A recently recognized act in today’s roots music scene, Silver Dagger brings together young and energetic  talent from the country’s leading music programs. Alumni of East Tennesee State’s acclaimed bluegrass program, Grace Van’t Hof and Ricky Cooper,  Berklee College of Music alumnus,  Ashleigh Caudill, and national touring veteran, Matt Purinton, work a stage like old hands.  Weaving in and out of their solos and vocal harmonies, the group rivals seasoned artists many years their senior. Their different backgrounds and four home states influence their unique instrumental styles. 2009 marks Silver Dagger’s first complete touring season! The group’s clever originals and bluegrass favorites  are sure to captivate any audience.

Ashleigh Caudill started out playing music with her family when she was young. While attending Berklee College of Music in Boston she had the opportunity to soak up the New England music scene playing with groups such as the New England Bluegrass Band, Joy Kills Sorrow, Lincoln Meyers and The String Alliance, and April Verch. She has performed live on XM radio, The Kennedy Center in Washington DC, The Berklee Performance Center and in countless bars and clubs in New England and on the Front Range of Colorado. An accomplished bluegrass musician and songwriter, she recently released her debut solo album, I'm Not Fallin,' featuring some of the most talented musicians in New England, as well as many of her original tunes.

Born and raised in Western Michigan, Grace Van't Hof studied violin and piano at a young age until she discovered the banjo in high school. She built a 5-string prototype that won 2nd place in a statewide Science Olympiad. Before moving to North Carolina, she studied in the Bluegrass music program at East Tennessee State University after receiving a scholarship based on banjo performance. Grace has also studied Voice and Visual Art at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. After relocating to Asheville, Grace has performed and recorded with musical artists such as Buncombe Turnpike, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Brad Sweitzer and the Young Sophisticates, the Trainwreks, and Taylor Martin and Friends. Apart from bluegrass, she also works as a graphic designer and artist.

Matt Purinton has been playing music since he was just a kid. His parents had always been fans of Doc Watson, Merle Watson and Sam Bush, so its no surprise that this influence carried over to their son. Growing up in upstate South Carolina, Matt was exposed to a ton of traditional music and with the Reedy River Boys and Big Iron Bluegrass he played all over the South East.  When he got an offer to play full time in Colorado he jumped at the chance. Upon moving to the great Rocky Mountains he met up with Viktor Barns and toured throughout California, Utah, Nevada, as well as Colorado. Now that Matt has become a fixture in the Northern Colorado music scene, he's moving to North Carolina to join the rest of Silver Dagger.

Ricky Cooper was born and raised in East Tennessee. Studying piano and listening to his father's country records in his youth instilled a love for music in him. An alumnus of ETSU's bluegrass program, Coop learned bluegrass standards from legends like Raymond McClain and Jack Tottle. He has toured around the southeast with the bluegrass and swing band, the Clear Liquor Pickers. Coop is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, proficient on everything from upright bass to piano, but his real strength are his creative guitar stylings.  This was proven at Rockygrass '08 where Coop took home second place in his first guitar competition. His outstanding guitar playing, songwriting and bluegrass singing greatly contribute to the Silver Dagger sound.