Phil Rosenthal

Biography

Phil Rosenthal is a nationally renowned singer, songwriter, recording artist and record producer. For many years the lead singer and guitarist in the popular bluegrass group The Seldom Scene, he is also highly respected for his instrumental skills on banjo and mandolin.

A native of Guilford, CT, Phil began his professional career in the 1970’s as mandolin player and singer in the New England-based bluegrass bands Apple Country and Old Dog. In 1977, he joined The Seldom Scene, travelling widely with the group throughout the U.S., Europe, and Japan, including appearances at the Grand Old Opry and the White House. He recorded seven albums with the band, receiving a Grammy nomination for his work on Scene 20 . In 1986, he left the group in order to run American Melody, a recording company founded with wife Beth Sommers, devoted to producing bluegrass and folk music for children and families. The label’s 22 releases thus far feature Phil and a variety of other noted performers, and have won many awards from the Parents’ Choice Foundation, the American Library Association, and other organizations.

Phil is also a successful songwriter whose original compositions have been recorded by many leading bluegrass and country music performers, including Johnny Cash and Bill Monroe. In 1994, the Connecticut Commission on the Arts appointed him the official Connecticut State Troubadour.

The Sommers Rosenthal Family features Phil and Beth and their children Naomi and Daniel, performing a mixture of classic and original bluegrass, folk and country songs. Naomi is an acclaimed singer and songwriter, featured on four solo albums, and Daniel tours internationally as trumpet player in the Either Orchestra and the Daniel Rosenthal Quartet. “The flair that accompanies a performance by the Sommers Rosenthal Family is not to be missed. They bring Tennessee north of the Mason-Dixon line, with melodies that make the heart sing and the feet move.” (Yale University Art Gallery)

Video

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