Burlap To Cashmere

Burlap To Cashmere is a contemporary christian music group that draws heavily on folk and world music influences, especially flamenco-style guitar playing.

Background

Cousins Steven Delopoulos and John Philippidis were performing in a New Jersey coffeehouse when they were "discovered" by manager Jamison Ernest. The Brooklyn based cousins then assembled a larger band under the name "Burlap to Cashmere", recruiting guitarist Mike Ernest, bassist Roby Guarnera, keyboardist Josh Zandman, drummer Theodore Pagano and percussionist Scott Barksdale. The group drew on a wide range of musical styles and influences, but their signature sound was rooted in lightning-fast acoustic guitar rhythms. The band began performing in local New York-area venues, and quickly developed a cult following. In 1997, they independently released their first EP under the label Squint, Live at the Bitter End. In 1998 Burlap to Cashmere signed with A&M Records and released the full-length recording Anybody Out There?, followed by an A&M re-release of Live at the Bitter End. The band's name comes from an Episode of the Bob Newhart Show called "Tobin's Back in Town", where a romantic interest of Bob's sister Ellen compares himself to Howard Borden saying that it's like comparing "Burlap to Cashmere".

In 2003, Steven Delopoulos released the solo album Me Died Blue, and subsequently 1000 copies of a live recording titled Live at the Bluebird, released exclusively at tour shows. In 2004, the official website promoted "Steve and Johnny of Burlap to Cashmere" for several live performances, but the site has been dormant since.

Steven Delopoulos released a solo album in the fall of 2007, originally titled As If Love Were A Sword but changed to Straightjacket before release. He and Johnny are planning to make new music re-united as Burlap to Cashmere following that.

There was Winter/Spring 2007 dates for Burlap to Cashmere touring with Jars of Clay and NEEDTOBREATHE. Steven Delopoulos and John Philippidis will be performing an acoustic set as a duo. The two currently put together a five piece group and are rumored to start recording a record in summer of 08. According to Steven Delopoulos' Twitter page on September 15, 2009, the rumored new Burlap to Cashmere album is well under way with it's title track having recently been written.

Members

Steven Delopoulos - Vocals, Guitar
John Philippidis - Guitar, Vocals
Josh Zandman - Keyboards
Theodore Pagano - Drums
Roby Guarnera - Bass, Background Vocals
Mike Ernest - Guitar, Background Vocals
Scott Barksdale - Percussion

THE BEST

Awards

1998 Dove Award, Rock Album of the Year, Anybody Out There?
1999 Dove Award, Special Event Album, Streams (Compilation album, Burlap to Cashmere contributed the track From Above)