SETH SAWYER
Hello my name is Seth Sawyer and I am originally from Sebago Lake, Maine. I now make my home in Vermont.
Bunky Libby is a good friend of mine and back in 1988 he asked me to go to the Oxford County Bluegrass Festival in South Paris, Maine. I went and fell in love with the music. The next year I bought a guitar and started taking lessons from Jimmy Cox. As soon as I could put three chords together Bunky and I started to perform at nursing homes. At this time I also started writing songs. I had a motorcycle accident and during my 8 months of recuperation I really focused on playing the guitar.
I was still recovering from the accident when I met my wife in 1991 at a Bluegrass Festival. We were married in 1992 and off and on through the years together we have continued to play. My wife Candi was good friends with Eric and Leigh Gibson and I'm proud to say now that I am too. I feel very fortunate that they have recorded some of my songs.
I have two boys, Adam and Mathew. Adam is 11 and Mathew is 9 and now that they are getting a little older we are planning to be able to follow the festival circuit more.
CANDI SAWYER
I can't remember my first experience with bluegrass and old time country music because it was always a part of my life. My mother always loved the music. She always had Country Music playing in the car and around the house. She would always ask if I knew who was singing so I learned at a young age who the performers were.
My first bluegrass festival was Smokey Greene's Festival in Porters Corners, New York. I remember loving to hear Joe Val, Don Stover, White Mountain Bluegrass, Fred Pike, Bob & Grace French and of course Smokey Greene. He was always my favorite and still is to this day.
I learned to play guitar in sixth grade from Diane Fuliehan and then I took lessons from her husband Art. They are still very good friends of mine. After I learned to play guitar is when I first found out that my Grandfather played. I knew my Mom played and it was a shock to find out that Grandpa played the same style guitar as she did. Grandpa and I had a lot of fun playing around the campfire. Jim Warren was also a big influence with my playing. I feel he is the one who helped me with my timing. I finally felt I was good enough to get on stage so at a Green Mountain Bluegrass Fan Club Meeting I got on stage with Smokey and after I got up there I really didn't feel I was ready because my knees were shaking. I'll never forget that day.
I played a lot at Smokey's Fan Club meetings and we put together an all girl band called Honky Tonk Angels and then renamed ourselves Blue Eyed Darlin's. Irene Clothier, Barb LaPointe Mulford, Tammy Cowin and Melody Waite played with me. I also played with Doug Green's Green Mountain Express in a Country Band. Around the time I was playing with Doug I also worked at WBFL as a DJ. That was a lot of fun but I still enjoy the bluegrass music more and I think that is because of the Bluegrass People!!!
Seth and I met at The Blistered Fingers Bluegrass Festival and we've been playing music together ever since. We are proud that our two sons are showing an interest. They are both very good singers---they take after their Dad! Adam is also a good bass player and he's learning the guitar and fiddle.
DAVE ORLOMOSKI
Born and raised in northeastern Ct., I grew up listening to the country music of the day. Among my favorites were Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins and Hank Snow. My biggest bluegrass influence was a local band with Fred Pike, Bill Rawlings and the Twin River Boys, followed by The Country Gentlemen and The Dillards.
I started taking music lessons at the age of 12 and eventually learned to play banjo, guitar, mandolin, and bass. I've played in several northeast bands including Bluegrass Special, Shady Creek and The Bear Bridge Band. I've been part of four recording projects and look forward to doing more in the future.
I got the call from Seth in 2003 to play with The Seth Sawyer Band, and I've had a chance to play all the instruments at one time or another with the band.
DARYL SMITH
My first experience with bluegrass
came in the mid 1970's when I attended my first festival (Don Towers'
Corinth Bluegrass Festival). I was "hooked" by the great stage shows and
"reeled in" by the incredible all night jam sessions. I joined the
Adirondack Bluegrass League and learned to play the banjo by going to jam
sessions. Some great pickers were regulars at the jams (people like Al
Bennett and Chan Goodnow) and they were always willing to help out a
beginner. My first band experience was with "Beach's Bluegrass Boys" , a
band formed by Ross Beach, an ABL member who owned a music store in Saratoga
and had regular jam sessions at the store. I remember our first gig at
Smokey Greene's Ox Roast when Smokey introduced us as "Ross Beach and the
Son's of Beaches".
In the mid 1980's I helped to form Dyer Switch . Late in 1990, bass player
Mac Petrequinn and I left Dyer Switch to form Burnt Hills Bluegrass with
John Jacon on guitar and Andy Bing on dobro and mandolin. This band has
played together for over 15 years and produced a recording entitled "When
We're Together". [I still have some copies if anyone is interested.] My
wife, Deb, was the band's booking agent, sound technician and best fan. The
BHB guys are still good friends and we still get together occasionally to do
"reunion concerts". Andy and I team up with Hank and Irene Clothier to play
at ABL events as "HI Grass" or "Gene (Reynolds) Thyme". I also love to
sit in (on 5 string dobro) with good friends Staber and Chasnoff. You can
hear my 5 string dobro on Dick and Judith's "One More Journey" cd. (www.staberandchasnoff.com)
In 2004, "Tex" Orlomoski asked if I would be interested in playing banjo for
the Seth Sawyer Band. I jumped at the chance! We jammed for the first time
at Thomas Point Beach and played our first show together in October .
I'm really having a great time playing with SSB. We're doing all my
favorite songs and the people in the band are the nicest you could ever
meet. As I leave my day job (school teaching) , I look forward to a
retirement filled with bluegrass and banjos.