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Pop in Foghorn Stringband’s album Weiser Sunrise and you’ll swear you’ve traveled back in time to partake in an old-school hoe down – really old school.
But the Portland, Oregon band, who cut the album playing live while sitting around one microphone, successfully makes their old style country music appealing to a new, modern audience.
Even in old songs like “Be Nobody’s Darlin’ But Mine, Love,” their flair and love for music will seem to resemble a new, pleasant sound.
This sound – reminiscent of early bluegrass – is centered largely around the fiddle, but comprised of the banjo, mandolin, bass and guitar.
Their slow, soul-searching strings make even the simplest lyrics appealing.
Who could really make lines like “My father has a house, my father has a house built for me” pleasing? Somehow, they pull it off.
The band’s dedication to traditional sound and music grants the band a wave of respect in the music world, often comprised of popular pop bands.
Instead of giving in to the trendy music scene, they’ve reveled in the traditional folk scene performing at festivals and small town square dances.
But with a small town persona and familiarity with old country rhythm, it feels like they are just a band playing on your own front porch.
The Foghorn Stringband family was born when they met and played at the National Fiddle Championships in Weiser, Idaho.
They came from all parts of the country: Minnesota, New Jersey, Washington, Ohio and Georgia and are made up of fiddler Stephen Lind, mandolinist Caleb Klauder, P.T. Grover Jr. on the bango, guitarist Kevin Sandri and bass player Brian Bagdonas.
When on stage, they play spontaneously and casually, and try to get the audience to have a good time.
Even their album has this same effect.