Steve'n'Seagulls
So, a Finnish bluegrass hillbilly band walks into a bar....No, it’s not the beginning of a joke, it’s the start of an evening on Steve ‘N’ Seagulls' first-ever U.S. tour. If there's a punchline, it’s that they play metal songs like Metallica’s “Seek and Destroy” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” but with the twangy tones of mandolin and banjo subbing in for the hard stuff. Oh, and they’re serious about it.
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It takes talent to rework a metal song in a winning hillbilly style, and the band has found that not every tune is suitable. “There are quite many different bands and songs that we’ve had to put aside, because we haven’t found the way to redo or rearrange them. It requires a solid riff and something in the song that you can rearrange.” So far, “we tried something from Kiss, something from Van Halen. We might still work on them, but we didn’t get them done for the first album; maybe for the second one. “
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Old Crow Medicine Show
Old Crow Medicine Show started busking on street corners in 1998 New York state and up through Canada, winning audiences along the way with their boundless energy and spirit. They eventually found themselves in Boone, North Carolina where they caught the attention of folk icon Doc Watson while playing in front of a pharmacy. He invited the band to play at his festival, MerleFest, helping to launch their career. Shortly thereafter the band was hired to entertain crowds between shows at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN.
It's been over fifteen years since these humble beginnings. The band has gone on to receive the honor of being inducted as members of theGrand Ole Opry, and have won two Grammy Awards: "Best Folk Album" for Remedy (2014) and "Best Long Form Music Video" for Big Easy Express (2013). Additionally, their classic single, "Wagon Wheel", received the RIAA's Platinum certification in 2013 for selling over 1,000,000 copies.
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Mean Mary
Mary learned to read music before she could read words and was an official singer/songwriter before she’d started her first day of kindergarten. With the help of her mom, she wrote her theme song “Mean Mary from Alabam’.” The press immediately baptized her with this handle, and she’s been Mean Mary ever since.
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Steve Martin
Ever eclectic, Martin took the time in 2009 to record a banjo album, and when the John McKuen-produced Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo appeared, it showed he was no slouch on the instrument, and the album further revealed Martin's immense and versatile talent. Martin supported its release by hitting the road with the Steep Canyon Rangers, who served as his backup band. The collaboration was warmly received and led to the release of 2011's Rare Bird Alert, which featured Martin as a temporary member of the Steep Canyon Rangers and included guest appearances by Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks.
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Earl Scruggs
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The Dead South
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