocals, carefully crafted harmonies, and spirited style. Their performances at various festivals and concerts continue to elicit rave reviews.
The two lead singers are Susan Marie Reeves (guitar, strumstick, ukulele) and Charletta Erb (fiddle). Lisa Macker (stand up bass, mandolin) joins in on harmonies. Amber Mueller adds flavor and sass on multiple instruments (bass, fiddle, banjo). Ruth Alpert is the band's dancing percussionist....an Appalachian-style flat-footer who seems to float as she makes it easy for the crowd to dance and clap along.
The Possums’ intention is “to create and share bliss through music”. Their collective joy onstage is delightful, and their performances are carried on a strong current of love and friendship. Possum audience members often comment on how that energy is positively contagious!
Susan Marie Reeves is a Newgrass Gypsy, a multi-instrumentalist and an award-winning singer/songwriter. In 2005, she won the Silverton Jubilee songwriting contest and in 2010, the Kauai Music Festival songwriting contest. She toured for 6 years with her bluegrass band, Wild Sage, playing at both Telluride & Strawberry music festivals. She tours with her daughter, Sierra Reeves, and also with the Honeysuckle Possums. She produced her 3rd solo CD, “Beauty and Sorrow”, released October 2021. Susan calls her original music “Gypsy Newgrass” which is a combination of bluegrass, mountain, folk, Irish, & alternative pop/rock. “Brimming with twangy guitar colorings, dusty folk meanderings, and strong emotive vocals, her 2nd album “Young Heart” is a true S.B. gem, and well worth a spin for fans of Alison Krauss & Sarah McLachlan”-Aly Comingore at Santa Barbara Independent. (Photo Credit: David Palermo)
susanmariereeves.bandcamp.com reverbnation.com/susanmariereeve
Photos of current Possums by David Palermo
davidpalermo.com
Multi-instrumentalist Lisa Macker began her music career playing the viola in orchestras and studying classical piano. In the late ‘70’s she was given a mandolin as a gift and learned all the basics for old timey and Irish tunes in friends’ living rooms and jams at parks. In the ‘80’s she was a member of the country band “Hands on the Wheel”, based in Santa Barbara. Then she picked up the bass. In the '90's she was part of the trio "Las Roundup", touring in Southern California. Two decades and three kids later, Lisa returned to the music scene. She warmed her feet as an accompanist for local classical singers, choruses and instrumentalists. Soon after, she was invited by her neighbor, Susan Marie Reeves to join the Honeysuckle Possums. Lisa was more than happy to become a part of the wonderful melding of talent and heart found in this group of wild women. (Photo Credit: David Palermo)
Ruth Alpert first saw flatfooting at Don West’s festival held at his homestead in Pipestem, West Virginia in 1968. It went straight to her heart and never let go! She began flatfooting regularly in New York City in 1978, dancing in the aisles of the Eagle Tavern to local and visiting old-time bands. She has taught workshops, danced with old-time Appalachian string bands, busked (street performed) in various cities in at least 6 states. She was a member of The Fast Peso String Band in Santa Fe, NM for 15 years, and currently is the percussion section of the Honeysuckle Possums. She is a two-time winner of the National Championship in Senior Buckdancing at Uncle Dave Macon Days Festival in Murfreesboro, TN, in 2013 and 2014, and won Grand Champion in 2019 at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop, WVA. When not dancing, Ruth is a Somatic Education specialist: she teaches The Alexander Technique and is certified in Pilates, GYROTONIC®, and The Trager® Approach. (Photo Credit: David Palermo) RuthAlpert.com
Award winning fiddler Charletta Erb joined the band in late 2019. She has an eclectic musical background and loves harmonizing in voice and strings. When she was five years old, she saw kids playing violin on Sesame Street and thought it looked fun. She is grateful to her Iowa farmer folks for encouraging her interest at this age and funding years of private lessons. She entered classical training as well as old time fiddle group lessons, with performances on the back of a truck bed at fall festival, at summer camps, church, nursing homes, and in honors orchestra. By high school, she had taken on classical guitar instruction, played first chair in orchestra, and practiced for choir while running with the cross country team. In college, she favored folk music settings: Old Time jam sessions at farmer’s market, square dances, dual fiddling improvisation, and a bluegrass band. Living a few years in London, she enjoyed pub sessions with English and Irish tunes and banter. These days, you’ll find her at Old Time Fiddlers jam sessions in Oak View, CA. She has an addiction to gardening and playing fiddle in a red dress (though not at the same time!) When not fiddling around, she’s working in Ventura, CA as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Charfiddle.com
Amber Mueller began her auspicious musical career at age 6. She was playing at her best friend’s house when a salesman was going door to door selling accordions and accordion lessons. She thought that sounded interesting, and asked the salesman to go to her house to talk to her parents. Thus, the first adventure of many musical instruments began. Other instruments included clarinet and bassoon in high school and college. Several years later, one of her patients gave her tickets to go see fiddler Byron Berline and The Cache Valley Drifters. Amber immediately fell in love with the music! She soon taught herself to play the fiddle. After attending CVD concerts and music festivals, she met her beloved husband, Jim Mueller. In 1986, they formed the contra dance band The Growling Old Geezers. Ambo has also played in For Old Times Sake, a band that played contra dances all over the US from as far north as Anchorage, Alaska to as far south as Birmingham, Alabama. She currently enjoys playing guitar with The Rosin Sniffers and piano with The Fiddle Tunas. And she is beyond delighted to be playing bass, banjo, and fiddle as well as singing and clogging (but not at the same time!) with The Honeysuckle Possums!!! She is thrilled to be in a band and sisterhood with these AMAZINGLY talented lovely and loving ladies!!!
Former Possums
Multi-award winning songwriter and recording artist, Rebecca Troon, accompanies herself on guitar, banjo, and percussion as a solo performer. She is also a member of the all women band, the Honeysuckle Possums. She teaches music privately, and at SummerSongs West in Cambria - a camp for adult songwriters, and has been writing songs for more than 30 years.
Rebecca has two sons, Dan and Richard, and lives in Santa Barbara with her husband; underwater photographer Richard Salas, and their son, Richard. When she is not playing, teaching, practicing, and writing music, she likes to make and grow things. "I get happy when I see people in an audience laughing, and happier still when I see them crying...it's a funny job." She has performed at Live Oak Festival, Songtree Concert series, Trinity Backstage, and Bodiehouse Concert Series. (Photo Credit: Richard Salas)
“Rebecca Troon is a force of nature!” - Wendy Waldman
“A Monster Songwriter”- Kenny Edwards
Nicola Gordon has been playing and writing songs for over 100 years (maybe a little exaggerated, but it seems like that). Her first song came pouring out of her while sitting on a 50# bag of whole wheat flour in the back of the health food store she was working at. She’s never been the same since. 6 CDs later, she is still writing and, for the past 15 years has been teaching others how to write songs and open the creative flow (without the bag of flour) in workshops and classes all over the place, but especially in Santa Barbara, California.
Growing up in a very ‘classically-minded’ household, her first instruments were the piano, flute, then the oboe. She also sang in many choirs. Right before the flour sack moment, she took up guitar which she’s now been playing for many years. Now she is a full-flurried ukulele and fiddle player for the Honeysuckle Possums. Nicola Plays her own songs solo and with the group. She is thrilled to share the road and the music with the lovely Honeysuckle Possum ladies. nicolagordon.com
Singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Sierra Reeves has loved music her whole life. She started performing with her Mom’s bluegrass band, Wild Sage, when she was ten years old. In February 2015, she toured Europe, opening for Ry X. Currently Sierra is living in Los Angeles promoting her own material and performing. Her most favorite thing is playing with the Honeysuckle Possums. (Photo Credit: Richard Salas)
Sierra’s first solo CD was released in 2015; you can find her music here:
Amy Warren Novak makes roots music that embodies the down home spirit of America, from blues to bluegrass and folk to rock. Her heartfelt storytelling, expressive flatpicking produces music brimming with heart and soul. Amy has a repertoire of original music and covers ranging from the Carter Family to Johnny Cash and Gillian Welch to Jack White. She has been a "must-see" for Americana fans, especially up in the Monterey area where she makes her home.
