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The Pleasant Family Old Time String Band consists of five members who play the "old time" music that formed the roots of today's bluegrass music. We come together from various parts of Central Florida ranging from Orlando to Clearwater to Bradenton. Although we are not a real family, we are keeping alive the tradition of the family band.

Credits include the Florida Old Time Music Championships (first place in 2005 and 2009), the Florida State Fair in Cracker Country, a private concert for former President Jimmy Carter, and a range of venues including library concerts, town festivals, mobile home park special events, and farmer's markets. We have even played for weddings...but so far no funerals! Our recorded repertoire consists of nearly 60 tunes, vocal and instrumental, on three CDs.

Check out our website where you can buy CDs and get more information on the band.

Lauren Mayeux (fiddle) – Originally from St. Petersburg and now residing in Orlando after finishing college, Lauren has lived her entire life in Florida. Lauren dabbled in classical music for a couple of years before she got bored and found old time music, and then quickly became immersed in this rustic style. She has developed an extensive repertoire, and has been a consistently high finisher in state-wide fiddle contests the last few years. Her musical influences include Bruce Molsky, The Freight Hoppers, and a number of local fiddlers. Lauren’'s strong style of fiddle playing is at the center of the band’'s authentic sound.

Craig Seastead (banjo) - Craig grew up in Western Pennsylvania listening to country and western music on the radio. He’s been playing the 5 string banjo since his college days. Inspired by a Pete Seeger concert, he abandoned the ukulele (his first instrument at age 11) and also the guitar, for a “new” sound - the banjo. Now a retired snowbird living in Bradenton, Florida, he has narrowed his musical interests toward the old time banjo styles and tunes of the Appalachian Mountains. He plays a unique style of frailing, sometimes a more melodic clawhammer style, and occasionally a thumb-lead two finger picking style, all without finger picks.

Chris Frontiero (mandolin) - Chris came to Florida from Gloucester, Massachusetts, known as the eye of the perfect storm. Coming from the northeast, one wonders how he found old time music. “"It's the sounds of life from the heart of this land",” he says. His mandolin is a “one-of-a-kind” instrument made of zebra wood with a cedar top, and was hand-crafted in St. Petersburg, Florida. While Chris'’ only real musical background is his love of music, (he insists he fakes the mandolin) he is an important part of the band’s rhythm and sound. But he does wish he could play better - so Lauren will quit picking on him. Chris also lends his business expertise to managing the “family.”

Kevin Donachy (guitar) - Kevin comes from a family of musicians and disappointed them all when he took up the guitar. Having moved from Erie, Pennsylvania, he is now a full-time resident of the Sunshine State. Kevin lays down some of the best guitar rhythms in the Tampa Bay area and plays on occasion for several other groups. He also works as a bus driver supervisor because, "“I can’t support the indulgent lifestyle I am accustomed to just by playing music, unfortunately."”

Patsy Dollins (bass) - Born in Plant City, Florida, Patsy is one of the two members of the band that are original Floridians. However, she moved away to Tennessee at the age of eighteen and lived there for thirty-three years before returning. Her love of music comes from watching her Momma play the piano and singing in the choir at worship services. She began playing the guitar at age 10, and over the years has played old time, bluegrass, country, gospel, and southern rock music. Her treasure in life is a hand-made guitar that hangs on her 1920's family farmhouse wall. It was made for her father when he was a boy, by his uncle. She learned her first tune on that guitar, "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain". After all the musical travels in her life, Patsy still gets excited about playing old time music.