Jim has been performing since his hootenany days in college, playing through genres in Folk, Rock, Jazz, Bluegrass, Classic and Popular music -- whatever took his fancy at the time. Lately, by blending a little of each -- and adding his own compositions available on cd and the net -- and continuing to blend his style with Julie Dale (in their duet playing covers and originals) and the Fringeband (with Aane, Doug & Rick doing Bluegrass, Oldtime and Popular covers), he works toward unique interpretations of listenable music.

Slim Pickin's is a newly formed band out of southern Minnesota. We play old time folk and bluegrass music along with some originals. We use all acoustic instruments including guitar, mandolin, dobro and washboard. We are currently working on booking shows and expanding our musical library.

http://www.myspace.com

/slimpickinsmn

Overview

Combine one singer-songwriter's fascination with the acoustic guitar in an amalgamation of Folk, Blues, Rock, Country and Gospel, add a social conscience, a hunger for the written word, and a love for singing and entertaining, and you've got Jeff James. With over 2500 performances and 5 albums and a live DVD under his belt, Jeff has "Good, bad, or otherwise-if I can achieve a smile, look of surprise, or even a tear, from the songs I 've written or performed, I feel I've succeeded in reaching people through music" become an extremely versatile performer, adapting to whatever his environment throws at him.
As a nationally accredited guitarist, Jeff finds ways of 'wow'-ing audiences with his percussive playing style along with some beautiful fingerstyle picking. Add silky but somehow gritty vocals (a cross combination of James Taylor and Gary Allan) which have been described as "unique" and "gripping" and you've found a show that people keep coming back to.

The Difference: The Live Show:
So you're at a Jeff James show - you see a guy with an acoustic guitar and a bunch of equipment with wires and a bass guitar on a stand. The show starts and you hear this high hat sound followed by something that could be a snare drum and then kick drum. You think "Oh this guy must be using a drum machine"
No Drum Machines, it's all LIVE
Then a guitar runs a line and the guy runs over to the bass guitar on a stand. So now you hear percussion of some kind, an acoustic guitar rhythm, and a bass guitar while he's playing another rhythm guitar part while he's singing and he breaks into a lead. Now you're thinking "this must be karaoke or some pre-recorded tracks!"
No Pre-recording, it's all LIVE.
Jeff uses an RC-50 Loop Station to help fill his songs up with depth of more instrumentation and the width of improvisational lead guitar. The RC-50 allows him to play lines of guitar that get recorded with a quick punch of a foot pedal and plays back when he wishes. He then stacks other instruments on top of those lines - all LIVE.
Videos of Jeff Looping Live:

Ross William Perry , a gifted singer/songwriter/guitarist, has been doing his homework since the tender age of four and it shows. Focused on a lifetime of playing his music, Ross has been a rising star on the Midwest Blues scene since graduating high school in '98.  Blending his Blues, Rock and Jazz influences, Ross has created a sound that is distinctively his own and never fails to impress."

"Another not-yet-20 virtuoso. His new CD is a fine collection of licks with excellent vocals."
- Ed Ivey, Blues Revue Magazine

"Not yet of drinking age, Perry has great road-dog instinct. Anybody who leads a release with a blasting cover of surf hymn "Pipeline" knows how to stoke a crowd. Perry's sweat-soaked leads have punk-rock energy and classic Texas electric blues intensity."
- Blues Revue

"Ross William Perry has done his homework."
- Twin Cities Blues News

"I've played with most of the young, up coming guitarists, but Ross just might be one of the best ever."
- Debbie Davies, blues singer/guitarist

"Ross William Perry lit up and literally burned down the main stage. With his powerful, passionate guitar work and steadily improving vocals, Ross had the crowd standing and cheering for more in the middle of his set."
- Richard Benson, Twin Cities Blues News

"Ross William Perry never fails to impress. The kid is a full package. Great vocalist, chilling and talented guitarist and an artist that understands and respects the blues."
- Tom Tourville, Twin Cities Blues News

"He's only 19, but he sure plays like a seasoned veteran."
- Blues Deluxe Radio of Arlington, Texas

Overview

This will be Andy's second visit to Cricket Meadow. His guitar and singing skills were so well liked, we asked him back for an encore event. His acoustic repretoire includes songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's.

Don't miss out this oppritunity to get some great food and entertainment.

The Salty Doggs Bluegrass Band from Hutchinson, Minnesota consists of four guys who enjoy playing traditional (mostly) bluegrass music.

The Salty Doggs Bluegrass Band is the premiere bluegrass band in Central Minnesota's tri-township area of Hutchinson, Lynn and Acoma townships!!

Instrument of Choice

I'm Terry Shaw. Known as a person who blows his own horn (I did start on trumpet . . .) and I will blow it here. I have created perhaps the finest mandolin CD on the face of the planet, heck, make that the entire universe. Let me describe it. It is plastic, round, 4 3/4 inches in diameter, silver on one side with pictures of me on the other. Oh yeah--there's a 5/8-inch hole in the middle.

Seriously folks, there are thirteen tracks totaling 32 minutes and 22 seconds. (B-Bad, Yanni Be Good, Katrina Waltz, Romanian Rush, Thea's Real, Mi Amore Del Nacho, Redneckin', Sixth Scents, Skitty Skat, Morning Glory, Wild Hair, Toast And Coffee, Spot Sings). They are original compositions covering many styles--bluegrass, swing, waltz, gypsy jazz, celtic, latin, contra, and jazz. And if that isn't enough I even include my cat singing on his own track. (Yes, I have a magical singing cat named Spot.)

Did I mention that I played all the instruments? Yes, because I am too cheap to pay my fellow musicians and besides I wanted all the glory for myself. You may think that this is a drawback until you read the fantastic review (what else?) in Bluegrass Unlimited

Check out the rest of what Bluegrass Unlimited thinks in their "Reviews > On the Edge" section of their web site.