Foghorn Stringband
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, the Foghorn Stringband produces a collective sound that will transport audiences across to 1950s mid-western America. Their tight instrumental work and line-up - fiddle, banjo, mandolin, bass, guitar and vocals - is reminiscent of early bluegrass, but their powerful approach is whole-heartedly old-time, centered largely by the fiddle. Devoted to the interpretation and performance of American stringband music, their style encompasses early country music, the fiddle repertoire of the Southern Appalachians and the Midwest, and the stringband sounds of the Piedmont region.
They are highly regarded by traditional music lovers, and have recently been tapped by one of the country's most renowned musicians of the genre, Dirk Powell, to perform as the Dirk Powell Band. While they are committed to playing authentic old-time music, the members of Foghorn Stringband are not strict recreationists in costume; yet neither are they experimentalists of the digital age. Whether it's on stage in a rock venue, a bluegrass festival, or at a barndance in a country hall, they further this great tradition through a profound belief that old-time music, played in a traditional way, is still relevant and very much alive in the 21st century.
Together their music has an easy and natural honesty that comes from their stripped-down approach to performing live. Owing their existence to a particularly inspiring jam session on the campground of the National Fiddle Championships in Weiser, Idaho, they seek to retain this refreshing and spontaneous feel on the stage. They play seated, gathered around one microphone, and do not use monitors. This gives all of their live performances a front porch feel that draws in and connects with the audience like family.
In their words – “no matter what the venue, this is what old time music is all about”.
more @ www.foghornstringband.com
www.myspace.com/foghornstringband