Music...Made in America

BLUEGRASS 409

Band Members

Bluegrass 409 consists of 4 members.  Guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bass.  But not to forget our manager, Dave may not be up on stage, but he truly is the 5th member of this band.

Fred Etheridge:  Guitar, lead vocals, backup vocals

Fred was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, and has been playing guitar for the last 35 plus years.  Genres from acoustic folk & bluegrass to hard rock, punk rock, blues & jazz, and finally back home to bluegrass.  Having a family history on his father’s side from West Tennessee, the bluegrass was always there it just needed to find its way out.  And it’s here to stay.  Fred has found his niche as the band’s versatile guitar player, lead and harmony vocalist, as well as on stage band leader.  He is at home in large and small settings with this talented band of seasoned musicians.  Fred is proud to play Collings and Bourgeois guitars.

E-mail: fred@bluegrass409.com

Dan Reseker:  Mandolin, lead vocals, backup vocals

Dan was born in Wadsworth, Ohio and is the elder member of the band.  He is the inexhaustible resource for the traditional style of tunes the band performs.  Dan’s musical experience began at the age of 18, giving him 30+ years dedicated to the craft of traditional music.  Dan’s influences have been steeped in bluegrass and old time country, with some blues and country rock thrown in for good measure.  Dan has been influenced by wonderful musicians such as Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Larry Sparks, Wayne Lewis, and even had a Grand Dad that performed on the Wheeling Jamboree radio program in the late 1920’s.  Dan’s lead and harmony vocals exude that traditional flavor to the bands sound, his solid mandolin chop and tasteful melodies add the seasoning and spice to the sound much like a favorite  recipe. 

Dan is married to a loving wife, who is quite the vocalist in her own right, they have 3 daughters and a passel of grandchildren which keep them very busy.  You should also know that Dan is quite content strumming on his old D-18 Martin around a camp fire with his loving women folk and dear friends.

Kirk Etheridge:  Bass, lead vocals, backup vocals

Born and raised in Akron ,Ohio.  Kirk’s musical career began at age 17 in High School in Canal Fulton, playing in a garage rock band on electric bass.  While Kirk has had traditional music training, he is mostly self taught.  With a keen ear for harmony and timing, Kirk puts to good use his 20+ years of experience,, and his ability to decipher what makes sense musically as the solid foundation for this band.  Kirk’s musical influences have been as diverse as the Beatles, Hendrix, The Who, The Clash, Tom Waits, and his older brother Fred’s folk records which include the likes of The Nitty Griity Dirt Band, Leo Kotke, Bob Dylan, Gordon Lightfoot, and many other singer/song writers for the 60’s and 70’s.  

 Kirk is married and has two darling children who love for dad to sit with his old beat up Harmony folk guitar and serenade them with nursery rhymes, and old timey numbers.

 

Scott Thigpen: Banjo, backup vocals

Born in Akron, Ohio Scott is the youngest as well as the newest member of the band.  Scott’s musical career began at the age of 10 on the piano, but that was short-lived as can be the case at such a young age.  But it gave him the basic understanding of music and timing that has carried over into his banjo playing.  It was not until recently at the age of 29 that Scotty fell in love with the sound and mystique of the 5 string banjo, and there has been no looking back.  Scott has been playing and studying in earnest for the last 6 years, influenced by the styles of Earl Scruggs, Don Reno, Sonny Osborne just to name a few.  I have never witnessed any one soak up the style, and genre of bluegrass music like him.  I have watched his development (most of which is self-taught and from watching others) over the past few years.  And when the time was right he was plucked from the vine much like a ripe berry ready for the taking.  As of late Scott has discovered a fine harmony voice, and his style of banjo playing is the ingredient that has transformed the band from an old timey string band into a hard driving bluegrass band. 

Scott is blessed with a warm tender wife, cherished daughter, and large family who support, and enjoy the bands efforts.  Many a Friday night has been spent practicing at Scott and Faith’s home, where you will find a home full of family, friends, and children doing what American families have done for decades.  Enjoying each others company.  Scott is also extremely proud to play his new custom Huber banjo.

 

 

 

 

Dave Eller:  Manager    

As a fan of bluegrass and old country music his whole life, Dave is truly a promoter of Bluegrass and the lifestyle.  Prior to Bluegrass 409, Dave managed a country band called Blazing Country for about 12 years with much success.  Dave is a real “people person” and loves traveling with the band to different venues and meeting new people.  Dave has been with the band since its inception and looks forward to a wonderful future with these hard working musicians.

E-mail: dan@bluegrass409.com

E-mail: Kirk@bluegrass409.com

E-mail: Scott@bluegrass409.com

E-mail: Dave@bluegrass409.com