The Gentlemen Grifters
Who are The Gentlemen Grifters?
Featuring fiddle, guitar and mandolin, The Gentlemen Grifters are an acoustic menagerie that twist bluegrass, western, folk, ragtime and hard rock into foot-stomping, heart-felt, original music.
The focus of the Grifter’s lyrics comes from a lot of different places. Some songs are tongue-in-cheek portraits of criminals, gamblers, and drifters. Other songs are heart-felt, personal stories about home. When the band covers other artists they like to mash up styles, like grass versions of Metallica or Stevie Wonder.
They are often joined by friends on banjo, bass or drums. Each show is a little different. The Gentlemen Grifters have been booked all over Wisconsin including the Mile of Music festival.
For booking and other inquiries please email [email protected]
Live Shows
This video is a great example of what the Grifters bring to the table as a duo. It’s also a fun memory. Twenty minutes before showtime a storm rolled in and knocked out power. The show went on… 100% unplugged.
The group often expands their sound with other musicians. This compellation from Mile of Music features Chris LaLonde on mandolin and showcases two original songs.
Original Music
In the studio the Grifters like to stretch out a bit. They sometimes like to explore instrumentation, double tracking, and effects that go beyond their typical acoustic live setup. The Gentlemen Grifters music has been featured on 91.1 The Avenue and WAPL.
Swimin’ In the Moonshine is a grassy foot stomper with a tinkling piano and swing inspired mandolin played by Brent Felchlin. Vocals by Goodwin.
I asked her what she needed in my best John Wayne voice,
She said she wanted whiskey, hold the ice
Serving as the title track for the band’s 2022 EP, The Rails is fast pace newgrass number featuring Matthew Hastreiter on drums. Vocals by Goodwin.
You know it never fails when I’m riding on the rails and I wander too far from home,
I can’t help but see a little piece of me everywhere I stop on the road
Judith was the Grifters’ first attempt at recording and producing their own music. The studio version of this song features a full band including keys and pedal steel guitar. Vocals by Swanson.
One more job and we could retire,
but they got you to wear a wire,
The Bonnie to my Clyde is working for the F.B.I.
What’s the least “outlaw” name you could think of for a country singer? The Ballad of Barbwire Phil started as a joke. But the joke turned into a story (a tragedy of course), and the story turned into a song. This psychedelic country and western track features galloping drums and generous use of tape delay and phasers.
Phil could pick the strings but he couldn’t pick a horse,
Slots and dice and cards, it just got worse and worse
Driven by a echoing bass drum, 911 is a folk rock anthem sung by Swanson. The song is about a man so deep in despair (and booze) that he calls 911 and tells them to,
Send the police, send the firemen, send an EMT
Come take my memories away from me,
Send the bomb squad,
hell send the dog catcher too,
911, I need to be rescued
Press
Check out our interview on the Into the Music podcast.
This interview with Steve March-Tormé was recorded live at August haven for 91.1 The Avenue.
For booking and other inquiries please email [email protected]