UNITY — Fiddler Erica Brown and the Bluegrass Connection will take the stage at the Unity College Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, July 12. 

At age 7, Brown was competing in fiddle contests with children twice her age. Two years later, she was traveling throughout New England, Canada and Louisiana with the Maine French Fiddlers.

She has performed as a special guest with Mac McHale And The Old-Time Radio Gang for five years. Her bluegrass band performs all over New England, and she also plays with The Stowaways, Darlin’ Corey and The Record Family Band.

A member of the Maine All-State Music Festival for two years, Brown has won numerous fiddle contests throughout New England and Canada. In 2003, she was named Junior Female Entertainer Of The Year by the Maine Country Music Association; in 2006, she received the Harold Carter Memorial Award from the Down East Country Music Association. Also that year, she was recognized as a Master Artist by the Maine Arts Commission.

Bluegrass Connection members are Steve Roy, Matt Shipman, Ken Taylor and Read McNamara. Roy is well known for his bass playing but also plays and teaches mandolin, guitar and fiddle. He has performed locally as well as internationally with myriad  bluegrass bands.

Shipman is a performer and teacher of acoustic and traditional music. He has taught guitar and mandolin at a Community Music School in Yarmouth for five years. He also enjoys playing bouzouki, tenor and clawhammer banjo. 

Taylor has been performing with Brown for eight years, playing acoustic bass and adding vocals. He originally started as a guitar player with an interest in folk music but gravitated to bluegrass. 

McNamara started playing banjo at age 18 while at college. The ancient tones of bluegrass struck a chord with him, and he and the four other members of his college band began immersing themselves in all things bluegrass.

The concert, put on by New England Celtic Arts, will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door. For reservations, call 948-7469. UCCPA is at 42 Depot St.