Our Story
Gabby and Nick Cameron, now husband and wife duo met in Asheville in the end of 2016. They were both representing UNC Asheville in the ambassador choir Asheville Singers, on field trip to perform at the White House for the Obama Family's Christmas Celebration.
Upon discovering that both were songwriters, the duo immediately hit it off, sharing songs and swapping lyrics and melodies. Nick, who had recently become more serious about playing mandolin, invited Gabby to audition for the UNC Asheville bluegrass ensemble. In 2017, Nick handed Gabby a banjo, and she never put it down. They formed their scrappy Appalachian bluegrass duo, Mama Danger, and brought their act to the many, many breweries for which the region has now become known. In 2018, the band released their debut EP Anagrammed, a collection of deeply earnest songs, like reminiscing about leaving one’s hometown with “Caraleigh,” or paying homage to the Rice & Skaggs rendition with their version of “Where the Soul of Man Never Dies.”
During this period of time, both Gabby and Nick were also involved in local Jewish song leading, sharing bluegrass music in Appalachian Jewish communities, celebrating a sense of doikayt (Yiddish: doy-kite, meaning “hereness”). The Asheville Jewish community felt eager to hear more of what they dubbed “jewgrass” (a portmanteau of Jewish and bluegrass). This influenced the band’s songwriting. They released their song “Homesick” in 2019, in response to the 2018 Tree of Life Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. “Homesick” received national recognition in publications like The Laurel, Jewish Journal, and the Baltimore Jewish Times. In 2021, the two had already completed their music degrees at UNC Asheville (Nick BS Music Technology, Gabby double BA in Music and in Neuroscience), and in response to the COVID pandemic, Gabby and Nick decided to close the Mama Danger chapter, pursue their graduate studies in music, and relocate closer to Nick’s family in Maryland.
Gabby completed her Master’s degree in Ethnomusicology at the University of Maryland in 2023, with her research focus on the historical Jewish involvement in bluegrass music. At UMD, Gabby led undergraduate seminars using a global music perspective, engaging students in critical thinking about music’s impact on humanity.
In 2022, Gabby received the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Scholar of the Year Award for her research. She has published peer-reviewed academic articles in Musica Judaica, UNCA Undergraduate Research Journal, and DRUM. In 2024, Gabby decided to "Master out" of her PhD program in ethnomusicology, and stepped into her newfound creative voice as a stand-up and musical comedian. In 2025, Gabby was a Strathmore Artist in Residence, and in 2026 she brought her solo musical comedy act to the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage—twice!
Nick completed his Master's in Composition 2026 also at the University of Maryland at College Park, his thesis project culminating into a seven movement song cycle The Lovers. During his time at University of Maryland, Nick had compositions Limerenceand The Chapel performed by Castalian String Quartet and Balance Campaign respectively. He placed as a semifinalist in Ruth Wales Dupont Composition Competition. While Nick's graduate degree gave him a detailed understanding of thematic application in music, his true artistry always belongs to songwriting and tunesmithing.
Nick currently plays with ensembles Nick Cameron and the Heard Mentality, Cherry Blossom Special, Corned Beef Hash, and The Baltimore Mandolin Quartet.
Both Gabby and Nick aspire to write a musical. They currently reside in Baltimore, MD with their five—yes, five—cats.