PETER ROWAN BLUEGRASS BAND
The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band consists of dyed-in-the wool traditional players with over 100 years of combined live gigging experience. Joining guitarist Peter Rowan are Jody Stecher, mandolin; Keith Little, banjo; and Paul Knight, bass. The ensemble has graced the stages of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, Grey Fox, Merlefest, Rothbury and numerous other festivals, entertaining audiences with original songs executed in vibrant harmony.
The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band signed to roots-music label Compass Records, releasing their debut album LEGACY in the fall of 2010. LEGACY, produced by Compass owner/recording artist Alison Brown, features traditional and original compositions, and guest performances from Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings and Tim O’Brien. On LEGACY, Rowan delivers a hefty dose of inspired singing and traditionally-informed but fresh original songs that bear his unmistakable stamp. From the searing “The Family Demon” through the delicious “So Good” and the ominous drive of “Jailer Jailer,” LEGACY is a compelling set that reaffirms Rowan’s stature as an unsurpassed master of the music’s “ancient tones”—and its modern forms.
Peter Rowan – Guitar, Vocals
Grammy-award winner and five-time Grammy nominee, Peter Rowan is a bluegrass singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades. From his early years playing under the tutelage of bluegrass patriarch Bill Monroe, Peter’s stint in Old & In the Way with Jerry Garcia and his subsequent breakout as both a solo performer and bandleader, Rowan has built a devoted, international fan base through his continuous stream of original recordings, collaborative projects, and constant touring.
Keith Little – Banjo, Vocals
A native of the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California, Keith Little is a nationally acclaimed bluegrass musician, recording artist, and composer. Over a career spanning forty years, Keith has been an important member of many national touring bands (Country Gentlemen, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Lonesome Standard Time), and has performed on the GRAMMY award winning recordings “The Grass Is Blue” and “Little Sparrow” by Dolly Parton, and “Another Country” by the Chieftains. An amazing vocalist, Keith appears regularly with duo partner Jim Nunally, and is also a featured member of the David Grisman Bluegrass Experience.
Paul Knight – Bass, Vocals
Paul Knight has been playing with Peter Rowan in various configurations for over 15 years. His driving acoustic bass has been part of recordings and live performances with a wide range of musicians including Jim Lauderdale, Laurie Lewis, and Crooked Jades, Paul is host to his own music series, Paul Knight & Friends, in his hometown of Pt. Reyes Station, CA. Several projects & bands have emerged from these shows including The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band.
Jody Stecher – Mandolin, Vocals
Jody Stecher has been a mainstay in folk music for over four decades. He is a renowned singer and a multi-instrumentalist, whose recordings have been Grammy finalists, Indy Award winners and perennial favorites. His continuing musical explorations have covered bluegrass, traditional old-time and Indian classical music, echoing his deep understanding of these idioms, gleaned from years of dedicated study. A musician of constant aesthetic integrity, Jody is regarded as one of America’s leading traditional folk artists.
