Fly to Blue has two principal singer-songwriters, David Gunn and Valarie Mulberry, who back each other up on vocals, and occasional sprinkles of acoustic lead guitar. Mulberry and Gunn met through a series of synchronistic events starting at an open mic on the island of Maui, Hawaii, where Gunn lived at the time. Mulberry had just returned to Maui after living in Vietnam for two years. Gunn insisted that Mulberry, a then closet singer, perform at the open mic that evening.
Their paths crossed again a few months later, but they did not start to sing together until after they moved to California to pursue music. In fact, it was at one of their early gigs that they met their rhythm section, bassist & percussionist, Jon Harris. Harris has helped meld the two singer-songwriters with different, yet complimentary styles, into a tight playing acoustic trio.
David Gunn, a long time surfer, originally from San Diego, spent seven years rekindling his childhood passion for the sport, playing guitar, and writing songs at his home in Maui. Gunn has received recognition for several of his songs and performances through the West Coast Songwriters Association, winning three Best Song and a Best Performance award at their monthly open mic competitions. Gunn has an unusual, yet beautiful voice and a very distinctive strum-finger picking style. He is known for using alternate tunings, and the imagery of the islands in his songs.
Valarie Mulberry was raised in rural Oregon in which her folksy upbringing can be heard in her well crafted songs. She grew up on a mix of the Beetles, Motown and folk covers that her father played on an old Martin guitar. She has lived the life of an adventurous carpetbagger, (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Hawaii, and now California) collecting many interesting songs, stories and experiences through her travels. Mulberry won the 2004 Lady Six String lyric competition for her socially conscious song entitled Mirror.
Jon Harris, originally from California's Bay Area, has played in several different bands with a wide spectrum of genres since founding Fly to Blue with Gunn and Mulberry. He was born with music in his soul, in fact, his mother used to play congas in a band. He plays fretless bass and percussion for the trio. Harris has specially rigged his hand drums to get a kit drum sound which is space efficient for apartment living. Harris sensitive drumming and bass lines have a serve the song attitude that accentuates the best of the two songwriters work.
Fly to Blue took their name from the title of one of Gunns most requested songs. The trio has polished themselves into professional musicians complete with enchanting vocal harmonies, catchy rhythms, soothing bass lines, and all around quality music. Fly to Blue are working on their first record, and performing live up and down the West Coast.
Fly to Blue has two principal singer-songwriters, David Gunn and Valarie Mulberry, who back each other up on vocals, and occasional sprinkles of acoustic lead guitar. Mulberry and Gunn met through a series of synchronistic events starting at an open mic on the island of Maui, Hawaii, where Gunn lived at the time. Mulberry had just returned to Maui after living in Vietnam for two years. Gunn insisted that Mulberry, a then closet singer, perform at the open mic that evening.
Their paths crossed again a few months later, but they did not start to sing together until after they moved to California to pursue music. In fact, it was at one of their early gigs that they met their rhythm section, bassist & percussionist, Jon Harris. Harris has helped meld the two singer-songwriters with different, yet complimentary styles, into a tight playing acoustic trio.
David Gunn, a long time surfer, originally from San Diego, spent seven years rekindling his childhood passion for the sport, playing guitar, and writing songs at his home in Maui. Gunn has received recognition for several of his songs and performances through the West Coast Songwriters Association, winning three Best Song and a Best Performance award at their monthly open mic competitions. Gunn has an unusual, yet beautiful voice and a very distinctive strum-finger picking style. He is known for using alternate tunings, and the imagery of the islands in his songs.
Valarie Mulberry was raised in rural Oregon in which her folksy upbringing can be heard in her well crafted songs. She grew up on a mix of the Beetles, Motown and folk covers that her father played on an old Martin guitar. She has lived the life of an adventurous carpetbagger, (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Hawaii, and now California) collecting many interesting songs, stories and experiences through her travels. Mulberry won the 2004 Lady Six String lyric competition for her socially conscious song entitled Mirror.
Jon Harris, originally from California's Bay Area, has played in several different bands with a wide spectrum of genres since founding Fly to Blue with Gunn and Mulberry. He was born with music in his soul, in fact, his mother used to play congas in a band. He plays fretless bass and percussion for the trio. Harris has specially rigged his hand drums to get a kit drum sound which is space efficient for apartment living. Harris sensitive drumming and bass lines have a serve the song attitude that accentuates the best of the two songwriters work.
Fly to Blue took their name from the title of one of Gunns most requested songs. The trio has polished themselves into professional musicians complete with enchanting vocal harmonies, catchy rhythms, soothing bass lines, and all around quality music. Fly to Blue are working on their first record, and performing live up and down the West Coast.
Members
Valarie Mulberry -guitar & vocals, David Gunn -guitar & vocals, Jon Harris - bass & percussion
Location
AMERICA NORTH: USA:California (CA)
Influences
Ben Harper, Tom Waits, Natalie Merchant, Sarah Machlachlan, Patty Griffin, David Gray, Jack Johnson
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