String Fever Bluegrass Band's Members are:
String Fever Bluegrass Band's
Members are:
.
.
Doug Pelleymounter
.
.
( Our "I can fix anything electronic" guy
from Northfield ) on vocals and 5 string Banjo - Doug powers the band with his
hard driving banjo style. He has always said that he likes to play in such a
banjo style that Ralph Stanley would say "That's the way to do it, Son". He
has always been a huge fan of the vocal duets and trios recorded by the early
Masters of Bluegrass ( you know who you / they are
). He crafts String Fever Bluegrass Band's vocals to be, in his words, "tight
and close". Doug has been banging on the banjo for 20 years. He played banjo
with the much touted Mankato MN based River Basin Bluegrass Band for 13 years.
This band included, in various forms, Brian and David
Wicklund, Paul Horrisberger, Len
Kalakian, Matt and Andy Thompson, and Mike
Hildebrandt ( all giants in the Minnesota bluegrass
circles ). It was early in his bluegrass career that Len and Paul brought him
out of his shyness ( and pretty lightweight banjo
picking style ) by constantly telling him to "Punch It!!". Doug also received
many lessons from Matt Thompson on bluegrass styles and sounds. It was with
that band that he was exposed to the many facets of TRADITIONAL Bluegrass
music including audience interaction. He brings those years of experience to
the String Fever Bluegrass Band sound. Doug works out of his house in
Northfield for his day job as an Applications Engineer for an electronics
company in Ft. Collins, CO. He travels around the world -
beware - he may call you someday and ask to pick a bit (
or maybe bum a sandwich ).
.
.
Holly Fischer
.
.
( Our "office manager" from Northfield )
on vocals and Guitar - Holly masterfully holds down the rhythm guitar chores
for the band. She applies the phrasing accents that only a fine bluegrass
rhythm guitar player understands. A music educator by profession at Sibley
Elementary School (click
here to view her web site) and a graduate of St. Olaf
college she composes songs for the band such as the title cut of the band's
first CD - Walk By The River. You will find her either singing lead with "the
guys" backing her up or she will be shoring up the high baritone or tenor
parts on the String Fever Bluegrass trios and quartets. Holly and Doug team up
occasionally for some unusually fine duets. Holly has performed in various
area musicals, folk groups and choirs, country and classical, weddings and
funerals, and invariably goes stark raving mad if she cannot find anyone to
sing with. Fortunately she is married to.................
.
.
Mark Fischer
.
.
( Our "high, blue and lonesome" guy from
Northfield ) on vocals and Upright Bass - Mark has the original high lonesome
voice that is coveted by many a bluegrass vocalist. His outstanding tenor
range has him either doing leads in the key of B ( the
Bluegrass key ) or holding his own on the tenor part of the String Fever
Bluegrass trios and quartets. He has been playing the bass for quite a few
years and has even been known to "take a break" on some instrumentals
( now that's entertainment! ). He has been playing
the bass for 231 dog(house bass) years. The money
for his first REAL upright bass fell into his lap when he won a radio jingle
contest. He was instrumental in writing the music for the
acapella tune on SFBB's second CD. He
has been a piano tuner for 30 years and has a degree in industrial design.
He appreciates things working well and sounding good. He has a very long
list of home improvement projects. He claims it is tough to squeeze
those projects in between picking.
John
McDowell 
( Our "Mr. Traditional" ) on vocals and Fiddle. John is the
one of the newest
members of SFBB. He can sing lead and baritone - but not at the same
time. He can easily hear the third part and blends smoothly with the
SFBB trios and quartets. His mastery at the fiddle is strong and
empowering. He came by the front door one day and the band put him in a
"Jesse Ventura" type headlock
and would not let him go until he agreed to be SFBB's fiddler. We now
have a foursome for cards and golf as well. John works for a very high
tech company who only recently gave him his first cell phone. He is now
technologically in the 1990's which lends credence to the saying "the
cobbler's kids go barefoot". He is excited about helping the band retool
old SFBB tunes and bringing in new ones for all to enjoy.
Lon
Hendricks 
( Our "Hold on Thar - Let's get right!" guy" ) on vocals and
Mandolin. Lon is also one of the newest
members of SFBB. He can sing lead, tenor and baritone. He can easily hear
all parts. He has the ability to sort out all of the parts for stellar
trios and quartets. He adds the missing link to the "Guys SFBB quartet". He
comes by his mandolin prowess from working with the Minnesota Mandolin
Orchestra (click here to
view their website). He is going to school for his music degree. He can
"talk shop" with Holly and between the two of them the SFBB vocals soar.
He states that he will play the mandolin for food. We can work with that.
We thought you should see our newest band transportation. You RV'ers out there - Look out!
The band has been doing so well with bookings that we thought we would splurge and get a yacht. Nice, eh?
