"ABRAZO" noun (SPANISH)

        an embrace, a hug

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We face the unpredictability of life by choosing to embrace it all: the beauty, joy, grief, love, loss and hope. 

 

ABRAZO is a well-loved musical duo comprised of husband and wife, Miriam Pico and Ryan Younce. Their Puerto Rican/Michigan roots weave unforgettably warm embraces around their listeners.
As one fan put it: "This is what love sounds like."

 

Miriam, originally of Puerto Rico, has been singing professionally since the age of eleven. She has earned a reputation as an artist who shares her heart and soul fully with her audiences. Through candid stories, personal original lyrics and wholehearted interpretations of favorite songs, her desire is to connect with everyone in the crowd, regardless of their ages. Miriam is an award-winning vocalist who also plays guitar, ukulele and whistles, to the delight of her audiences. Her passion for intergenerational musical experiences comes in handy in the "patchwork quilt" of musical jobs that comprise her career. From the classes for kids that she created in 2015 called Mindful and Musical (mindfulandmusical.com) to her work bringing music therapeutically to those in Assisted Living and Memory Care facilities through "Singing Heart to Heart Senior Sing-Alongs," to two decades worth of gigs performing for weddings, wineries, patios, concerts, festivals and corporate events. It is her great pleasure to have "a little something for everyone" at her shows. Her background in musical theatre and her adoration of her first language, Spanish, also play a role in her song selections. Music is Miriam's love language and her desire is that everyone who attends her shows, classes and sing-alongs leave feeling uplifted! She has also been the celebrity spokesperson and jingle singer for Floor Covering Brokers Carpet One for the past 11 years. Miriam has released four albums of her original music and is currently recording her fifth.

Ryan Younce is a talented guitarist who has been enchanting audiences for over 17 years. He is one half of the well-loved Younce Guitar Duo. Inspired by his father, guitarist Jerry Younce, Ryan began to learn his craft on guitar at the age of 14. Performing in various rock bands over the years, most notably Escanaba Firing Line, Ryan's horizons expanded even more when he discovered the music of Al di Meola, Paco de Lucia and John McLaughlin. Ryan skillfully incorporates a variety of genres, tones, and moods into his guitar playing to create a sound that is singularly his. Audiences are continually spellbound by the beauty and energy that Ryan brings to every song. When Ryan is not playing guitar, he can be found in his recording studio, Second Circle Productions, as well as teaching in the Audio Technology department at Northwestern Michigan College.

The couple are based in Traverse City, Michigan where they are busy raising three incredible teenagers.