Jeff Lewis (mandolin, banjo, guitar,vocals) is 15 years old, Bennett Konesni (guitar, fiddle, banjo, vocals) is 25, and David Lewis (bass, guitar, steel, vocals) is older but trying to be wiser.
Influences
John Hartford, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Crooked Still, Rushad, Tim O'Brien, Casey Driessen, Bob Dylan, Clifford Brown, Django, Hunger Mountain Boys, Miles Davis, Woody Guthrie, Sam Bush, Bill Evans, Eddie Gomez, New Grass Revival, Mark Knopfler, Jim & Jesse, Dawg, Seldom Scene, Peter Paul & Mary, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Andres Segovia, John Coltrane, The Beatles, Jimi, the Dead, Velvet Underground, Ella Fitzgerald, Pete Seeger, Lissa Schneckenburger, Del McCoury, Blue Highway, Blue Northern, Mike Marshall, and all of our amazing musician friends! (sorry Lissa)
Sounds Like
Blue-Dance Contra-Grass with a hint of lime...Feel good so good fiddle banjo rhyme...Old Time (it's about time!) lose yourself in song...mandolin guitar bass we push the groove along
Here's Jeff singing and picking banjo on "Mole in the Ground"!
Our CD, Uncommon Kinship, is now available on CD Baby - click here to check it out.
About Free Seedlings
This new acoustic band energizes crowds with a buoyant mix of bluegrass, old-time and original songs. As inspiration, they list mountain music and farmer's work chants right alongside bluegrass of all stripes and the genius of Hartford, Dylan, and Lennon. The Free Seedlings bring a wide range of experiences to the stage, creating a sound that is both rooted in tradition and open to innovation.
Mandolinist Jeff Lewis was born in Islesboro, Maine. He asked his father to show him a few guitar chords when he was 10, and soon the father/son duo was playing at bluegrass festivals and other venues across Maine. Jeff is an accomplished musician who early on made a point of meeting and playing with some of his strongest influences: Sam Bush, Chris Thile and Tim O’Brien. He is a freshman at Gould Academy in Maine, where he plays guitar and trumpet in the school band.
Born in Asheville, North Carolina, Bennett Konesni was raised by parents that placed high value on the old-time fiddle and banjo music of family friend J.P. Fraley. Active in music as a youngster, Bennett jumped into flatpick guitar during high school. During four years at Middlebury College, he fronted a bluegrass band that included fiddler Nick Reeb (now of King Wilkie). The Route 7 Ramblers toured the Northeast in an old bus as the musical foundation of highly acclaimed Circus Smirkus. After finishing college, Bennett collected farmer's work songs in rural Africa, Asia and Europe during a post-graduate year of field research as a T.J. Watson Fellow. The singers and workers he met inspired him to write the songs that form the core of Free Seedlings' repertoire.
Also born in North Carolina (Greensboro), David Lewis started playing guitar as a teenager, went to music school for a while, then played French horn in a US Navy Band. He enjoyed several years playing pedal steel and bass in rock, country, and jazz bands before coming home to acoustic music in the early ‘90s. David's house has been taken over by the band as their studio and global headquarters, which is just fine with him.
“We make music that sounds good and feels good - in a concert hall, a muddy field, or on a mountain top.”
Hello, it's me, Ruby Jane.To those who don't know me, I am a 14 year old fiddler, songwriter. I have some songs posted that are fresh out of the studio. Let me know if you like the new songs..be one of the first to hear, even before they are released!Thanks! new videos too! Ruby Jane
Hello Free Seedlings, I just stopped by to say hello. I put songs up from my new cd "Chasin' the Timberline" if you want to check them out. Take care, Josh
Hey Guys! "When We're Together" is here!! Fans, check out Jeff's brilliant mandolin work on "When We're Together" at the UE&R MySpace, and also, Jeff and Dave together on "Cheat Death". We promise, you won't be disappointed.... Uncle Eddie & Robin
Hope you are having a joyful summer. Just passing through to send you some love! Our CD is almost done! Can you send us a head shot of each of you to include in the CD photos? Your work on "Cheat Death" (Dave's bass) and "When We're Together" (Jeff's mandolin) is just priceless! BTW, wanted you to know I used "Murph's Mirth" and "Both/And" for a church service I led yesterday. You may get a request for a CD.... Drop us a line soon! Hugs to you both! UE&R
We thought it might interest you to hear that our debut CD is now available on CD Baby. Click on the little picture below and listen to some samples. Hope you like what you hear :-)
Cheers Jesper Big Hungry Joe Old-time band from Denmark
We just listened to your CD Uncommon Kinship and loved it. We want to buy one. (We have Helki's copy) You have a picture of Andy and Edie inside that we would love a digital copy of too. Can we do that? Love you all, Dave and Sonja
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