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Introducing Lilly Drumeva
(known also as "Lilly of the West")

Background information:

Birth name: Liliana Hristova Drumeva - O'Reilly
Born: 17 May 1970, Sofia, Bulgaria
Occupation: Singer, songwriter, musician, band leader, record producer, marketing and event manager, radio & TV presenter, country and bluegrass leader and activist
Years active: 1995 to present

Biography:

Since 1995 Lilly Drumeva heads the popular Bulgarian bluegrass & country music band "Lilly of the West". She is the founder, main artist, singer- songwriter, instrumentalist, music arranger, manager and record producer of the group's nine albums to this date. She performs regularly in Bulgaria and abroad, working with leading bluegrass and country musicians around the world.
Lilly is a moving spirit in the European bluegrass and country music scene, she is a pioneer and leader in Bulgaria. Her weekly country music radio and TV shows educate and teach the public about this very authentic and unique American music. Lilly is also a publicist and country music journalist, writing for several magazines in Europe. She represents Eastern Europe in several country & bluegrass music associations. She is an advocate for country and bluegrass in Bulgaria and on the Balkans, through her concerts, workshops and recordings; she is introducing American music and culture to the people.

Career as American music pioneer and leader

For 15 years Lilly has been involved in American music in Bulgaria and abroad. She is the founder of the first and only country & bluegrass music band "Lilly of the West". She is the source of information, coordinator and expert on this music in Bulgaria. Lilly educates the audience and teaches young musicians to play country & bluegrass. She inspires the fans and spreads audio and video material, books, magazines and other publications on the subject.
Lilly is a member of the board of the European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA) in Basel, Switzerland, a representative for Eastern Europe in the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) in Nashville, TN, a professional member of the Country Music Association (CMA) in Nashville, TN. She is a spokesperson for the Bulgarian singer/songwriter community "Poets with guitars. The "Poets with guitars" movement follows the footsteps of the great American songwriters, such as Bob Dylan, John Denver and others.

Career as an artist - "Lilly of the West"

Lilly Drumeva formed the band "Lilly of the West" in 1996 in Sofia. Shortly after releasing a debut album, the band toured successfully throughout Europe and the US, winning European and international bluegrass music awards. "Lilly of the west" has a large repertoire, including country, bluegrass, swing, jazz and folk music. The band has released eight albums to date; the latter ("Lovin' you") has been recorded in Prague with some of the best Czech musicians. Currently, "Lilly of the West" is recording a retro album, with jazz & swing standards from the 40s. Lilly has written many songs, arranged most of the band's material. She is the lead vocalist, guitarist, violinist and mandolinist of the band. Lilly has worked closely with the Culture Department of the US embassy, co-organizing several concerts: The Ebony Hillbillies, The Dust Busters, Steve James, Laurie Lewis and others.

Career as radio and TV presenter

Lilly's career on radio began in 2001 in London, where she took a position with the BBC World Service. She has worked as a music journalist and reporter for the weekly program "Mega Chas".
In 2003 she returned to Bulgaria and started hosting music shows on Retro radio and Horizont, together with Bulgarian radio legend Toma Sprostranov. In 2007 she took a position as music editor on Radio Sofia, a new channel of the Bulgarian National Radio. At Radio Sofia, she currently hosts two weekly music shows "Country with Lilly" and "In the mood with Lilly". Lilly also has her own country music show on Balkan Bulgarian Television. The program can be seen nationwide, as well as in the neighboring countries. Like this, viewers all over the Balkans can learn about American music and culture. Lilly's shows on radio and TV are educational with each show having a unique theme. Every issue presents the story and roots of American music, from traditional to modern. The material for it is provided through Lilly's personal labor and contacts. She receives regularly material from Aristomedia and the Country Music Associations. Guests on the shows are sometimes diplomats from the US embassy, introducing their valuable music collections.

Career mission:

All these personal efforts and wonderful aim of Lilly Drumeva, to promote American music and culture on the Balkans, deserve support! Her mission is to introduce and enlighten a wide number of people about the beauty and values of American music, so that they understand it and learn to love it.