- Pickled Okra -
There are many bluegrass and old-timey bands out there, but none quite like PICKLED OKRA. This stringband from Seattle Washington breathes new life into a classic genre with fresh ideas and pure family charm. Conceived in 2006 by a husband and wife team, Todd and Paisley Gray, the band’s sound was born out of the couple's mutual love of eras gone by and their dedication to the sparse sound of mandolin, upright bass, and banjo leaving plenty of room for their rich vocal harmonies.
While they write songs and tour as a duo, in the Seattle area they're usually joined by a careful selection of backup musicians: either veteran blue ridge mountain bluegrassers, Gary (mandolin) and Alyse Read (banjo), or fellow founding member Tony Markey (banjo). Paisley’s singing is full of raw emotion and when blended with Todd’s soulful vocals forms an undeniably “old school” bluegrass sound. Yes they know their bluegrass licks and aren’t afraid to show them off, but their music is full of ideas borrowed from old time fiddle tunes, jazzy delta blues, pop, rock, reggae and funk as well, for a sound that is timeless yet modern in it's own quirky way.
