The BrownChicken BrownCow string band: General Info
Member Since
8/4/2008
Band Members
BROWNCHICKEN BROWNCOW STRING BAND:
XANDER: Lead Vocals, Fiddle, Guitar, Tenor Banjo
Xander -
"My name is Xander Hitzig and I have been playing Guitar since I was 13 years old. Ever since I started it’s been like an addiction to me. I have played with many people and bands over the years and regretted none of them and learned a lot from most. About the time I turned 21 I got really into the fiddle listening to very inspirational musicians like John Hartford, Martin Hays, Benny Martin, Chance McCoy, Stephan Grapelli, Tim Pence, Frankie Gavin, Jaun Luponte amongst others. Ever Since Then I have called the fiddle my new addiction. Although I still play both the fiddle and guitar every day. BCBCSB is one of the most fun groups I have had a pleasure of playing with so far."
JUSTIN: Guitar, Banjo
Justin -
"Ya know music has always been in the forefront of my mind and I had to arrange everything around it. My parents always encouraged me growing up; gave me my first guitar when I was 5 years old. My brother has played a large role in my musical education. As a musician I naturally gravitated towards great guitar players and listened to Hendrix, Tony Iomie , David Gilmore, Django, George Harrison, James Hatfield and for the past few years now Larry Keel. Larry Keel is my favorite musician, when I need a little extra inspiration I just find out where Larry is playing and go. I moved to Lewisburg, WV in 2006 and there I meet Charlie Hatcher and the Hitzig Brothers; Xander and Orion. Between Charlie and me nailing down the rhythm and with Xander and Orion weaving melodies; BrownChicken BrownCow String Band was born in my old basement studio on Highland Circle. Four instruments and a dog never sounded so good to me."
Orion: Mandolin, Banjo
Orion -
I was born and raised in WV and spent a fair bit of traveling all over the US. I also visited England and Canada for short periods of time before I turned sixteen. I will always call WV home where I spent four of the last five years cooking, inter-mingled with traveling. After another bout of traveling, following my resignation from the kitchen I felt I needed a more rewarding occupation. I have been playing guitar for years but never was able to go anywhere with it. I learned how to play the drums but it wasn’t until March of ’08 when I started playing the mandolin that I felt truly connected to music. Shortly after that I began playing in the BCBCSB, the first band I have ever been in, with my brother Xander. I then decided to make music my number one focus, now 21 living in HI playing music is now my soul source of income.
Charlie: Bass, Harmony
I was born and raised in WV to second generation music store owners and musicians. After years of travel across the US following the Grateful Dead and stopping here or there for a while, I made my way back to southern West Virginia to run the family busiess, Alpha Music, Inc. I met Xander shortly after returning and we have played in several bands together since 2004. Justin and I met in my store in 2006 when he came to buy strings and almost insantly began playing. Once Orion picked up the mandolin, the band was complete. I keep WV home base in Lewisburg and travel to meet the boys as much as I can.
Influences
We focus on writing orginal music and to do that we draw inspiraion from the great musicians that have come before us... its is unique from each of us but it is easy to say names like: Jimi Hendrix, Towns Van Zant, Tom Waits, Larry Keel, John Hartford, Guy Clark, Djengo Reinhardt, Tommy Peoples, Stephane Grappelli, Wyatt Rice, Dave Sweet and many more...
Our Music is writen to create a relationship with the listener, in the end relationships are the core of our musical inspiration... relationships with people, music, and places.
Music is a language that is shared by all people and which has the power to bring us together. From the beginning people have traveled and gathered to listen to music. Music inspires and bonds people, forges relationships between complete strangers. Sharing a moment in time, a community inspired by music, is born.
- Get on the BrownChicken Train!
All aboard! We come from the Mountains of Southern West Virginia. BrownChicken BrownCow StringBand emerged in the past year on to the acoustic scene performing original Appalachian String Band Music. Influences of our mountain roots can be heard in the stylistic twist we put into our string band music. Writing and arranging our own compositions we strive to bring sincerity and emotion to the stage. "BrownChicken" is about the energy shared with the listener. The music becomes an interaction with the audience. The sounds move from the stage, resonating with the audience and returning to spontaneously fuel the next moment of the performance. Our band approaches music like a conversation. The bow strikes the fiddle strings leading a melody, accompanied with harmony from the mandolin while the guitar pushes the rhythm of the song through dynamic swells. We play a variety of music, from foot-stomping fiddle tunes, vocal country/folk songs, to sweet ballads. We make it a priority to focus on being present with our audience while performing, naturally making each show unique. Listening to the subtle nuances and responding to detail keeps the music fresh and listeners engaged. Traveling to new places and meeting new people as we perform has been an inspirational gift that keeps us on the road and performing.
A Brief History
Our string band from West Virginia...
BrownChicken BrownCow StringBand began performing in the spring of 2008 in West Virginia. We gelled as a group fast, effortlessly. During late evening jams at various back porches and campfires the band was born. We spent a lot of time together, really listening to each other, the results of which quickly began to show up in the music. In the Fall of 2008 BrownChicken BrownCow StringBand moved to Maui, Hawaii and released our first album: Fruit Goggles. When we first arrived in Maui we began performing on the streets of Paia. Finding our niche in a new place did not take long. The more we played the more people noticed and shared with us. Our early momentum landed us the opening spot for the Bill Kreutzmann New Years Eve show 2009 at the Pauwela Cannery. That night we meet a lot of new friends and began networking and traveling the island performing weekly.
While exploring the magic of Maui and performing for 6 months we wrote our second album: Gallop on You. This album includes some of our adventures favorite works: Gypsy Jig, Bees Making Honey, Put you in the Ground, and many more. Shortly after we began recording tracks we started booking dates for our self-promoted tour that would take us back home from Northern California to Southern West Virginia including shows in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Tennessee, and West Virginia. This past year has been truly life changing. Bound together through friendship and music continue on our mission. We all feel a calling and for now the band will travel, experience anew, and do what we live to do ... write and play music. -BCBCSB
Booking:
brownchickenbrowncowstringband@gmail.com
ALL RIGHTS TO ALL ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS WRITEN AND PERFORMED BY BROWNCHICKEN BROWNCOW STRING BAND ARE RESERVED BY BROWNCHICKEN BROWNCOW STRING BAND 2008
Hey guys its chad. How are you doing? Have you heard from Muddys at all? Hope the tour is going well and hope you make it back up here soon. Take it easy
I uploaded some footage from the other night @ The Ukiah Brewery
sorry that they turned out so dark and spooky.... <3 I kinda like the way they turned out anyway though. Probably because you guys are in them, which makes them amazing no matter what.... yep that's probably why :)
So glad BCBC made it to SF! Great fun to be on the same bill and play some tunes together. Let's do it again after you've all worked on your tans. --Emily
Aloha!! You big nigs are in Cali four nie a? Allll right. Cant wait to see yea again.. Dante and Hoku had 10 freakin puppies last week. Tings stay good here cuz. Love all yall. Malama that Pono Hanniballs
Hey guys! It was really good to hear from you the other day! So glad to hear you're planning on coming back this way! I seriously can't wait to see you guys again!
Online Now!
..
..
