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Captain Gravel
Bluegrass / Acoustic / Folk

"Smokin Local Bluegrass and Original Acoustic Music"

SEATTLE, Washington
United States

Profile Views:  10030




Last Login:  3/31/2008
View My: Pics | Videos

   Contacting Captain Gravel

 MySpace URL: 
  http://www.myspace.com/captaingravel  

   Captain Gravel: General Info
Member Since9/19/2005
Band Websitecaptaingravel.com
Band MembersMichael Connolly - Fiddle
Andy Simmons - Bass
Chad Gibson - Guitar
Miller McNay - Mandolin
Will 'Binkle' Roberts - Banjo
InfluencesJohn Hartford, Danny Barnes, Greg Brown, Tony Rice, Yonder Mountain String Band, Old Crow Medicine Show, David Grisman, Old and in the Way, Jerry Garcia, Sam Bush, Bill Monroe, The Firehouse 5+2, Johnny Horton, The Beatles, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Bill Keith, The Del McCoury Band, The Bad Livers
Type of LabelNone




Captain Gravel's Latest Blog Entry  [Subscribe to this Blog]

The captain is headed to Wintergrass  (view more)

Great review for Mountain Lair  (view more)

CD Release Party Details  (view more)

[View All Blog Entries]

   About Captain Gravel
When the five members of Captain Gravel take the stage, it’s clear that this is not “bluegrass as usual.”

The vintage suits, single microphone, and acoustic instrumentation may seem familiar to traditional bluegrass fans. But the bluegrass tradition is just a starting point for what The Stranger calls “one of Seattle’s smoothest string bands.” Over the past two years, Captain Gravel has developed a signature blend of bluegrass, Grisman-influenced Dawg music, Southern gospel, fiery fiddle tunes, and even a taste of Dixieland jazz.

You’ll find no frontman in this band, which thrives on the musical diversity of its young members. Native Chicagoan and reformed rock’n’roller Chad Gibson winds his way through The Captain’s varied setlist on archtop and flattop guitars. Miller McNay, originally from North Carolina, writes and sings many Captain Gravel originals, chopping chords and playing down-home lead lines on the mandolin. Memphis native Michael Connolly, who draws on the old-time, blues, and gospel sounds of his hometown, invariably snaps a few bow hairs with his rip-snorting fiddle breaks. Sporting suspenders, red socks, and a Ph.D. in atmospheric science, British-born Binkle Roberts is known for his tongue-twisting jazz tunes and stellar banjo picking. Andy Simmons, the band’s native Northwesterner, thumps out the foundation on the upright bass, and he’s been known to take a mean solo as well.

The band is equally at home whether playing to a hushed concert audience or bringing a bar crowd to its feet. Standing ovations have greeted Captain Gravel at Seattle’s Paramount Theater, Town Hall, and the Oregon State Bluegrass Festival. And The Captain regularly packs the house at Seattle’s Conor Byrne Pub and Tractor Tavern, where the string band has shared billing with both Danny Barnes and The Wilders.

The Captain's first full-length studio album, Mountain Lair, appeared in 2006. Engineered by Grammy-winner Garey Shelton, the disc has received regional and national airplay. Bluegrass Unlimited praised the band's "sweet harmony singing," and the Victory Music Review called the Captain "a must-see band with a must-have CD!"

The band makes a return appearance at Town Hall in March. "If you haven't seen Captain Gravel yet, please make it a point to go see them," said Ken Cartwright, thirty-year luthier and president of the Oregon Bluegrass Association. “Great pickers, good vocals and they dress neat too!”

   Captain Gravel's Friend Space (Top 8)
Captain Gravel has 894 friends.
 Chris Thile 


 THE WILDERS 


 Johnny Horton 


 Doc Watson 


 John Hartford 


 Tractor Tavern 


 Mike Grigoni 


 Orville Johnson 





Captain Gravel's Friends Comments
Displaying 48 of 178 comments  ( View All | Add Comment )
Ethan Lawton





Oct 21 2007 1:08 PM

October 26...I'll see you then.
Vente Caffeinato





Aug 27 2007 5:17 PM

Hey guys. hope to catch a show soon!
carly





Jun 21 2007 10:34 PM

Only one show coming up? maybe you could play at a party in tacoma???
Lincoln Crockett





Mar 14 2007 12:25 PM

Nice to make your acquaintance! I hear your set at Wintergrass was great, congratulations. Keep on a rockin' those pretty sounds, we need all we can get!

-Lincoln
Alex





Mar 11 2007 6:20 PM

Saw you at Wintergrass, you guys rock socks. Know any good banjo teachers in town?
Tarnation Revival





Mar 8 2007 5:02 PM

Hey Captain G, Nice to meet ya'll... love your tunes. If you are every down by Portland, let us know...otherwise we'll keep an eye out for you whenever we're up by you. Keep the sun shin'in for us! -Tarnation
Picket Range





Mar 2 2007 6:22 PM


We hope you can make it for some good wine and good entertainment! Nice to see you at Wintergrass.

Sincerely,

Picket Range Bluegrass Band
and
World Cup Espresso & Wine
Kim’s Solo Adventure





Mar 1 2007 12:20 PM

nice job at wintergrass, fellas! you guys rock!
Ellie





Feb 26 2007 9:06 PM

Hey boys, nice work at Wintergrass... The Captain is one of my favorite bands!

I want to come to your show on Mar 15. Where's Town Hall?
Nancy K. Dillon





Feb 26 2007 8:17 PM

Hey, there! Y'all rocked at Wintergrass yesterday... :-)

Nancy K
Amazing Grace





Feb 9 2007 4:12 PM

Lookin sharp fellas!

Michael -- get a friggin haircut, you mad computer scientist you.

Chaddy -- are you a daddy yet??

Dr. Binkle -- Congrats!!

Millman - give yer lady a big wet one for me. :)

Andy - looking forward to seeing y'all perform together soon.

See y'all in April!!

xoxox,
miss grace
Jug Bandoliers





Feb 6 2007 2:52 PM

Something new from Fritz Richmond

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


The late jug master (1939-2005) plays some of the spookiest tones ever on the previously unreleased "Visiting Day." Recorded by the Jailhouse Jug Band, the tune is currently spotlighted on the Jug Bandolier player.
K8





Jan 31 2007 10:30 PM

Hurrah! I am a friend of The Captain! Looking forward to hearing you guys play one of these days... and hey, I like the looks of the new bass player. ;)
Atlas Stringband





Jan 30 2007 3:51 PM

Thanks Cap'n! That was fun the other night.... you guys rock! -Tom
PrisonDwigt





Jan 29 2007 10:43 PM

Thanks for the comment - I've seen "Lost on the B Side" and well, well - there you all were going down to Watertown.
Doug Levitt





Jan 29 2007 12:41 AM

hey. the music sounds stellar. thanks for the note. hope to see you around one of these days soon. doug
Picket Range





Jan 23 2007 11:08 PM

Miss Amazing.





Jan 18 2007 7:39 AM

Hey there,
Thanks for the comment!
Have a wonderful week!
Take care,
Sierra
Ellie





Jan 15 2007 12:53 PM

Awesome show at the Chai house the other night! Love the new bass player. Hopefully we'll do a Cross-eyed Rosie/Captain Gravel show soon.
DJ Charlie B.





Jan 9 2007 11:41 PM

Hey Captain Gravel,

Check out:




Dirk Ronneburg





Jan 9 2007 5:14 PM

hey hey,
thanks for the shout out. yep, i'm moving to germany, and yep i'll be up at wintergrass pickin. if y'all have a room up there let me know and i'll definitely come by to pick. (congrats by the way for getting into that one!) i don't know if i'll be able to afford a ticket to come in and see you, but i'll be around!

Dirk
Widow Maker





Jan 8 2007 5:39 PM

Hey, thanks for adding Widow Maker to your friends! We'd love to jam with you too. Will you be at Wintergrass? Three-fifths of our band will be (Will, Craig & Julie). Maybe we'll see you there.

www.widowmakerbluegrass.com
Watch “Jesus Paid My Bail” on YouTube!
danielle





Jan 8 2007 3:59 PM

hi captain! ;)
Captain Zoom





Jan 8 2007 1:56 PM

You guys and gal 'kick it' (30's term) and that's no jive! Thanks for the add.
DJ TOM LG





Jan 2 2007 1:20 PM

Happy New Year!! I thought you might help me spread the word about tonight...

Starting January 2nd 2007 Fiddle & Steel Music will host a vintage record hop every Tuesday. DJ Tom LG will be spinning an assortment of obscure and classic records from the 1950s. Here's the dope...

A Pocket Full Of Nickels
w/ DJ TOM LG

Every Tuesday 9-12
@ Conor Byrne Pub
5140 Ballard Ave NW (Seattle)
21+ NO COVER

rockabilly - western swing - doo-wop - R&B

You're invited to dance, have a drink, relax, kick back, enjoy the music or all of the above! See ya there!

www.conorbyrnepub.com

under laura's covers





Dec 26 2006 2:54 PM

i absolutely adore "watertown"!!!

happy holidays!

~laura
Rachel Harrington





Dec 11 2006 12:57 PM

great to see you guys play at the dusty strings open house - keep up the good work!!!
nickdriftwood





Nov 30 2006 8:03 PM

Yo friends - get yer collective arsed down here in the midwest (again?) - Lawrence, KS is waitin fer ya. Okay? Nick.
WindyEthel





Nov 21 2006 11:00 AM

Hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving.
Carla
Ellie





Nov 20 2006 10:45 PM

Michael Conelly, you completely kick ass! Woo-hoo! Thanks for sitting in at Conor Byrne.
Carbonated Print





Nov 18 2006 5:32 PM

Thanks so much, hope you like the site!
Creeping Time





Nov 4 2006 10:02 PM

Hey all,
Just got the Wintergrass info in the mail today. And look who's listed on the cover! Nice work, y'all. Looking forward to seeing you on the big stage.
*Lil Willard*





Oct 23 2006 11:58 AM

Thank you so much for the add. You all are wonderful. I love your music. Yeah your wright the acoustic music is my favorite.
suzie-q





Oct 3 2006 7:46 PM

nice to meet you too! ya'll kick bluegr-ass love your sound!!
Zac Anger





Oct 3 2006 3:50 PM

Well, you know, it's something I just need to work on a bit. Thanks for adding us, btw, you're awesome.
The DRIFT( myspace.com/thedrift702





Oct 1 2006 5:27 PM

thanks for the comment and keep up the good work it's nice to know that we aren't the only folk band w/ a firey red head lol!!
moved to myspace.com/makanaworld





Sep 20 2006 1:08 AM

Love it!! I've played slack key all my life- which is the Hawaiian "cousin" of bluegrass- would love to rip it up with ya'll sometime. Aloha, Makana
Ed Kelly





Sep 16 2006 6:24 AM

Just stoping by to say HI. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in day to day life we forget our friends. So I'm trying to let everyone of my friends know how much they mean to me. Thanks so much for for being my friend. Ed
Rusty Blaides





Sep 15 2006 9:05 AM

Great Sounds! Thanks for stopping by!

Image Hosted by ImageShack.us
Hans York





Sep 8 2006 12:57 PM

Love your sound

I'll see if I can make it to your Dusty String show in December.

Thanks so much for visiting and sharing your talent.

all best wishes to you :)

Hans
CHICAGO RED





Sep 8 2006 2:58 AM

great folk music town...
maybe the greatest.
thank you for your music...
CR
Orion Frequency





Sep 7 2006 10:46 AM

We will...

Thank you for your support!
Unfaithful Servants





Aug 29 2006 1:50 PM

Hi Captain Gravel

Thought it was time we stopped by to say hello. Hope all is well with you guys. Your music's really great. Have a good week.

Lots of Love
Your friends, Jan & Dave
XXXX
Right Turn Clyde





Aug 24 2006 1:49 AM

you guys are really amazing