The Kossoy Sisters, Irene Saletan and Ellen Christenson, were The Roches of their time. By the time they were in college, the sisters had collected an interesting array of dark traditional folk songs from the Southern Appalachians, which they recorded for Tradition records. This legendary album, "Bowling Green", inspired and influenced many singers in the folk revival.

Irene and Ellen, identical twins, began harmonizing at the age of 8 or 9, singing mostly what they heard around the house: songs of the 20's and music hall songs. After hearing Pete Seeger and the Weavers, they gravitated to American traditional songs. Most of their teenage years were spent singing in Washington Square, in Greenwich village, and by the age of 20, they had performed widely in New York.

Known for their clear, bell-like harmonies, the Kossoy Sisters performed at the first Newport Folk Festival, in the original production of Woody Guthrie's Bound for Glory, and for several years at the Fox Hollow Folk Festival. Although they still sing mostly southern mountain songs, they have also adopted other traditional and contemporary songs, accompanying themselves on guitar, banjo, and autoharp.

Careers, families, and a stint in the Peace Corps for Irene have kept them from performing as much as their fans would like, but with the 1997 reissue on CD of "Bowling Green" by Tradition/Rykodisc, the Kossoy Sisters have hit the road again, and FSSGB is delighted to be their first stop! We hope you will join us for this special event.

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