Eliza Shaen-Carter - Biography.

A bit about Eliza.

She first began singing folksongs (mainly Joan Baez) on the beach etc. in her mid teens and then occasionally in folk clubs in the London area like the "Folk Barge", Kingston, always a-capella. Her main interest was in art and after the third art college she finally graduated as sculptor in 1979. Since then she has been exhibiting work in England, Ireland and the Netherlands.

She began to sing more regularly in 1978, when she met the London folksingers John and Del Dwyer. In 1979 she decided to learn to play the guitar. From then on the music world opened up, creating a constant tension between art and music. Since then she has played in England (mainly in the south, particularly in "The Crypt", and "Centre Folk" in London), Ireland, (Dublin and Mayo), Greece, Spain, Gibraltar, the Canary and Channel Islands.

She came to the Netherlands at the end of 1981 and in 1982 she had her first experience playing with a band. In 1983 she had her debut on radio. She met banjo player Paul van Gelder in 1982 and later they teamed up with Joop Eisenberger on the mandolin to form "Diamonds and Rust" in 1985, playing folk, country, old timey, and bluegrass music performing all over the Netherlands and occasionally in Germany.

Festivals include:

• 150 Jaar Nederlandse Spoorwegen in Haarlem in 1989,
• Delft Festival in 1990,
• Tsjoch Festival in Drachten (solo) in 1995 and
• 25 Years Strictly Country in 1996.
• The Craic Irish/Celtic Folkfestival 1998 in De Meern.
• One More Saturday Night - A Grateful Dead Celebration, Amsterdam, Paradiso, 1998.

• Conversation time (RVU and NOS) in 1983,
• KRO Country Tournee 89/90,
• Radio Noord in Groningen in 1990 and 1991,
• Radio Noord-Holland in Amsterdam in 1991,
• a documentary about water in the Netherlands on Ned. Wereldomroep Radio T.C. for which she wrote the song "Water" in 1992.
• Paul van Gelder's program Geen Tijd (VARA) in 1998.

• Ned. Wereldomroep Television T.C. in 1993.

She uses a mixture of folk and country material from both sides of the Atlantic as well as some of her own. She says about her choice of songs: "There is usually some part or all of the text, that makes a statement that I really feel and wish to express. As a folksinger I have no qualms about renewing or reviving good songs".

1. Eliza at "One More Saturday Night - A Grateful Dead Celebration", Amsterdam, Paradiso, 1998, by Eti Steinberg.
   
2. Eliza in the time with Diamonds and Rust, sent by Sieka van Gelder.
   
3. Eliza and Steve Bradshaw at "The Craic Irish/Celtic Folkfestival 1998" in De Meern.