Ellen Cherry

Ellen Cherry is the pseudonym and musical brainchild of Baltimore based singer/songwriter/musician/recording engineer/producer/designer Kristin Putchinski. Well, at least that what it says on her business card.What the business card doesn’t tell you is all this other stuff.

That Kristin got some formal training on the piano when she was kid (thanks mom and pop) and then moved onto the ‘cello in high school. Despite her average cello playing, she managed to keep that up while in college and also picked up the guitar, even though she was supposed to be studying all the time. Somehow, despite her best efforts, she managed to earn herself a degree in history after a few years’ work, with a hearty emphasis on things like the Russian Revolution, World War II, the Nuclear Age, and of course, Margaret Sanger(the subject of her senior paper, thank you very much.

Let’s sum up, because this stuff could get long … in college, she formed a band and “Kristin Putchinski and the Bookworms” which was too long and cumbersome a name, she she picked her favorite character from a Tom Robbins novel, “Ellen Cherry” to be her performing moniker. Cherry recorded her first album in 1997, the very well received lo-fi Careful. She moved to New Orleans, got some jobs and some life experience, all the while, keeping Ellen Cherrygoing with different backing bands or sometimes, just as a solo project. From 1997-2002, when Ellen Cherry released a handful of EP’s and demos, including her full band, full length album “The Ellen Cherry Primer.” But she got bummed out pretty bad after that album, because her entire band’s gear had been stolen in the process of recording.

By 2004, Ellen Cherryhad relocated to the East Coast, planting herself in the lovely port city of Baltimore, Md. She had become a full time, touring singer, songwriter, and musician. She started putting some serious miles or her ’92 Honda Accord. She founded her studio. Wrong Size Shoes, and began recording herself in her own studio. This proved to be a wondrous and tedious task, but ultimately produced the first of many self-produced and recorded works, including The Dizzy Pleasure Club (2004),and Years(2005),as well as 2 full length film scores. Original Score for Not another Tolkien Movie (2003)and re*dress: songs from the movie For the Want of a Queen (2005).Two more albums are in the works and should be released in 2007.

Her live shows are a thing to behold and be-hear (is that even a word?). One fan described it as roller coaster, with the banter between songs bringing thoughts to hilarious and strange heights, while the songs themselves pull the listener into an utterly introspective place. Most fans leave wondering how they managed to learn about the US Civil War and have a good time doing it. Ellen Cherrycan’t help but tell people the inspiration behind her songs (dreams, women in history, the Titantic, migrant workers, the usual suspects of love, loss and despair.) …but she also can’t help trying to make a joke out of the ridiculous circumstances that invade everyone’s daily lives. She’s been fortunate enough to share a bill with artists Glenn Tillbrook, Sharnnon McNally, JoshRitter, Allison Moorer, Mary Fahland countless other independent musicians throughout the country.

Ellen Cherry is a traveling, singing, songwriting, cello and guitar playing, reading breathing, non-lip syncing (too expensive, really, hip shaking, writing one-liners on gas receipts, making up stories and remembering real ones type of independent musician.

Want to find out even more?

Come out to a show and trust me, you’ll get an earful.

For more information or to book Ellen Cherry, contact:

Charles F. Steinmetz Company

Email: charlietuna15@verizon.net

Telephone: (410) 866-9339

Fax: (410) 866-9340