Acoustic Americana with Roots in Folk, Bluegrass, and Traditional Country.

In the summer of 2003, when Garrison Keillor, out on a book tour, first heard Ruth and Max Bloomquist perform in the small Michigan town of Fremont he asked Ruth, “Don’t you like microphones?” Ruth replied, “One wasn’t offered.” Keillor shot back, “You’ve got a big voice, you’ve got a really big voice!” Later that same evening Ruth and Max performed the Scott Wiseman classic, Remember Me (When the Candle Lights Are Gleaming) and Mr. Keillor said, “I’d like to sing that song with you.” And he did, the very next night to a sold out house in the 1800 seat Frauenthal Theater in Muskegon, Michigan. Of course, it was Garrison Keillor who sold out that big house, but now, whenever Ruth and Max play in their long-time stomping grounds, people frequently ask them, “Remember when you played the Frauenthal with Garrison Keillor? What’s he really like?” That evening was sort of like Woodstock. More people now say they were there than actually were.

Ruth & Max Bloomquist’s acoustic Americana is the stuff of rustic romantic dreams. Ruth’s songwriting and rich alto voice combined with their blend of harmony, guitar and upright bass draw the listener straight to the heart of every song.

Ruth and Max have been making music together since they first met and discovered their common love for practically any music that features acoustic instruments and lyrics that touch the heart. Bluegrass, traditional country, folk… the list goes on– Ruth and Max were excited by it all. Ruth’s performing career goes back even further. She has been performing since high school. By the time she met Max, she was singing professionally and had already toured outside their home state of Michigan.

Ruth has since released three solo CDs supported by Max and a host of their musical friends. The two have recently devoted themselves to making music together full time. They haven’t made it to A Prairie Home Companion yet, but performing as a duo or with occasional collaborators, they have experienced increasing success.

In 2003, Ruth was a winner of Merlefest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest. Previously, she had showcased as a songwriter at the IBMA’s annual World Of Bluegrass convention and business conference.

In Spring 2006 the pair assembled a band and played the Bluegrass On The Bayou Festival in Baton Rouge, and wowed the Two Rivers Bluegrass Festival as a duet. That Fall, the couple played an official showcase at the Midwest Regional Conference of the Folk Alliance (FARM), Ruth released her third CD entitled One Day Ain’t Enough, and was named among December’s top 5 vocalists by Singer Universe Magazine. The Back Porch radio show on WVPE in Valparaiso, IN rated One Day Ain’t Enough one of the top albums of 2006. In April 2007 One Day Ain’t Enough made the Folk Radio Airplay Chart and received a glowing review in Bluegrass Unlimited magazine. Ruth and Max have already begun work on their next recording project.

Now music takes Ruth and Max wherever it will. Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee have all been host to their talents, and they plan to continue their journey together sharing music with as many audiences as possible.