The forefathers of "crunchy western" music Jim McHugh, Morris Manning, Steve McBrian, and Jacob Stern deliver a homegrown, crunchy cookin' performance with mandolin, bass, fiddle, guitar, dobro, banjo, and vocals. Their unique, smooth sounds are sure to tame the wildest beast or maybe even awaken the spirit within! Performances include original, crunchy, bluegrass, folk, and americana tunes.
Morris Manning
Morris Manning is a native of Franconia NH. As a singer/songwriter, Morris has a strong following asvan authentic New England folk singer. His original songs have been voted best in the region by various publications, and he has been nominated for a MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets) Award. Morris has played with The Chinese Cooks, The Regular Einsteins, Valhalla Taxi, El Mundo, Loli Marquez-Sterling Cabaret Group, The Bettys, and The New Gypsy Swing Quintet and tours regularly in Europe.
Steve McBrian
Steve has played, over the years, with Dumbwaiter, the Regular Einsteins, the Bettys, duos with Morris Manning, Valhalla Taxi, and most recently, Ricky and the Giants. Steve writes and records original music at home…but has, despite many attempts, refused to talk about it while sober. You can hear Steve on the Crunchy Western Boy's first record, where he sang background vocals.
In late August of '09 Steve (finally!) became a 'real' man and took up the big bass fiddle. Shortly afterward he was seen rubbing his hands, alternately mumbling something about intonation, and shouting into the clear blue sky; "Damn you Banzai! Damn you to Hell!"
Originally from Tyringham, MA Steve currently resides with his wife and son on a small farm in Meredith, NH.
Jim McHugh
Jim started playing when an old girlfriend bought him his first guitar some 24 years ago, and has been playing ever since. Jim played through college with Cottleston Pie, an original jam band who opened for The New Riders of the Purple Sage several times. He also played with a band called the Hoedads, an original folk band. Jim picked up the mandolin while hitchhiking around the country, he realized he could play and hitch at the same time. He played on the streets of Barcelona with Glen Hanson of the Frames just buy coincidence. Jim also began writing original music 24 years ago and honed his skills around the campfire, and in Grateful Dead parking lots around the country. Jim has played in Ireland on several occasions as well as the Netherlands and France. Jim currently lives in Warren, NH with his wife, 3yr old son and 7 month old daughter.
Jacob Stern
Fiddler extraordinaire Jacob Stern hails from Buffalo, NY. He currently lives in Ashland, NH. Brought up in the classical style, Jacob turned to the dark side some years ago after a run in with a strange creature in a far off land. He returned with a most peculiar sounding fiddle, and before he knew it he was playing it almost every day. Now all he has to do is play the thing every day.
Some press:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/crunchy-western-boys-bring-folksy-sound-to-penuches-0
From: JamBase
North West String Summit
by: Sarah Hagerman
...and the warmly infectious, everyman songwriting well of New Hampshire's Crunchy Western Boys. CWB would emerge the winners, and were very humbled and even graciously surprised. These cats are refreshingly unassuming talents, and I was looking forward to a second helping on Sunday morning.
Sunday began with my second helping of Crunchy Western Boys, and it was a great chance to soak up their sunshine again. Morris Manning (guitar, dobro), Jim McHugh (mando, guitar), Jacob Stern (fiddle) and Dave Walker (bass) have meaty instrumental chops and breezy, sly pens. As folks rubbed the sleep out of their eyes, they set the stage for the last day of festival with winking grins and a twist of Irish coffee. With tunes like "Bathtub Gin" (no, not the Phish song, this one is straight from the backwoods) and "Natural Blonde," they have a touch of the bawdy barfly in them, coupled with their amiable, folksy charms, that draws you in with a crooked index finger. Readers, take note.
From: Seven Days: Vermont's Independent Voice
Americana Idol
Is it possible for something to be both smooth and crunchy? Dichotomous though it seems, in the case of New Hampshire's Crunchy Western Boys, the answer is a resounding "yes." And we're not the only ones who think so. Oregon's acclaimed Northwest String Summit - hosted by noted newgrass brosephs Yonder Mountain String Band, no less - recently tabbed the original bluegrass quartet as one of four finalists in their annual band competition, which we imagine to be something along the lines of American Idol, but, well, crunchier. Gearing up for the big throwdown, the Boys host a hoedown - or is it a hootenanny? - at Montpelier's Langdon Street Cafe this Friday. Local "folk" The Charlie Messing Duo open the show.
