Every Saturday night, music could be heard coming from a little log cabin deep in the hills of Appalachia. Where Kendra Ward, then just a child, could be found, along with a host of relatives, friends, and neighbors, all making music with banjos, fiddles, guitars and dulcimers. From beginnings such as these, it is no surprise that Kendra has emerged as one of our most respected and loved Appalachian musicians. Kendra's unique upbringing has left her with a powerful link to her Appalachian roots. From these traditional roots, Kendra strives to carry her heritage into the future.
When Bob Bence met Kendra back in 1983, he had no idea that his life was about to make a hard left turn. In those days, Bob was entertaining audiences as a member of an improvisational comedy group and performing stand-up on the side. Guitar playing was just a hobby. However, after hearing Kendra play, Bob was completely captivated, both by Kendra, and her amazing hammered dulcimer! Before he even knew it, Bob had put his comedy career on the shelf, and made "making music" his new full time gig. Nowadays, Bob's offbeat sense of humor helps to keep his concert appearances with Kendra unpredictable and uproariously funny.
While live performances are certainly the best way to experience the magic of Kendra Ward and Bob Bence, their music has been captured on numerous recordings. These recordings have brought Appalachian music into homes around the world.
Between touring, recording, and publishing, Kendra and Bob also find time to carry on another Ward family tradition - building mountain dulcimers. And together, Kendra and Bob have earned a reputation as one of the most entertaining and accomplished traditional music duos in the nation. They have appeared on stage with The Statler Brothers, Debbie Reynolds, Bill Monroe, Alison Krauss, John Hartford, David Holt, and a host of other top performers. They have toured the United States from coast to coast, and are international favorites throughout England, Scotland and Wales. Whether on stage, on record, or in print, few artists communicate with the honesty, wit, charm and talent of Kendra Ward and Bob Bence.