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"Greensky Bluegrass" Twists Musical Traditions

Chris Monaghan
Greensky Bluegrass is Anders Beck (dobro), Mike Devol (upright bass), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Paul Hoffman (mandolin).

The Michigan band Greensky Bluegrass uses most of the instruments that make up a traditional bluegrass band: banjo, dobro, bass, mandolin. And while some of the sounds that come from those instruments fit right into the tradition, many others don’t.

The members of Greensky all started in other genres of music – from rock and roll to classical to jazz. Add a healthy dose of singer-songwriter to those influences and you have the unique Greensky sound: part hoe-down, part stadium rock extravaganza complete with a full light show, part extended jazz improv, and 100 percent focused on writing good songs.

The band was in Milwaukee last month to perform a sold out show at the Pabst Theatre, and they stopped by the Lake Effect studio then to play some tunes and speak with Bonnie North about their unique sound and how they came together.

song_1.mp3
"The Fours" (live)

song_2.mp3
"The Radio" (live)

Bonnie North
Bonnie joined WUWM in March 2006 as the Arts Producer of the locally produced weekday magazine program Lake Effect.
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