Having just recently released his first record, Lullaby School (Motherwest), Kris Gruen has begun to bring an eccentric new style of alt folk to the international stage and airwaves. Kris was a 2006 showcasing artist for both SXSW and CMJ, and Lullaby School was voted one of the top ten records of 2006 by both Seven Days and The Burlington Free Press (Vermont's two major newspapers, his current state of residence). From the outset, the deftly plucked banjo strings and soothing vocals on Lullaby School point to a tasteful array of Americana influences-- Bright Eyes, Sufjan Stevens and Jeff Buckley to recall a few. However, Kris manages to make this collection distinctly his own. Kris is no stranger to the world of music. His father, the famed rock photographer Bob Gruen, has long been synonymous with immortalizing countless musical icons on film, but Kris has chosen to pursue a path more similar to the lives of those of his father’s subjects. Born and raised in New York City, Kris lives in Central Vermont.