I wanted to send along a short note of thanks for your wonderful performance this past Sunday. You are SO talented, and the genuine pleasure you take in performing your music is evident.
The audience was very complimentary and many of them want a return engagement! Thank you for helping make our Heritage Festival a success.

Such a lucky mid spring day it was in beautiful Grand Rapids, OH on the afternoon of Sunday May 6th. There I was, helping my wife with her duties as part of the Grand Rapids Arts Council and not even aware that I was about to see one of the greatest trios that I had never heard of. Being a musician myself, I am always up for seeing a live performance, no matter what the style. But had I known what I was about to witness, I would have been a lot more enthusiastic about getting up that morning!

This concert was the last of a series that had been going on each month since September of the previous year called “Live In The House”. This series presents different types of music for the local community so that they can see (and hear!) great acts from the region for a very reasonable price of admission. This final show of the season, before the start of the summer series called “Rhythm On The River”, featured a fantastic group from Ann Arbor, MI called The Raisin Pickers. They are a trio that plays a combination of bluegrass and folk music with all string instruments, including fiddles, guitars, a banjo, a mandolin, and a string bass.

These well rounded musicians played all of these instruments in different combinations depending on the piece being played. They were also great singers belting out very sweet melodies and harmonies which very much rounded out their tight sound. They performed lots of different pieces including several that were composed by the members of the group. Each song was preceded by a great story that explained either what the song was about or an amusing circumstance that inspired the subject matter.

Myself, and everyone else that was there, were thoroughly entertained by tunes about noisy neighbors, the call of a thought-to-be-extinct bird, the tragedy of hurricane Katrina, and the wonderful delicacy from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan known as “pasties”. There were also some more traditional folk tunes that they performed very well with the group's own little twist. It was apparent that each member was very seasoned and skilled at each instrument they played. Every song was executed with ease and with the enthusiasm you would expect from such upbeat and happy music. It was definitely a treat for the ears (and the eyes for this musician!). The group, which is now in their 22nd year together, is made up of Mark Palms (banjo, fiddle, guitar, vocals), Carol Wells Palms (string bass, fiddle, vocals), and David Mosher (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, vocals). The group has had different members over the years with Mark and Carol being founding members. Each member has numerous achievements in their own right and the group itself have played many events around the country.

If you like this type of music, or any kind of music at all, I highly recommend checking this group out online or at a live performance. You will not be disappointed. If you like them, and I'm sure you will, help support them by purchasing one or more of their CD's so you can take a piece of this great group home with you. They have many performances coming up in the near future, so there are plenty of great opportunities to get out to a show. Happy pickin'!


Posted by Brad Babcock

It’s the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Raisin Pickers, the Manchester-based string band that's cultivated a loyal following in the Ann Arbor area with its deft mix of rustic Appalachian music, swingy jazz, bluegrass, and, lately, some firey Louisiana sounds.

“Just as traditional music in America finds its roots in Celtic and Scottish rhythms, folds in the passion of African-American songs, and embraces the souls of those who pass it on, so the Raisin Pickers of Michigan, have learned from the past, assimilated their strengths and arrived at a sound all their own.” -Matt Watroba
"Fans of traditional American music who appreciate aces fiddling, boffo banjo work, and harmonies as sweet as sugar can't go wrong with the Raisin Pickers."
-Ann Arbor News