BIO
Eric and Polly Rapp are a husband-wife duo who have been making music together since 1997, when they met in a church choir. Eric didn't even attend the church at the time, but a fellow apartment-dweller suggested he join the choir, he chose the seat next to where Polly always sat, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The principal lead singer and songwriter, Eric plays flatpicked and fingerstyle guitar and occasional electric bass. Old-time country and bluegrass are among his influences, which include artists as diverse as the Beatles, Norman Blake, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Nirvana, Tom Russell, Paul Simon, Smashing Pumpkins, Michael Smith, and Gillian Welch. Polly usually sings harmony and plays mountain dulcimer (also known as Appalachian dulcimer or lap dulcimer). Her musical background includes lots of choral singing as well as solo voice training and dabblings in a variety of folk instruments. The Rapps' honeymoon in the Smoky Mountains gave rise to their signature sound, when they got their hands on their first mountain dulcimer. Since then they have established a varied repertoire featuring old-time country, country gospel, and folk tunes as well as a growing collection of original songs--wryly humorous or thoughtful takes on life, love, work, and faith.
Their first CD, I'll Remember You, Love, in My Prayers, was released in 2003; in 2004 one of Eric's songs, "Don't Forget about Me (When You Get to Heaven)," was included in the CD anthology Music in Lawnridge Hall; and their second CD, More Than Enough, was released in the summer of 2006. In 2009 their original song "Surprised by Joy" was included on a CD benefiting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. As Long As I'm Here also includes contributions by Pamela Campau, Annie & Rod Capps, Tom Chapin, Foxfire, Stewart Francke, Anne Hills, John McCutcheon, David Mosher, Siusan O'Rourke & Zig Zeitler, Peter, Paul & Mary, Ann & Will Rowland, Matt Watroba, and Josh White, Jr. (Click the MUSIC tab above for more details about all the CDs!)