Kay and Patrick Crouch are an acoustic duet. They are dedicated to performing a variety of musical styles in an acoustic setting. Their eclectic repertoire includes modern folk songs by American, Canadian, and Irish songwriters, the fiery breakdowns and songs of family and home found in both traditional and contemporary bluegrass settings, and centuries-old Celtic airs and dance tunes. All of this is peppered with a healthy dose of popular jazz standards, swing and western swing music, and a few classic country tunes thrown in to provide a program certain to be enjoyed by all.
Kay Crouch performs on the guitar, flute, piano, and tin whistle. Kay has a widely varied musical background that includes symphonic and solo percussion work and musical theatre as well as county and bluegrass music. Kay has performed a leading role in Pump Boys and Dinettes at Foothills Performing Arts and Hickory Community Theatre. She had leading roles Foxfire and Damn Yankees at Foothills Performing Arts. She played country music in the Long Time Gone Band and Country Images Band. She has performed in Strictly Clean and Decent since 1991. Her solid rhythm playing and interpretive vocals are an integral part of the duet.
Patrick Crouch handles the mandolin, banjo, dobro, fiddle, and guitar for the duet. Patrick has been performing acoustic music since 1977 when he founded New River Reign, a staple at Blowing Rock’s P.B. Scott’s Music Hall. He turned to country music with Long Time Gone and, with Ron Shuffler and Reggie Harris, created Strictly Clean and Decent in 1989. Patrick has performed leading roles in Pump Boys and Dinettes at Foothills Performing Arts and Hickory Community Theatre, Foxfire at Foothills Performing Arts and Blue Ridge Blue and Gray at Mountain Home Music. He toured Germany in 2013 with Carolina Wind in cooperation with the Morganton, NC and Achern, Germany Sister Cities project.
Area reviewers have been unanimous in their acclaim for the duo. The Hickory News claims that “what really sets this duo apart is the bluegrass/swing/pop/country influence of the musicians whose talents take them to virtually every style of music ever conceived!” The Morganton News-Herald states that “the music is quite lively and, while there are many intense selections, the duo maintains a jovial rapport with the audience.” Of the duo, Focus says their “on-stage patter is refreshingly self-effacing and laid-back, and they come off as extremely likable… Don’t miss this duo, because they are a truly unique listening experience.”
Since 1989, Kay and Patrick have completed ten tours of Ireland. Their most recent tour was in October 2013. They performed in Dingle, County Kerry and Cobh, County Cork. They have performed three times at the Cobh International Folk Music and Dance Festival, the Bluegrass and Olde Tyme Music Festival in Cork, and twice at the Irish Bluegrass Music Association’s festival in Athy. Stateside, the duo has opened for noted performers such as Doc Watson, Ralph Stanley, J.D. Crowe, Vassar Clements, Tim O’Brien, Tony Rice, Lee Greenwood, John Cowan, Jerry Clower, and Rhonda Vincent. Kay and Patrick have performed at various venues including Duke Gardens, the Biltmore House, Mountainhome Music Concert Series (Boone), Summer Sunday Concert Series (Beech Mountain), Red White and Bluegrass Festival (Morganton), FreedomFest (Charlotte), WinterFest (Blowing Rock) and at many colleges and auditoriums throughout North Carolina.
In 2000, Kay, Patrick, and Strictly Clean and Decent proposed a project to record one hundred Caldwell County traditional musicians over a ten-year period. The ten CDs featuring over one hundred twenty five musicians have been completed with the trio providing instrumental and vocal backing for all artists.: It Must Be Something in the Water (2001), I Do Re Mi (2002), and Caldwell Roots and Branches (2003), Playin’ Hooky (2004), Good Old Boys Like Me (2005), Lights of Home (2006) , Rear View Mirror (2007), A Story to Tell (2008), Winter Star (2009), and Fresh Tracks (2010). These CDs have been funded by grants through the Grassroots Arts program of the North Carolina Arts Council, through the Caldwell Arts Council. Additionally, the trio has three CDs: Boomer Breakdown, Crazy Quilt, and How High the Moon. All recordings may be purchased through the Strictly Clean and Decent website www.strictlycleananddecent.com or the Caldwell Arts Council.
Kay and Patrick Crouch toured Germany in July, 2015 as part of the Western Piedmont Council of Governments’ Sister Cities Cultural Exchange. They performed eighteen concerts in the German cities of Berlin, Munich, Altenburg, Achern, Wernigerode, and Stegen.
Kay and Patrick Crouch toured Ireland in October, 2017 performing in Dingle, Cobh, and Cork City. This marks their eleventh tour of Irleland.
Kay and Patrick Crouch made guest appearances during the Songwriters Island Showcase in Isla Mujeres, Mexico in May 2019. Other artists included Jenn Bostic, Eric Erdman, Tall Paul and Kristie Bobal.
Kay and Patrick performed on the Edinboro Arts and Music Festival in Edinboro, PA in May 2019. Other artists included Jim Lauderdale, Tiger Maple Band, and Donna the Buffalo.
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