Doug Bright - accordion, vocals, (piano, fiddle, chromatic harmonica on occasion also);
Marc Bristol - guitar, vocals, washboard;
Orville Johnson - lead guitar, vocals (when available - Dan Taylor at other times);
Bob Merrihew - drums;
Joe Anderson - bass, vocals
Influences
Clifton Chenier, Queen Ida, Fats Domino, Doug Kershaw, Slim Harpo, Eddie Bo, Frogman Henry, Lee Dorsey, Sugarboy Crawford, Hank Williams, Big Joe Turner, Chuck Berry, Buckwheat Zydeco, Allen Toussaint, Dave Bartholomew, Earl King, Rod Bernard, King Karl & Guitar Gable, Shirley & Lee, Irma Thomas, Little Richard and many, many others!
Filé Gumbo was begun in March of 1987 to fill the need for a Tuesday evening band at the New Orleans Cafe in Seattle's historic Pioneer Square. The gig was secured with a home demo cut in the process of original member Will Peoples' album project. The band was so good that we began getting offers right away for other gigs and we've never looked back! Over the years we've opened for Buckwheat Zydeco (twice), Queen Ida, Katie Webster, and have played many events like Seattle's Bumbershoot Arts Festival, Sunbanks Blues Festival, Southcoast Dixieland Clambake, Jazz in the Valley (Ellensburg), the Goodwill Games and many, many others. While some original members have drifted away, core members Doug Bright - who began his public music career on Stan Boreson's KING Klubhouse TV show in 1958 - and Marc Bristol remain. We never have trouble finding new players because our music is so much fun! We have made 5 CDs so far, and once had our version of "I Like It Like That" on the Beach Music charts all the way down in the Carolinas, and our CD Mardi Gras In New Orleans was called "Rockin' zydeco CD of the year" by Buscadero Magazine in Italy, also making ..2 on the charts of German Blues Magazine Blues News. Recently featured in The News Tribune in Tacoma, WA!
