BELLOWS FALLS — Stone Church Arts, in its 15th season, presents Pete's Posse, Vermont's own trad-roots power trio, performing at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, at Immanuel Episcopal Church, 20 Church St.
Pete's Posse was described by the Montréal paper Le Devoir as a band that “embodies all the beauty of American roots music.”
Composed of acclaimed musician Pete Sutherland, his talented protégé Oliver Scanlon, and the dynamic Tristan Henderson, it features twin fiddles in tight, wild harmony over high-powered guitar and pounding foot percussion. Mandolin, clawhammer banjo, jaw harp, rocking keyboards, and soaring vocal harmonies fill out the Posse's sonic landscape, according to a news release.
The Posse's signature is variety: all multi-instrumentalists, the band plays a dynamic repertoire of folk-roots songs and tunes, traditional and original.
Since 2014, the Posse has toured widely, released five albums, and played numerous festivals, bringing their brand of “multi-generational roots music” across the U.S., Canada and Europe.
Sutherland, a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, is a veteran of many touring and recording groups including Metamora, Rhythm In Shoes, The Woodshed Allstars, Woods Tea Company, and Ira Bernstein's Ten Toe Percussion.
He is a founding member of the long-running “contradance jamband” The Clayfoot Strutters, and is also a producer with more than 80 projects under his belt.
Tristan Henderson played a variety of music genres before jumping into traditional music. His affinity for stringed instruments began when he picked up the guitar at the age of 10. He was a 2013 winner of the Young Tradition Vermont talent contest with bagpiper Hazen Metro and plays with a number of groups.
Scanlon is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who began his journey of musical discovery playing the viola with the Vermont Youth Orchestra when he was 9. He then was introduced to Sutherland and the immense parallel universe of fiddle music.
In 2008, Oliver and a few talented middle school friends formed a group, The Irregulars, a six-piece outfit that has played scores of local dances and festivals, and took first prize in the 2011 Young Tradition Vermont talent contest. Then, in 2013, he both co-founded the Posse and became the youngest member of The Clayfoot Strutters. He released his solo album “The Pond Jam” in 2014.