A Tribute to Gillian Welch at Turf Club
featuring Pistol Whippin Party Penguins • Haley E Rydell • Becky Schlegel • Sonja Rebecca Martin • Mother Banjo • Nik Pellinen • hosted by Katey Bellville & Those SOB’s
Straight from the great Mill City comes the Pistol Whippin Party Penguins. Don't let the name fool you! This is not a violent group of flightless aquatic birds looking for a party, but rather 6 self-proclaimed gentlemen, 2 guitars, a mandolin, a bucket of fiddles, a bass, a couple drums, and a 4 part vocal harmony that will make Donald Trump wanna pay taxes. As they prepare to record their fifth album, this group from Minneapolis strives to maintain the original spirit of the "string band" while continuing to play new original music. The combination of folk, rock, blues, bluegrass, and the occasional stage banter will create an experience that anyone can enjoy!
HALEY E RYDELL is a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist originally from Fargo, ND whose memorable melodies and honest lyrics have been making their way across the country. Rydell has been performing for nearly 20 years in a plethora of projects, including Ryan Necci & the Buffalo Gospel, The Johnson Family Band, I’m With Her, Haley E & the Rydells, and The Lowland Lakers.
Songstress Becky Schlegel's music is original, drawing on the influence of classic country, bluegrass, folk, and her own thoughtful spirit. Becky's incredible voice floats, whispers then soars above music of the highest quality. She takes her listeners on a musical journey, exploring new places and meeting new people in every song.
Sonja Rebecca Martin is a singer/songwriter from Duluth, MN. She and her husband Lee Martin co-founded the folk group Feeding Leroy and have been writing and singing with the band since 2013.
Featuring Ellen Stanley on banjo and vocals, Mother Banjo is a New England-raised, Minneapolis-based songwriter. Called “an outstanding poet” (Inside Bluegrass), she was a Midwest Finalist for the prestigious NewSong Contest and has been featured nationally on SiriusXM Radio, CMT.com, and Americana UK. She and her award-winning band just released a special 10th Anniversary Vinyl Edition of their best-selling album The Devil Hasn't Won, featuring their unique brand of soulful Americana. She also hosts the Back Catalog Listening Party podcast.
Nik Pellinen is a Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Currently, he is most active as banjo and slide/lead guitar in Americana band Maygen & The Birdwatcher, but he has been in music for decades. He first picked up the guitar at the age of 8, began lessons at 9, and started writing music by the time he was 10. Now at 29, his writing style is influenced by the weepy tones of Jeff Buckley, Elliott Smith, and Nick Drake as well as country greats Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt, and Blaze Foley. Personal struggles with addiction, depression, and broken relationships are frequently the topics of his songs although his creative lens has shifted in sobriety to include more of the world around him which is reflected in his work as observational storytelling. He currently has only one independently released album, (if) I Did What I Wanted, but is sitting on enough material to release several more, one of which is currently in the works.
With a nostalgic appreciation for old time tunes, Katey Bellville inevitably pines for traditional sounds while composing contemporary songs. Raised both in the rolling hills of the country on horseback and deep in the heart of the city of Minneapolis - she has always stirred a brew of reverse passions. Dedicated listeners describe her original songs as ‘unforgettable’, blending modern pop sensibilities with fundamental bluegrass instrumentation.