The Infamous Stringdusters

2007 IBMA winners ( 3 awards Album of the Year,Emerging Artists and Song of the Year) The Infamous Stringdusters return to Wintergrass 2008 not only to perform but also to teach at the Wintergrass Academy this year. The band has a new member since Wintergrass, Andy Falco on guitar (Chris Eldridge has joined Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers who will also be at Wintergrass this year). If you saw them last year at Wintergrass you know why they won these awards. High energy, great lead singing and harmonies.

Here is a link to a 30 minute documentary made on a tour through Colorado courtesy of the Bluegrass Blog.

http://www.thebluegrassblog.com/four-days-of-infamy-infamous-stringdusters/

Band members are Andy Hall-Dobro, Jeremy Garrett-fiddle, Jesse Cobb-mandolin, Andy Falco-guitar, Chris Pandolfi-banjo

The Tallboys

The Seattle based band The Tallboys will be at Wintergrass in 2008 playing an oldtime style of stringband music. They are a band of younger musicians who have studied the older styles and are bringing the older tunes to a younger audience. The band can be seen on a regular basis at both The Tractor Tavern on the second Monday of every month and Conor Byrne’s on Tuesday nights in Ballard, WA. Visitors to Seattle may also catch them playing at the Pike Place Market like in these two clips.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQ9jTFpIv6M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hmdOEwIWDY

Band members are Joe Fulton-fiddle, Charlie Beck-clawhammer and three-finger style banjo, John Hurd-bass, Charmaine Slaven-guitar and buckdance

Chris Thile & The Punch Brothers

Chris Thile & The Punch Brothers will be at Wintergrass 2008 on Friday Feb 22nd. This band features some of the best musicians who don’t hold back! Chris Thile–Mandolin, Chris Eldridge–Guitar, Gabe Witcher–Violin, Greg Garrison–Bass
Noam Pikelny–Banjo. Chris may be the best known member but the rest of the Punch Brothers are all on par with Chris! Check out their individual sites to see all their credentials!!

Loose Digits

 Loose Digits are a Seattle area band that has been playing together since the spring of 2006. This is how the band describes their music:

While resting on the laurels of driving bluegrass, the emotions of celtic, latin, and jazz find their way in. The result, however, is nothing generic or of the fusion persuasion, but an honest ensemble of great arrangement(s) and atmosphere. Band members are  Eli West — Guitar, Vocals,Matt Herron — Fiddle, Mike Canney — Mandolin, Vocals, Jim Marsh — Bass,
Greg Maass — Dobro

Check out their  myspace page for some audio and video clips.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=112130003