The Glimmer Grass Band is a diverse group of friends that happen to love playing Acoustic Folk, Americana and Bluegrass music. The members of the group grew up playing the New Jersey Shore bar scene in various electric rock bands. Bunker and Dave from “The Moskito Coast”, John and Bob from “Just Passin' Thru”, Chris from the “Rum Runners” and “Blue Highways”. Chris and Bunker still perform regularly with Blue Highways and our hard driving banjo player, Tom Stevenson, is also member of the Country Music Hall of Fame “Jim Murphy Band”.
Performing since 2004 and although the lineup has changed a bit over the years, the Jam Grass or “new grass” style has been consistent. The band regularly draws from various genres of music and applies a roots music twist using traditional folk and bluegrass instruments, including acoustic guitar, upright bass, dobro, banjo, mandolin and various percussion pieces.
The band has had the honor of opening for Marty Stuart and the Fabulous Superlatives as well as with The New Riders of the Purple Sage, Assembly of Dust, and Railroad Earth. In addition to an active schedule gigging around the Jersey Shore, the band has produced three CD's ¦the self titled first CD, the "GGB Live at Surf and Offshore" and “Live at the Stone Pony”.
The Band
Gordon "Bunker" Strout-Lead Guitar, Vocals
Bunker cut his teeth on the local music scene playing lead guitar for more than a decade with the successful rock cover band Moskito Coast. For the last 5 years or so, Bunker has explored various acoustic musical styles while playing guitar as a founding member of the GlimmerGrassBand. More recently, in addition to regular dates with the GlimmerGrassBand, Bunker has enhanced his local presence by performing various dates with the Billy Lawlor Band, Turnpike Mike (Palella), the occasional Moskito Coast Reunion gig, and regular appearances with Joel Krauss and the High Voltage Brothers.
Dave Plewa - Dobro and Vocals
Taking a detour from the rock n” roll cover scene of Moskito
Coast, Dave has found new musical directions to explore
with the help of his resonator guitar and lap steel. Looking
forward to the new set of challenges and opportunities that
lie ahead, he currently enjoys performing and recording with
the GlimmerGrass Band.
Born and raised in Sayreville NJ, Dave now resides in Toms
River NJ, with his lovely wife and biggest supporter, Joanne.
The road goes on as he continues to do what he loves,
making music with his ever widening circle of musicians and
friends.
Bob “Bobbo” Engler - Percussion
Change nickname from Bondo to "Bobbo"
Prior to joining the Glimmergrass Band in 2004, Bob spent 25 years honing his drumming skills alongside John "J-Dawg", co-founding J.P.T. band mate and talented bass player. Bob's unique "feel style" of drumming combined with Dickson's soulful bass playing has become an integral part of the GGB rhythm section.
John “JDawg” Dickson – Bass and Vocals
Hey somebody has to carry the bottom. John has been playing bass since 1978 where he played with the Just Passin’ Thru (JPT) band for over 25 years. The bluegrass bug hit about the turn of the millennium, and the bass has been upright ever since. Soulful vocals and a solid bottom is the name of the game as the Glimmer Grass Band plays traditional bluegrass, newgrass, jamgrass and in some cases no grass at all.
Chris Fay, Lead Vocals and Mandolin
Tom has been pickin (tuning) the banjo for 34 years. He has performed with numerous bands and has been a regular at Albert Music Hall in Waretown since 1980, as well as a current member of Jim Murphy and the Pine Barons band. Tom joined the GlimmerGrass Band in the spring of 2010. The bands wide range of tunes and "jamgrass" approach to music allows Tom the musical freedom to explore and develop his hard driving style on the banjo.
Special Thanks
Many thanks to our friend and great Jersey musician, Joel Krauss of Asbury Park, NJ. for designing the Glimmer Glass Band logo.
For questions or comments on this web site, contact RichardHoynes@aol.com.