Artist description Since 1979, a five piece folk/rock band featuring vocal harmonies, guitars, viola, bass, drums, keyboards, mandolin, and dulcimers.

Music Style Folk/Rock

Musical Influences Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, The Band and The Byrds

Similar Artists Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span

Artist History In the mid/late '70s, acoustic oriented music was thought to be deader than a 3 day old bucket of red wigglers. So with a cheerful, if somewhat reckless disregard for any commercial considerations whatsoever, Mark and Cheryl Cloud decided this would be a perfect time to start a folk/rock band, mostly as a vehicle for Cheryl's songs. They soon recruited Marcy Hogan, Scott Van Dusen and Bill Carrigan (all of whom are still with the band today) into the experiment. Originally billed as Cheryl Cloud & Common Ground, they began a 20+ year career that spawned heretofore unheard of pinnacles of complete and utter indifference on the part of the music establishment; a proud record that continues to this day. With audiences, it has been a different matter: their enthusiastic responses continue unabated in 2000. Sadly, Cheryl passed away in 1995, after a long, valiant struggle with cancer (she received the American Cancer Society's "Courage Award" in 1994). Before she left, she asked the rest of the band members to keep her music alive for her after she was gone. They have been happily doing so ever since---recruiting very talented new singer Karen Ambellan in 1996--- through additional CD releases and performances. ARTISTS PLEASE NOTE: Cheryl Cloud's songs are available for licensing by other artists; for more information, contact Uncommonly Round Records through our web site.

Group Members MARK CLOUD: Vocals, Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Dobro, Mandolin, Dulcimer, KeyboardsMARCY HOGAN: Vocals, Viola, KeyboardsBILL CARRIGAN: Vocals, Bass, Acoustic GuitarKAREN AMBELLAN: VocalsSCOTT VAN DUSEN: Drums, Percussion

Instruments Electric and Acoustic Guitars, Viola, Bass, Drums, Mandolin, Dobro, Dulcimers, Keyboards

Press Reviews "Cloud & Common Ground have a distinctive sound that incorporates acoustic and electric guitars, a viola, keyboards, drums, bass, mandolins and dulcimers...one of the recurring themes in the CD [Hard Choices] is the struggle between life and death and the meaning gathered from that struggle." THE CALIFORNIAN"Cloud's songs reveal life's pain and conquests...recalling traditional Irish folk tunes that sing of war, courage and family." THE BEAR VALLEY VOICE"Common Ground deserve cheers for carrying on after the loss of sweet voiced singer/songwriter Cheryl Cloud...'Wings of Silver' is a sweet, soaring plaint." THE LA TIMES"The new CD [Live at the Emu Farm] is fantastic!" KRTM-FM"Certainly this new release [Live at the Emu Farm] reaffirms the band's long standing place in the American folk scene as one of the most popular live folk acts in the States" FOLKWORLD, Germany"This live recording is the celebration of the musical rebirth of the band...Musically the sound of the band is big and full with bass, drums, keyboards, viola, and acoustic and electric guitars, as well as a number of different lead vocalists." DIRTY LINEN

Additional Info A Cheryl Cloud solo CD,

Location Murrieta, California - USA

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