Boondock Billies
Boondock Billies is a new acoustic roots band with an old time sound. BdB is Grant Harp on acoustic guitar, harmonicas, and vocals, and Wade "Tater" Ralls on antique acoustic upright bass, and vocals. Grant and Wade are both from the remote swamp wilderness area of extreme Southern Illinois, a short distance from the Mississippi river, as the crow flies. Wade and Grant first met back in the 1990's when Wade was playing bass with Soldog, and Grant was playing guitar and fronting Blue Lava. Grant says: "We never really hung out much back then, but it's amazing now when we talk and realize how similar our paths have been."
By the end of the 90's, both Soldog and Blue Lava disbanded. Wade hit the road driving a truck for a few years, and spent some time living in rural Missouri. Grant jammed with local musician's, worked, attended SIU, and gravitated towards the acoustic guitar. By 2002, Grant began playing his songs at solo acoustic shows. These solo shows grew from playing original and classic covers, to include acoustic guitar loops, hand percussion, and the occasional didgeridoo. He soon added harmonica, and got more into old time music, and away from the looping machine. From 2003 to 2007, he played regularly in Carbondale Illinois, and also played in Missouri, Kansas, Oregon, California, and Wyoming. In 2005, Grant opened for Bela Fleck at the Wakarusa music festival in Lawrence Kansas. During this time, Wade joined the outlaw country band Poon Twang, and that's how these Boondock Billies were reunited.
Grant explains: " I got a call to play a show with Poon Twang. I didn't know Wade was in the band. After this show, Wade and I started talking about music. He called me one day and said he is heading to St Louis to search for and buy an upright bass. I told him I might save him a trip, and proceeded to tell him about Fred in Marion, at Fred's Fair St Music. Fred deals in vintage instruments, but I've not seen a bass in his store for a several years, and had no idea if he actually had one. But, Wade went there the next day and bought a 1947 Kay US Army model acoustic upright bass."
Wade and Grant have decided to follow this Great White Bass around the country and see what happens.
"So far we have seen some good dancing and watched the smiles widen across people's faces. We hope to see you out there at a show real soon."