High Fidelity Founding Member Finds Creative Outlet Through Rrinaco
“Rrinaco is the place for the full picture of who I am as an artist,” says Corrina Rose Logston Stephens. The project gives the multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter freedom to focus on two things she loves—words and music.
For some High Fidelity fans, her new album Little Songs might be a bit of a surprise. “People hear my name and expect traditional bluegrass,” explains Stephens. “The Rrinaco music is definitely that—but it's also much more. It's my creative expression and everything I've brought to the table throughout my life.”
Rrinaco represents another side of Stephens’ artistry.
With High Fidelity, we’re really intentional about feeling authentic, particularly to the 1950s and early ’60s. That’s our bull’s-eye target,” Stephens explains.
“We create constraints for ourselves. We ask, 'How do we keep this feeling like that era?’ Even when we’re doing newer music, we’re always trying to evoke that sound.”
“With Rrinaco, it's a free-for-all. I've got the kitchen to myself. I’ve got all the ingredients at my disposal. What do I want to make today?”
Jesse McReynolds’ Lasting Influence on Rrinaco
Stephens performed regularly as a fiddler and harmony vocalist for Jesse McReynolds & the Virginia Boys.
“As I got to know Jesse, I started sharing more of my own music with him. He listened to my Wind Caught My Bike record, and he had nothing but encouraging things to say. He told me, ‘You need to be doing that music.’”
“Getting to be around Jesse—his creativity, his influence, and his encouragement—was unbelievable. He became a mentor to me.”
The Lord of the Rings connection
“When I got married, people were calling me Corrina Logston Stephens, Corrina Stephens, Corrina Rose Stephens—there were all these different versions of my name. I wanted something definitive.”
“It was actually a nickname I had in middle school,” Stephens remembers. “We were into The Lord of the Rings and wanted to learn Elvish. It wasn't really Elvish—it was a coding system we used where the first two letters went to the end of the word. So ‘Corrina’ became ‘Rrinaco,’ and it just stuck.”
“It sounded really catchy, and I remember thinking, 'Rrinaco—that's my artist name.’ I'd forgotten about it for years, but when I started thinking about how I wanted to brand my music, it came back to me.”
“I knew it would take time for people to understand what it was, but it felt like the right long-term move,” Stephens explains.
Beyond Bluegrass
“I've always loved old movies and people like Judy Garland—that whole era where big-band music and Hollywood came together. I love those old crooners with stride piano. I’ve always loved that style.”
“‘Voice of the Southland’ is actually a Gene Austin song,” explains Stephens. “I discovered it through Freddie Rose of Acuff-Rose Publishing. Before he was in the music business, Freddie was a solo artist who played piano and sang. I just love that kind of music.”
“That style filled a gap in the record because I didn't have an original song that represented that part of my musical interests. My mom always told me, ‘You really need to record “Voice of the Southland,’” so I finally did.”
Her husband, High Fidelity co-founder Jeremy Stephens, plays guitar on the song.
“Jeremy and I used to feature ‘Voice of the Southland’ in our duet show, with him playing the guitar part in that Merle Travis-style. Jeremy’s playing guitar on the whole record.”
“I’d always loved singing that song just for recreation, and Jeremy and I would perform it as a duet before I ever recorded it.”
Rrinaco Takes the Stage
Fans have the opportunity to see more of Rrinaco live.
“This is definitely something I want to have alongside the other shows I'm doing. This spring we did a short run, and this September I'm doing another. I'm excited to see where it goes.”
“I’d encourage people to keep up with me on social media, my website, and everything I’m doing with Rrinaco,” says Stephens. I'm really trying to build a good body of work with videos and other creative content.”
Stephens enjoys hearing from fans.
“I’ll still hear people say, ‘I love hearing you do your bluegrass,’ and I do too—I still love bluegrass,” shares Stephens. “But when these songs connect with people, it’s usually much deeper than someone simply saying they liked them. They’ll tell me that the songs really spoke to them, and that’s incredibly inspiring.”
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