Commissions
The Mammals
The Mammals are folksingers Ruth Ungar, Mike Merenda, and a cohort of compelling collaborators who form a touring quintet on the fiddle, banjo, guitar, organ, bass, and drums. Over the past 20 years they have quietly composed a canon of original songs (“Some of the best songwriting of their generation” - LA Times) that both reflect our culture and offer a vision of how the world might yet be. “These days we sing about what we’re for over what we’re against,” says singer/songwriter, Mike Merenda, and what they're for is "nothing short of sublime” according to (Americana UK).
Mike Merenda’s poignant lyrics paint pictures of the world we want to live in, inspired in great part by his favorite author, Daniel Quinn. With songs like What It All Is, and Beyond Civilization, his songs embrace the notion that we are all connected, to each other and to the Earth.
Ruth Ungar was raised in a folk music family and learned the fiddle at a young age. Her father is fiddler/composer Jay Ungar, known for his composition Ashokan Farewell which the band performs. She’s a courageous, earthy singer with deep roots in tradition, contributing songs of unity and empathy like Someone’s Hurting and East Side West Side.
Album Fund
FreshGrass Album Fund provides funding to artists and bands who are in the creative process of making an album. The funding is in the form of a grant so artists maintain all ownership of their work. These grants offered by FreshGrass Foundation are to inspire and facilitate artist’s and band’s creative freedom. The funds can be used for both production and distribution of new roots songs, music or tracks. Listed below are albums that have been produced with the help of the FreshGrass Album Fund.
The Mammals lush 2020 album Nonet featured nine musicians and was “nothing short of sublime” according to Americana UK, bringing “the defiant spirit needed to heal a damaged world” as reported by No Depression Magazine. In 2022 the band is honored and thrilled to be performing these songs - and even newer ones - for live audiences.
Dynamic range is a hallmark of any concert by The Mammals. The quintet ensemble effortlessly spans the horizons of Americana, from soulfully harmonized indie-folk ballads to zealous fiddle and banjo-driven foot stompers.
The band’s core and founders Mike Merenda & Ruth Ungar write songs to heal hearts and rouse minds. They have recorded and performed together for two decades, as the duo Mike + Ruthy and with The Mammals. They make their home in the lush Hudson River Valley of New York where they host a thriving community folk festival called The Hoot.
