In addition to having been the mandolinist, guitarist and vocalist for the internationally acclaimed band Bluegrass Etc, John Moore was also the mandolinist with the award-winning band California, the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Instrumental Band of the Year, three years in a row.
John’s musical performances have led him throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan, as well as into the studio doing radio and television commercials, along with movie soundtracks and sessions for other artists.
He has appeared in productions by, and done musical soundtracks for, HBO, Paramount Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and A&E Television Network. He most recently appeared in the HBO Series Deadwood, and has appeared on the cover of Bluegrass Now, Bluegrass Unlimited and Flatpick Guitar magazines.
He is also a sought-after teacher, having taught some of today’s hottest young musicians. John has taught, and continues to teach, at numerous music camps, including Wintergrass Academy (WA), Steve Kaufman’s Guitar Camp (TN), Bluegrass On The Beach (OR), Sore Fingers Music Camp (England), Rockygrass Academy (CO), Northern Bluegrass Circle Music Camp (AB, Canada), Levelland College (TX) and Northern Minn. Bluegrass Camp (MN), among many others.
This year’s “friends” include Rick Faris, formerly with Special Consensus, adds some amazing guitar playing and was recently named “New Artist of the Year” at the 2022 International Bluegrass Music Association’s awards ceremony. Brian Wicklund is a fiddler, mandolinist, songwriter, educator and leader of Barley Jacks. Todd Phillips is the bassist of choice for many of the most innovative, as well as traditional, acoustic instrumental and bluegrass recordings made since the mid-1970s. Originally from Switzerland, Jens Kruger is a member of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2011. In 2013, he was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music.
John Moore – mandolin, guitar, vocals; Rick Faris – guitar, vocals; Brian Wicklund – fiddle, mandolin; Todd Phillips – bass; Jens Kruger – banjo
http://www.johnmoore4horses.com/
https://rickfaris.com/
https://barleyjacks.com/
https://www.toddphillipsmusic.com/
https://www.krugerbrothers.com/
Honey Buckets
Raised on heavy metal and smog in Rancho Cucamonga, California, Honey Buckets are setting the standard for hard-driving bluegrass on the West Coast. Known for high-energy performances that draw in a family of fans, bluegrass die-hards, and newcomers alike, they’re lighting up festival stages everywhere they roam. Honey Buckets fire off razor-sharp harmonies and blistering picking, all in the traditional style of playing around a single microphone. Dive into their debut album, Huddle Hut, streaming everywhere.
Mike Stern – banjo; Devin Wilcox – mandolin; Forest Thurman – guitar; Brian Dragoman – bass
https://honeybuckets.band/
https://www.facebook.com/honeybucketsband
Home Girls
https://www.facebook.com/mwhomegirls
Dennis Witcher & The Brew
For 25 years, The Witcher Brothers performed and toured across the western states playing most all of the major Bluegrass festivals (and many not so major festivals) with Dennis at the helm singing lead vocals, playing mandolin, and writing, or co-writing many of the band’s most notable songs. After The Witcher Brothers disbanded, Dennis continued to perform with Tony Recupido as Witcher & Recupido. As a mult-instrumentalist he has also been a much sought after addition to many other local Bluegrass bands in the LA area. Now, he’s brought together an exciting new gaggle of LA’s finest young musicians to form his newest venture, Dennis Witcher & The Brew.
THE BREW:
Adam Moss is an amazing fiddler, singer & songwriter. When not playing with The Brew, he’s usually touring with his twin brother David in their hugely popular band, the Brother Brothers. They had a great writeup in Rolling Stone Magazine. Smith Allen is an extremely talented singer/songwriter and musician. Smith’s voice and vocal stylings are a standout wherever he performs. The warmth of his tenor vocals whether singing lead or harmonies will win over a crowd every time. Liam Lewis is a multi-instrumentalist and singer from the LA area. With a background in traditional Celtic music and bluegrass, Liam has toured the circuit of Scottish Highland Games for the past 8 years with LA based band The Ploughboys, and main-staged many of California’s Bluegrass festivals with his newgrass band Hot October. His newest duo project Stepwise has just come out with their first full album of original fiddle tunes. Andy Keathley is the former founder of the LA based band The Get Down Boys. Andy is not only a great singer and songwriter, but also one of the most sought-after guitar players on the LA Bluegrass scene today. He didn’t want Dennis to mention it, but he recently won first place at the Topanga Banjo & Fiddle Contest for advanced guitar. Jordan Katz is a truly fine Banjo player whose talents have been seen on TV shows such as American Idol, The Late Late Show, Drop the Mic, and The Tonight Show. Jordan’s talents don’t stop with the banjo. He’s also an “A Lister” trumpet player, composer, bandleader, music supervisor and all-around great musician.
Dennis Witcher – bass, vocals; Adam Moss – fiddle, vocals; Smith Allen – guitar, vocals; Liam Lewis – mandolin, vocals; Andy Keathley – guitar, vocals; Jordan Katz – banjo
https://www.instagram.com/denniswitchermusic
John Moore and Friends 2025
In addition to having been the mandolinist, guitarist and vocalist for the internationally acclaimed band Bluegrass Etc, John Moore was also the mandolinist with the award-winning band California, the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Instrumental Band of the Year, three years in a row.
John’s musical performances have led him throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan, as well as into the studio doing radio and television commercials, along with movie soundtracks and sessions for other artists.
He has appeared in productions by, and done musical soundtracks for, HBO, Paramount Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and A&E Television Network. He most recently appeared in the HBO Series Deadwood, and has appeared on the cover of Bluegrass Now, Bluegrass Unlimited and Flatpick Guitar magazines.
He is also a sought-after teacher, having taught some of today’s hottest young musicians. John has taught, and continues to teach, at numerous music camps, including Wintergrass Academy (WA), Steve Kaufman’s Guitar Camp (TN), Bluegrass On The Beach (OR), Sore Fingers Music Camp (England), Rockygrass Academy (CO), Northern Bluegrass Circle Music Camp (AB, Canada), Levelland College (TX) and Northern Minn. Bluegrass Camp (MN), among many others.
This year’s “friends” include Rick Faris, formerly with Special Consensus, adds some amazing guitar playing and was recently named “New Artist of the Year” at the 2022 International Bluegrass Music Association’s awards ceremony. Brian Wicklund is a fiddler, mandolinist, songwriter, educator and leader of Barley Jacks. Todd Phillips is the bassist of choice for many of the most innovative, as well as traditional, acoustic instrumental and bluegrass recordings made since the mid-1970s. Originally from Switzerland, Jens Kruger is a member of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2011. In 2013, he was awarded the Steve Martin Prize for Excellence in Banjo and Bluegrass Music.
John Moore – mandolin, guitar, vocals; Rick Faris – guitar, vocals; Brian Wicklund – fiddle, mandolin; Todd Phillips – bass; Jens Kruger – banjo
http://www.johnmoore4horses.com/
https://rickfaris.com/
https://barleyjacks.com/
https://www.toddphillipsmusic.com/
https://www.krugerbrothers.com/
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run is traditional bluegrass music at its best! Hailing from the heart of the Smoky Mountains in Gatlinburg, TN, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run present a high-energy show filled with nostalgic entertainment, tight harmonies, and skillful musicianship, all built around a curated set list of original material and lost covers.
Seth Mulder & Midnight Run released their latest album, “In Dreams I Go Back” in September 2022 on Mountain Fever Records. The album features S.P.B.G.M.A. 2023 Song of the Year, “My, My, My,” and other chart-topping songs such as “One More Night” and “Carolina Line.” In 2021, “One More Night” was the 4th most played song on bluegrass radio that year.
Incorporating elements of Bluegrass, country, folk, and roots music. Seth Mulder & Midnight Run aim to preserve the legacy of bluegrass music and carry that torch forward into the future with their music.
By definition, they are a traditional bluegrass band but progressive by writing their own material and presenting old material like no other in the genre.
In a day and age where authenticity is everything, Seth Mulder & Midnight Run are the real deal; as one of the most talked-about young bands on the circuit today, the future of bluegrass music is in good hands.
Seth Mulder – mandolin and vocals; Tyler Griffith – bass and vocals; Anthony Howell – guitar and vocals; Carter Lester – banjo and vocals; Mason Wright – fiddle and vocals
https://midnightrunbluegrass.com/
https://www.facebook.com/midnightrunbluegrass