The Harlan James Bluegrass Band is a group of six Bay Area musicians who play primarily traditional bluegrass, with a focus on tight vocal arrangements. We are inspired by the down-to-earth melodies, the drive and the tension of the bluegrass sound. We are positively obsessed with bluegrass singing styles – the classic tight-stacked trio, the full-bodied gospel quartet, the high-lonesome duet with a keening tenor - or sometimes just one mournful voice full of emotion. All members of the band sing, giving us the versatility to discover the best harmonic blends for each song we perform. This collaborative approach brings our listeners exciting, dynamic vocal variation throughout our repertoire. The Harlan James Bluegrass Band has played live on KALW’s Bluegrass Signal radio show in San Francisco, the Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse and the Starry Plough in Berkeley, the First Street Cafe in Benecia, and the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival in Hollister. Just recently, members of the band were invited up on the Main Stage to sing with nationally known bluegrass musicians at the California Bluegrass Association's Fathers’ Day Festival in Grass Valley. What a thrill!
We are available to play at clubs, private parties, fundraisers and other special events.