The Rogue River Boys’ ‘bluegrassy, honky-tonky’ assault: Local Spins on WYCE

Check out the in-studio performance by this new super-group of musicians from three different bands, plus new tracks from Kris Hitchcock, Loren Johnson, The Soul Syndicate, Dalinian and more.

THE BAND: The Rogue River Boys
THE MUSIC: Bluegrass-based honky-tonk and vintage country
WHERE YOU CAN SEE THE BAND: 8 p.m. Saturday at Rockford Brewing in downtown Rockford

 

Something surprising and magical often happens when like-thinking members of different bands get together as a new ensemble – especially when bluegrass jamming is involved.

Take The Rogue River Boys, a new West Michigan side project and super-group culling its members from Fauxgrass, Luke Warm & The Not So Hots and Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys to create a wildly infectious “bluegrassy, honky-tonky, older country” vibe.

The Rogue River Boys – Jason Wheeler (mandolin), Luke Gitchel (banjo/guitar/lead vocals), Clint Gitchel (fiddle), Tim McKay (upright bass/vocals), Alex Johnson (Dobro/steel) and Mark Lavengood (Dobro) – will fire up that rollicking mix for Rockford Brewing’s Third Anniversary Party at 8 p.m. Saturday in downtown Rockford.

“It gives us a chance to play a bunch of tunes that we don’t get to play with our other bands,” Wheeler said of joining forces with other musicians Fauxgrass has jammed with over the years. “This is just gonna be a lot of fun. We’ll be winging tunes and playing stuff we haven’t played together.”

The same acoustic, bluegrass-based music that inspires band members in their own projects in their own distinctive ways also drives The Rogue River Boys.

“I think it’s the energy,” said Gitchel, who first discovered bluegrass at a music festival as a kid and has been hooked ever since.

Band members brought their lively, upbeat approach to the studios of WYCE-FM on Friday for the latest episode of Local Spins on WYCE, performing two songs in-studio and chatting about their collaboration. Watch a video of their performance of “Head Over Heels” below with a full podcast of Local Spins on WYCE here – including new tracks from Loren Johnson, The Soul Syndicate, Kris Hitchcock, Dalinian, Chip Fundy and Jenny LaJoye, as well as music by Roosevelt Diggs, Greg Nagy, The Go Rounds, Mustard Plug and Fiona Dickinson.

While the Rogue River Boys assemblage has played “really informal stuff” together as of late, Saturday’s performance at Rockford Brewing signals group’s first official show, with some guests expected to sit in as well. Where it all goes from here is anybody’s guess.

Luke Warm & The Not So Hots are wrapping up a new studio album in February, and Fauxgrass hopes to complete work on its new recording for a late spring or early summer release.

“I don’t think we know yet,” Gitchel said when asked about recording and future performances as The Rogue River Boys. “Right now, it’s a breath of fresh air to have some fun and not think about things too seriously.”

VIDEO: The Rogue River Boys, “Head Over Heels” (Local Spins on WYCE)

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