Hard driving traditional and original bluegrass!
Members of Blue Spruce:
Chris Teskey has been playing and singing bluegrass since he first heard the music. While living in Connecticut, he played guitar with the bands Plexigrass, Misty Woods Bluegrass, the Harrick Brothers Band, and Hoe, an urban bluegrass band.
Chris moved to the DC area in 2011 to take a job as senior music producer for WAMU's Bluegrass Country. He is now program director for Bluegrass Country Radio, an independent radio station run by the Bluegrass Country Foundation.
Chris says, "Because the DC area was the epicenter for bluegrass music, I used to drive down from Connecticut to hear the Seldom Scene, the Country Gentlemen, the Johnson Mountain Boys, and other bands. I never thought I would wind up working in bluegrass music in the bluegrass capital!"
Barb Diederich is a bluegrass singer, upright bassist, and songwriter of extraordinary ability, with over 25 years of experience. Born in Virginia and now residing in the Washington, DC area, she grew up surrounded by the sounds of the fiddle and the banjo. Barb has been singing and songwriting her entire life, but she discovered her passion for bass in her early twenties.
Throughout her career, Barb has played a variety of music genres, including rock, pop, blues, country, and folk, but bluegrass remains her true love. As a bassist, she has lent her exceptional skills and tenor lead and harmony vocals to numerous New England bluegrass bands, winning several band contests. Since moving to the DC area, she has become a sought-after bass player for both live performances and studio recordings.
As a songwriter, Barb writes from the heart. "All my songs are about real life," she says. "I write about the feelings we all share—love, longing, regret, grief, humor, joy. My songs tell stories—stories drawn from my own experience that everyone can relate to."
Barb has recorded CDs with the Bogus Family, Annie and Mac, the Dallas Blair Trio, the Zekiah Swamp Cats, and Rattlesnake Hill, as well as her solo CD Sooner or Later, which features thirteen of her original compositions.
In addition to her work as a musician, Barb maintains Barb Diederich's Bluegrass Lyrics Index (http://www.barbslyricsindex.com), the number one online resource for bluegrass lyrics. Her dedication to the genre, combined with her extraordinary musical abilities, has solidified her reputation as a prominent figure in the bluegrass community.
Dave Goldman, originally from Chicago, began his musical journey in school with the clarinet and piano. However, his passion for bluegrass ignited after seeing the Dillards on the Andy Griffith Show. Intrigued by the effortless speed of the banjo player's fingers while he remained completely expressionless, Dave was determined to unravel the mystery of the banjo.
Venturing to the DC area for college at George Washington University, Dave's initial lack of interest in the fiddle changed after a serendipitous purchase at a flea market and a pivotal public television program filmed at the Callaway, MD Bluegrass Festival. Seeing the smooth bowing technique of fiddler Kenny Baker led Dave to an epiphany: the fiddle was his calling.
With only seven or eight lessons to grasp the basics, Dave dedicated himself to mastering the fiddle, following Kenny Baker, his mentor and friend, with a tape recorder in hand. Kenny said, "Now that you've got the touch, you've got to put your own music in there. Don't just copy me." That shaped Dave's approach to music, emphasizing originality over imitation.
Dave's first band was Bill Bailey and the Melody Mountain Boys, initially on banjo before transitioning to the fiddle. His talent and versatility led him to perform with numerous bands across various stages, including the Free State String Band, with whom he cut an album. He also played with Appalachian Reign, Bob Kyle and the Grim Pickers, Buzz Busby, Outer Banks, Ritchie Reunion, Vintage Blend, Rodeo Motel, No Leeway, and the Bentwood Rockers. For 13 years he played with Hobbs and Partners, which made an LP on Webco, played several festivals each summer, and opened for national acts at Arnold Hobbs's Partners Two Restaurant in Centerville, VA nearly every Saturday night. He also filled in with national acts like Red Rector and Don Stover, Bill Clifton, Hazel Dickens, and the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe.
In addition to playing with Blue Spruce, Dave continues to play with the Bentwood Rockers, along with occasional appearances with Bob Perilla's Big Hillbilly Bluegrass and Ed Schaeffer's Rattlesnake Hill, among others. His journey from a curious observer to a seasoned musician embodies a lifetime dedicated to the evolution and celebration of bluegrass music.
Shige Takeshita's interest in the banjo began in elementary school, inspired by "The Beverly Hillbillies" TV show, along with films like "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Deliverance". He started playing classical and folk guitar at the age of 15. By 18, he acquired his first banjo, an inexpensive Japanese Piales, and began to teach himself to play. His musical influences are Pete Seeger, Peter Paul and Mary, Bill Monroe, Flatt and Scruggs, the Stanley Brothers, and Tomoya Takaishi.
Shige didn't stop with the banjo; he also taught himself the bluegrass guitar, mandolin, fiddle, autoharp, and bass. In Japan, he played in numerous bands on numerous instruments, including Kentucky Sergeant, Bluegrass Island, Shige & Masa, Mountain Telemarkers, Bluegrass Conners, Nagora, and the Keyaki Street Band.
In 1998, Shige moved to the U.S. and immersed himself in the vibrant bluegrass and old-time music scene of the DC area. He plays with several bands, including Joe Carter and the Bluegrass Cats, Mountain View, and the Sugar Honey Babies. He says, "I'm so lucky that I've been able to play in bands everywhere I have lived."
Although Tom Gray is best known for his bass playing, he's also a mandolin player, and a musical force to be reckoned with.
His journey to bluegrass stardom began in the most unexpected of ways: an accordion recital. From there, a teenage Tom found himself drawn to the infectious energy of "hillbilly music" on the radio. The allure was so powerful that he embraced the guitar, flirted with the mandolin, and ultimately found his soulmate in the bass. With his astounding talent, he carved out a niche for himself with top-tier bands such as the Country Gentlemen, the Seldom Scene, Hazel Dickens, and Emmylou Harris, playing a pivotal role in shaping the bluegrass genre.
But Tom's magic doesn't stop at performing. He's a gifted songwriter, with his compositions finding their way onto the records of Sam Bush, Bill Clifton, and the Seldom Scene. His musical prowess is showcased in over 150 recordings, a testament to his enduring influence on the bluegrass scene. Recognition for his contribution to the genre is well-established; he has twice been inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame.
Even now, in his eighties, Tom's passion for music remains unabated. He continues to share his knowledge and enthusiasm through an active schedule of workshops, lectures, and performances, mesmerizing audiences with his skill on both the bass and mandolin.