Musicians

Music Lineup for Festival 2009

 

The Downtown Mountain Boys, based in Seattle, Washington, is the Pacific Northwest's most exciting and accomplished bluegrass band. Veteran bluegrassers and recording artists Terry Enyeart (bass, lead and harmony vocals), Dave Keenan (banjo, fiddle, lead and harmony vocals), Don Share (guitar, lead and harmony  vocals), Tom Moran (mandolin), and Paul Elliott (fiddle), seen for years in such popular Northwest bands as Ranch Romance, Rural Delivery, Rainy Pass, and Who’s Driving?, have come together in a match made in musical heaven. Take three-part harmonies that send shivers up your spine, add dazzling instrumental firepower, and you have the sound of The DownTown Mountain Boys.   

 

 

 

The Clover Point Drifters are a bluegrass band from Victoria BC Canada. Their repertoire consists primarily of traditional bluegrass songs, with a sprinkling of country, folk, blues and pop melodies served up in the bluegrass style. Their songs feature close heartfelt duet and trio harmonies, backed by strong banjo, dobro and mandolin accompaniment.
The band has been active since January 2000, but the members each have a decades-long   love affair with bluegrass music.

 

Five on a String is made up of some very talented lads, starting with Garry Stevenson on lead guitar and baritone vocals. Garry's talents on the guitar have earned him the Western Canada Flat-picking Championship title three times. Garry also looks after of the musical and vocal arrangements for the band. Gordie Sadler on banjo and lead vocals, lays down that traditional Scruggs style of banjo inherent to bluegrass. Dan Mornar is the singing swaying, songwriting Bass and lead vocals, for the band. Huge Ellenwood plays fiddle in the group andit's said he plays like he wants the whole world to dance. Tim Eccles plays mandolin and also sings lead vocals. The newest member of the band Tim has added his great talent and yodeling ability to the band.

 

“Bryon Clayton Thomas & Don (BCT&D)” is a Bluegrass vocal group from the Cowichan Valley. Consisting of four individuals with distinct personalities and eclectic musical styles melded together to form a bluegrass band that is steeped in tradition, personality and character that can only be created by “Bryon Clayton Thomas & Don”. “BCT&D” originally got together almost five years ago to have some fun playing music and building and arranging vocal harmonies. One gig led to another and now they have become the valley’s local favorites, filling venues where-ever they perform. “We do it for the fun” says “BCT&D”; “we get a real high sharing laughs and music with our listeners.” The band consists of Acoustic Guitar, Mandolin, Electric Bass and Banjo and just the right amount of humour and humility to make it fun to be a part of.

 

 Skagway The original members  from Skagway (Dinah, Ira, Natalie, & Darrin Wiebe) played together as a unit for the first time at a late-night kitchen jam after a gig in the spring of 2006. Two  bands, the Cherry Bridge String Quartet, which Darrin, Ira and Dinah were in and The Lonesome Paisleys, which Natalie and Darrin were in, joined forces after the gig along with many others and a legendary kitchen jam took place. The seed was first planted then of combining forces to create a serious bluegrass band. The group got together in December 2007 and began rehearsing. Their performances to date include venues like the Dancing Bean in Chemanius & The Chapel at Providence Farm near Duncan; they were also featured at the Coombs Country Bluegrass Festival in August 2008. In September 2008, Darrin moved to Saskatoon to pursue studies in the medical field (brave lad, that one! and smart too!), and Duncan's Tad Ruszel stepped in to pick up where Darrin left off. (wait till you hear this one - he's got some mad pickin' under those fingers!) With the new lineup intact, things are looking good for this up-and-coming band.

 

 

 

Formed just over a year ago, LAST TRAIN made an immediate impact on the Vancouver Island bluegrass scene with stellar performances at both the Sooke and Coombs bluegrass festivals.

Led by Eric Adams (Lost Connection, The New Nash Ramblers) LAST TRAIN delivers a hard-driving bluegrass sound characterized by soaring harmony vocals and blistering instrumental breaks. The very next moment, they can turn around and produce a lilting old-time sound thanks to banjo talents of Shanti Bremer, who is equally well-versed in both styles. Her versatility is matched by fiddler Heather Cunliffe, a native of Saltspring Island and former member of the creative folk group The Gruff. Both women are also talented harmony singers.

Most of the lead vocals in LAST TRAIN are handled by Eric and guitarist Zev Roman. Zev's strong singing voice and ability to deliver a song with feeling and emotion stems from a lifelong affection for bluegrass. He plays a powerful rhythm guitar and contributes some flatpicked guitar solos. Rounding out the band is mandolinist Michael Brooks, a highly creative musician and composer who writes most of the LAST TRAIN'S instrumentals.

 

 

 

 

 Shearwater; Hailing from Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Shearwater Bluegrass Band is fronted by acclaimed singer-bassist Tammy Fassaert, and features guitarist Dave Clarke and hot young mandolinist James Whittall. Shearwater's signature sound comes from combining refined vocal harmonies with blistering instrumental duets. Shearwater has been making waves since it first started performing on the folk and bluegrass circuit on the West Coast in late 2006, and its reputation is spreading with the release of the group’s first album, Shearwater.

 

 

 

Frosty Hollow, is the is truly a “Good ol’ Boys” family band out of Quilcene, Washington. John Bobo on the mandolin has his lovely daughter Pam to set the tempo on Bass. They have played together for more years than I am allowed to say. Bill Stone and his son Don add the rhythm and flatpickin guitars to the mix. Both have played guitar in other forms of music, but became hooked on bluegrass music at a festival in 1987. The bluegrass banjo duties have fallen to Norman Olsen just 19 years old from South Bent, Washington. Norman plans to go to collage in the fall but for now it’s all bluegrass. Frosty Hollow has some great tunes and a wonderful old bluegrass sound your gonna love.

Meet Flash In The Pan, a new group from the Victoria area. The name refers to the sudden nature of the bands' inception, which resulted from the Victoria Bluegrass Association looking for a feature act fall of 2008. These folks hope it will become an ironic title as they become a staple in the Victoria acoustic community. Original songwriting, as well as classic bluegrass and old time influences, characterize their sound. On top of all that, these guys can sing! The band lineup should be familiar to most members of the Victoria bluegrass scene. It includes Miriam Sonstenes (fiddle), Cluny Macpherson (banjo), Kelly Sherwin (bass), and Jeff Dill (guitar). Everyone in the band is very excited about the show, their first festival performance!