Best Local Folk Act

Chuck and Mud

With 20 years of performing at-will and at-random (our last sighting of them was a relatively impromptu gig at Elm Park), Chuck and Mud -- somewhere along the line -- have graduated from scene veterans to full-fledged, cherished institution. Like Coney Island Lunch, Table Talk Pie, Ralph's Chadwick Square Diner, the Whistler, and the late-great (great being kooky) Francis X. Tivnan, Chuck Demers and Marie Rocheleau-Demers are Seven Hill legends. And it couldn't have happened to a nicer pair of folks.

Though they logged more miles than you could shake a stick at -- playing various area coffeehouses, festivals, benefits, bars, and classrooms -- it wasn't until late '98 that they released their first (no kidding, first!) full-length release. Having caught up with technology, the duo unveiled the appropriately titled It's About Time!, using the cutting-edge "compact disc" format. Featuring 13 original numbers and a cover of John Ims's "Two of a Kind," Time was one of the year's best surprises. Besides finally giving fans something to take home from a gig, Time served as a reminder to the rest of us that Chuck and Mud sang more than children's songs. With a warm and horse delivery reminiscent of John Prine, Chuck is the guy who sings the more mysterious tunes, while Mud acts as a perfect counterpoint with her crystal-clear voice. It's a fine, sunny-day listen that offers definitive proof that Chuck and Mud are among the Bay State's elite acoustic acts. It's about time.

-- John O'Neill