ShoeFly

Old Time Song & Dance

ACCOMPANIED WITH STYLE AND GRACE
on banjo, fiddle, mandolin, guitar & bass

ShoeFly is old time song & dance. Rooted in the traditions of early country music, bluegrass and honky-tonk, ShoeFly is a lean & mean offshoot of Rhythm in Shoes.

An ensemble of dancers and musicians adding youth to experience, ShoeFly fills the stage with high energy sight and sound, bringing a party wherever they go.

AVAILABLE NOW FOR
FESTIVALS, CONCERTS, CLUBS
WORKSHOPS & DANCES

SHOEFLY NEWS

Our first big road trip took us to Merlefest in April, 2008 for a successful set of appearances at one of our country’s premeire festivals. Our hometown debut finally happened several weeks later in June at the Canal Street Tavern. That show had been scheduled for the previous winter but at the time the weatherman said snow and, lo and behold, he was right. The summer season also found us at the Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival in July for a couple of well received sets. With our “parent company” Rhythm in Shoes currently celebrating its final 2009 - 2010 season, ShoeFly is just waiting in the wings for more to come.

photo by Andy Snow

SHOEFLY BIOS
The senior half of this six piece ensemble had their starts in the 1970s and have been active in the national music scene ever since.

Rick Good was a founding member of the notorious Hotmud Family. He is recognized and respected for his driving banjo, heartfelt singing and crafty songwriting. When not engaged with his “Shoes” endeavors, Rick also picks with the Red Clay Ramblers.

Sharon Leahy danced and toured with the Green Grass Cloggers for several years, working as a dancer in New York City for several more and finally settling in Ohio to direct and perform with Rhythm in Shoes. Sharon’s love and understanding of old time dance and music is clearly seen and heard through her high energy dancing, unique choreography and tasteful singing.

Paul Kovac is well known in the bluegrass and old time music scene for his expert guitar, banjo and mandolin playing, as well as his strong, soulful singing. A member of several bands over the last thirty year, Paul has played with Clear Fork, Hillbilly IDOL, and Critton Hollow String Band while, along the way, accompanying such greats as Bill Monroe, Chet Atkins, Hank Thompson and Hazel Dickens.

Leading the second generation of ShoeFly is…

Ben Cooper, who started touring with Rhythm in Shoes in the fall of 1997. Adept on guitar and fiddle, as well as bass, Ben also plays with his old time bands, the Ohio Corndaddys and The Buvas.

Emma Leahy-Good has been part of the old time music community since before her first step. Her formal training began with Irish Step Dancing at the age of four, then she moved on to tap and clogging with her mom and dad in Rhythm in Shoes. An avid lover of old time music, Emma also plays clawhammer banjo and sings great harmony.

Janet Schroeder earned a BFA in Musical Theatre from Ohio Northern University and credentials to teach high school English from Bluffton College. After two years of teaching, she traded her textbooks for tap shoes and has been tapping and clogging with Rhythm in Shoes ever since. Janet is in her fifth season with the company and is co-director of Shoe2, Rhythm in Shoes’ junior company. She keeps very busy teaching workshops, residencies, and regular weekly classes in the Dayton area. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton.

HEAR ShoeFly! click on a song
Things in Life an old time song written by Don Stover
- sung here by Paul
Give Me the Roses a sentimental song from the Carter Family
- with a duet from Sharon & Emma
Eight More Miles to Louisville a Grandpa Jones classic
- sung by Rick with clawhammer & bluegrass banjo
Just One Teardrop a honky-tonk song
- with lead vocal by Sharon
All Night Long an old time song
- with lead vocal & fiddlin’ by Ben

ShoeFly c/o Rhythm in Shoes
400 E. 5th Street, Suite A
Dayton, OH 45402
email: maggie@rhythminshoes.org
phone: 937-226-7463