Loafer's Glory + Keystone Crossing

Loafers’ Glory Coming to Studio 55 San Rafael

Bluegrass and old-time fans in Marin County are getting excited about the upcoming concert featuring the Southern California band Loafers’ Glory and the Marin County duo Keystone Crossing. They will both be appearing at Studio 55 in San Rafael on March 21st starting at 8 p.m.

Loafers’ Glory came together in 2010, and it features some of the finest musicians not only in the state, but in the entire country. Four fabulous pickers joined forces to play a seamless and compelling blend of traditional bluegrass and-old time music. Three of the band members have each been playing acoustic music for more than 40 years, and the fourth is one as the hottest young banjo players on the scene. And, everyone sings lead and harmony, creating a cornucopia of sound that makes Loafers’ Glory one of best sounding bands in bluegrass. For proof, just listen to their eponymous debut CD that was released last spring.

Herb Pedersen, already well known for his banjo playing in bands such as The Dillards, The Country Gazette, Old & In The Gray, Here Today, The Laurel Canyon Ramblers, and Vern & Ray, plays mostly rhythm guitar here. He also played with The Foggy Mountain Boys for a time, subbing for Earl Scruggs back in the late ‘60s. For the past decade or so he has performed as a duo with the legendary Chris Hillman. Herb has written great bluegrass classics such as “Wait a Minute” and “Old Train,” and besides his lead singing, there is no better harmony singer around.

Entertaining front man Bill Bryson has loaned his talents to some of the best bands in the business. Not only is he a solid upright bass player, he’s also an accomplished old-time banjo player as well as an amazing singer/songwriter. Some of the bands that he has played with are The Bluegrass Cardinals, Desert Rose, and The Laurel Canyon Ramblers.

Tom Sauber has been in the forefront of the traditional old-time music scene for a few decades now. An accomplished fiddle and five-string banjo player, he has appeared on countless recording projects and movie sound tracks, and he is an in-demand teacher. He was part of the wonderful old-time trio Tom, Brad and Alice, and he has performed with musicians such as Mike Seeger, Dirk Powell and Mark Graham.

Young Patrick Sauber, Tom’s son, comes from the same musical background as his dad. He’s an astounding multi-instrumentalist who feels as much at home on the five-string as he does on the mandolin and guitar. He plays banjo with Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands and in The Bladerunners, and also

with Loafers’ Glory. If Herb is playing guitar in this band, this gives you a hint as to how good a banjo picker Patrick is.

Opening the show will be the local twosome Keystone Crossing – Larry Carlin and Claudia Hampe. Originally from the Keystone State of Pennsylvania, this is a delightful duo whose paths had crossed numerous times over the years until they finally met in the winter of 1995. The pair attended the same grade school in 1959 near Valley Forge, PA, but they did not know one another until some 36 years and 3,000 miles later. They met at the original Sweetwater in Mill Valley, CA, during a show by bluegrass great Peter Rowan. Their angelic harmonies hearken back to the early days of country and bluegrass music, as they sing songs of the famous brother duos of that era – The Delmore, Louvin, and Everly Brothers – as well as songs from contemporary duos such as Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, and Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum. Their CD is titled Crossing Paths. They also have a five-piece traditional bluegrass band called Keystone Station.