Know Any Illinois Mandolin Players?

  1. Joe Nobiling
    Joe Nobiling
    Chirps Smith is one of the elder statesman on mandolin in Illinois. So, is Randy Smith of Macomb. As is Wayne Schell of Jerseyville. I've even known Chris Vallillo to pick that 8 string wonder we mandolin pickers love. There's quite a few I don't know about and there's many that are great players that there's little known about. There's a picker in Moline who I have great respect for because of his prowess on the mandolin and guitar - actually there are two such individuals I know of in Moline; Jeff Herman a picker of blue and new grass and Mike Wallace a fine player of all instruments stringed! Any others y'all know of and want to speak of?
  2. Paul Lucas
    Paul Lucas
    Don't forget the contingent of fine Mando players based around Chicago. There's Jethro Burns' protege the fabulous Don Stiernberg -> http://www.donstiernberg.com/. Colby Maddox played with The Special Consensus and after coming of the road and settled in the Chicago area and is now the co-orindator for the Old Town School of Folk Music's resource center and leader of Sunnyside Up -> http://sunnysideupmusic.com/sunnyside_up/Home.html. Jeff Midkiff plays with the Chicago Bluegrass Band -> http://www.jeffmidkiff.com/ Another Special Conesus alum who plays mandolin around the Chicago area is Keith Baumann. Apologies to to other Chicago mando players I haven't mentioned. One last mando player of note in Illinois (at the other end of the state) is Robert Bowlin -> http://www.robertbowlin.com/ Robert is primarily known for his guitar playing, but he is a fine mandolin player as well.
  3. Paul Lucas
    Paul Lucas
    A couple other Illinois Mando players for the list. John Hasbrouck, located in Chicago, has a mando and guitar duet called the Northside Southpaws which specializes in early Jazz, Rags, and blues on the mandolin ->http://northsidesouthpaws.com/home.html Both former alums of the Volo Bogtrotters along with Chirps Smith, Paul Tyler and Steve Rosen both mult-instrumentalists that are also great mando players. Here's a link to Steve's website -> http://nailthatcatfish.tripod.com/ht...sh.tripod.com/
  4. Joe Nobiling
    Joe Nobiling
    Totally forgot about Robert Bowlin. I met Wil Maring (http://www.wilmaring.com), his playing partner, fine singer/songwriter, great backup guitarist (she can make that guitar swang), and really nice person. I didn't know Steve Rosen played mandolin. Doesn't surprise me guess I've always considered him a banjo picker. There's a fella from Magnolia, IL named Greg Steil. Not sure that he doesn't play mandolin as he's a good old timey fiddler, guitar picker, and I think banjo, too. Knows Steve and the others I'm sure. We should try and recruit them to this site...that'd be fun (not the recruiting, the interaction...were there to be any)!
  5. Paul Lucas
    Paul Lucas
    I would like to nominate Curtis Buchannon, Old Time Mandolinist extraordinaire, for membership in the Illinois Mando Maniacs social group. Curtis is not technically an Illinoisan, as he lives near St. Louis, but he's close enough geographically, and he was a member of the Ill-Mo Boys group which has Ill in its name and included a former Illinoisan Jeff Nelson (formerly of the IL old time stringband the Volo Bogtrotters, named for the bogs near Volo, you guessed it, Illinois). If you like Old Time String Band music, be sure to check the fine playing of Curtis Buchannon. Buckhannon Bothers website -> http://www.thebuckhannonbrothers.com/index.htm For more information about the only in print Ill-Mo Boys CD, check the Vigortone records website (run by Jim Nelson) here -> http://www.vigortonerecords.com/catalog.html
  6. Joe Nobiling
    Joe Nobiling
    Wayne Schell of Jerseyville, IL is a very fine picker of fiddle, guitar, banjo, and mando.

    Also, Jethro Burns, one of the greatest mandolin pickers ever resided in Evanston, IL until he moved out of this level of existence.
  7. JFDilmando
    JFDilmando
    Ok, you guys, its nice to see a listing like this... but how about us mortals, that just hack away, and would love to know some other hackers....

    I am having a tough time getting enough nerve to play in front of my neighbor, let alone try and find someone to play some actual tunes with...

    Any mando bodies, or bands out there in the Naperville/western subs vicinity that I can go hear, and maybe have enough nerve to approach to try and find a group to even chuck behind in any sessions...?

    It's been years since I really played in a band, but I sure would love to be a part of a mix again...

    JohnD
  8. Mandolingreg
    Mandolingreg
    Hey, JohnD- I just joined this group, but:

    I'm a mando-picker out of the Western burbs (grew up in Naperville, Live in Sycamore now). I play around the area pretty frequently mostly as a solo act. I play an Octave Mando when I play solo so if you'd ever care to come visit, I'd certainly love to have some "hacking" behind me!
  9. hermdawg
    hermdawg
    jeff herman in moline il. is 65 years old but dont let that fool you ... he cut his teeth down at bill monroes bean blossom festival back in the 70's playing with people like buch robbons, blaine sprouse and many others then moved on to sam bush, grissman and finally jethro burns and aaron wiestien. there is'nt to much he doesnt play from irish fiddle tunes to jazz and swing. not bad for someone who srarted out on guitar and became a tony rice clone. thats why he started playing mando ....he wanted his own style on mandolin. check out his video's on utube on both guitar and mando.
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