Harmony Grits

Bio:

The Harmony Grits are a very fun and very serious band. Serious about having fun, and having fun being serious. It comes from being dedicated to the music we love. The 'Grits started in 1984, as a side project from the Santa Cruz legendary rock band The Continental Drifters, who were a Grateful Dead inspired dance band which had originally spun off of a bluegrass band which formed on UCSC campus in the late '90s./// The Grits played on the streets in Downtown Santa Cruz, on The Pacific Garden Mall, the vibrant street music venue that changed forever after the 1989 earthquake. Soon favorites at the local breweries, clubs, and casual gigs, the Harmony Grits were soon appearing at festivals like High Sierra Music Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, and myriad venues around the state. Their first cassette tape was released in 1988, followed by a live CD, Music From Scratch. The Harmony Grits have played San Gregorio General Store every month since 1987 and the Santa Cruz Bluegrass Fair every year since 1988.We often play children's shows at festivals we play at, with several teachers in the band. /// You can expect to hear lots of bluegrass chestnuts, hobo songs, fiddle tunes, murder ballads, originals, open jams, and lots of harmonies. Mike McKinley, mandolin, Jim Lewin, guitar, Jeff Baldwin, dobro, Shea McKusic, string bass.

Member Since:

April 17, 2008

Members:

Influences:

The Grits are the recipient of the Gail Rich Award from the Santa Cruz Arts Commission and the Santa Cruz Sentinel. Here's what they said last year in another local publication, the Santa Cruz Metro: Longtime local heroes the Harmony Grits embody decades of Santa Cruz music community history and lore. Always a standard bearer for homegrown bluegrass, the band has served as an inspiration to younger bands while never missing a beat or falling into elder statesman ennui. The band continues to display a sensibility and humor that is distinctly Santa Cruz-it's hard to imagine many other places from which a band whose biggest hit was named "Gospel Bong" would emerge. In this sense, the Harmony Grits may be the consumate Santa Cruz band-witty, free wheeling and in it for the long haul, the band encompasses everything that's great and unique about the town. Thanks local media for the quotable comments.

Sounds Like:

Record Label:

Rollin’ Records