Elizabeth Bunn, on Oct. 4, 2007. Lee
Harney Harris (’ 95 AB) and Christopher
Michael Harris (’ 95 AB, ’03 MBA) of
Chapel Hill; a son, John Carter Harris, on Aug.
6, 2007. Jonathan Franklin Justice (’ 95
AB) and Amy Amazon Justice (’ 94 ABEd)
of Hoboken, N.J.; a son, Parker Franklin
Justice, on Sept. 12, 2007. Jennifer Philpot
Ogan (’ 95 BSPHR) and Dean M. Ogan of
Raleigh; a daughter, Randi Christine Ogan, on
Aug. 10, 2007. L. Holden Reaves (’ 95 JD)
and Mary Johnson “Maryt” Reaves (’ 92
ABJM) of Fayetteville; a son, John Talton
Reaves, on Aug. 30, 2007. Julian Peter
Robb (’ 95 AB) and Jessica Simstein Robb of
Winston-Salem; a daughter, Elena Neil Robb,
on Aug. 9, 2007. Susannah Stowe Rose
(’ 95 ABEd) and Caldwell Ragan Rose of
Charlotte; a son, Caldwell Ragan Rose Jr., on
Sept. 23, 2007. Heather Richards
Sanford (’ 95 AB) and Bill Sanford (’ 95 AB)
of Hillsborough; a son, William James Sanford,
on Feb. 9, 2007. Erin Sullivan Scoggins
(’ 95 AB) and Sean Michael Scoggins of
Rolesville; a son, Miller Grant Scoggins, on
Aug. 21, 2007.
90s
’ 96 Susan Rebecca Berry (’ 96
ABJM, ’03 MSW) of Charlotte
has been promoted to program
director at Community Link, an anti-poverty
program focused on enabling working-poor
individuals and families to find safe, affordable
housing. Christopher Thomas Culbertson (’ 96 PhD) of St. George, Kan., has
received a 2007 Masao Horiba Award for his
project, the rapid analysis of individual T-lym-phocyte cells on microfluidic devices. Culbertson, a professor of chemistry at Kansas State
University, traveled to Kyoto, Japan, to present
From Hill Hall to the Grand Ole Opry
These days the Steep Canyon Rangers per- “We honestly had no idea what we were ciation voted them the
form at the Grand Ole Opry and other high- doing,” says Humphrey, who majored in inter- Emerging Artist of 2006. profile
profile venues across the country, as well as national studies. “But that kept us playing “There [were] a lot of
international bluegrass and jam-band festi- because we had so much fun. We had to keep people who have known
vals. writing songs and just get better.” each other for a long time in bluegrass music,
But when they were getting started at UNC The group — whose members are now and we were new to that whole thing,” Sharp
in the late 1990s, the regular venue was the based in the Asheville area — has tried to con- says. “It was really big for us.”
stairwell in Hill Hall. tinue that end-of-the-semester tradition when Last fall, the Rangers released their third
“I’d have to rent a bass from the music they come to Chapel Hill on tour. They album, Lovin’ Pretty Women. The Graham
department,” bassist Charles Humphrey III ’ 99 returned to the Cradle for a show on Nov. 30. Sharp-penned single by the same name, a
says. “So our first rehearsals were in the Hill rowdy, foot-stomping tune with spot-on har-Hall stairwell, because we couldn’t take the monies, has climbed to the 11th spot on the
bass out of the building.” Billboard bluegrass music chart.
KATHERINE EVANS
The Rangers have ventured well beyond “Between this album and the last one, it’s
the walls of Hill Hall. The critically acclaimed about the most traditional record we’ve done,”
group toured nearly nonstop during 2007. Sharp says. “We still do a good job of bringing
“We’re on the backside of a long year,” in different types of music, but we’ve just whit-lead vocalist Woody Platt ’ 99 says. “But we tled down our sound a lot, just kind of
really believe in a sustainable schedule. We’ve trimmed away stuff on the edges to try to
got to be able to watch Carolina basketball.” focus more on the song and giving the song its
Last year, the group made its debut at own character and make it recognizable.”
Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, a feat that signals As with their previous albums, nearly all
to most country musicians that they have the songs on Lovin’ Pretty Women are original
arrived. The band has played the Opry several tunes, something of an anomaly in a genre
times in the past year. The Steep Canyon Rangers play more glamorous venues that is based on standards.
“It’s almost become a normal feeling to be these days than the Hill Hall stairwell where they once “We found that doing original material, you
practiced.
included in the Opry, to get done and just don’t get compared to every other band,
leave,” Platt says. “It’s great.” “It’s like a reunion,” Sharp says. “It’s great because you’re not playing the songs that
The group’s founding three members — to come back into town and see all our old every band out there is playing,” Humphrey
Platt, Humphrey and banjo player Graham friends.” says. “You can’t say, ‘Well, this band sings it
Sharp ’ 99 — began playing together in 1998 When the Rangers started playing profes- better, plays it better, picks it better,’ because
as undergraduates at Chapel Hill. Mandolin sionally in 2001, they played bluegrass fused we’re playing our own music. There’s no right
player Mike Guggino, who attended UNC- with other influences — rock, honky-tonk, tra- or wrong.”
Asheville (“He likes to mumble the ‘A’ part,” ditional country music. But as the band has The Rangers are showing no signs of slow-
Sharp jokes), joined the Chapel Hill contingent progressed, members say they have devel- ing down. “The growth that we’re experiencing
early on, and fiddler Nicky Sanders, a Califor- oped a more conservative bluegrass sound. is at a good pace,” Platt says. “It’s a challenge,
nia native, joined later to round out the current “We’ve always written our own songs and but I feel like it’s got a nice climb to it. We’ve
quintet. different material, but we definitely weren’t in seen so many bands come and go, and we’re
In those early days, the Rangers would play the traditional bluegrass circuit that we are just going to keep our pace and have fun and
a popular show at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro on now,” Platt says. “It took a long time to try to grow every year.”
the last day of classes, sharing the bill with progress or grow into that.” — Katherine Evans
another student band called Platinum Heavy- But the self-described bluegrass outsiders
weights. The show would draw up to 300 peo- received the ultimate insiders’ award last year, To hear the Steep Canyon Rangers, visit
ple, most of them friends of the band members. when the International Bluegrass Music Asso- www.steepcanyon.com.
