Biography
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Years Active
2004 – 2012 (8 years)
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Founded In
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States
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Members
- Billy Cook
- Derek Dunn
- Jayke Orvis (2004 – 2009)
- Joseph Huber
The Wisconsin state motto is simple - “Forward.” Milwaukee’s own .357 String Band epitomizes this spirit. Established in 2004, they have brought their inimitably relentless style of Americana from the West Coast of the United States to as far east as Serbia, playing over 600 shows in 10 different countries, and honing their razor sharp sound and adrenaline-fueled live show with a grueling tour schedule.
Anything but derivative, The .357 String Band pays homage to both the dark roots of Americana - the fatalistic murder ballads, sneering Outlaw Country and unforgiving Gospel. The result is a faster, more frenzied folk music - something the band calls “Streetgrass.”
Forgoing drums and using only stringed instruments, The .357 String Band plays with all the fire and fury of Rock & Roll; with an often surprising musical and lyrical refinement. Replete with mythology and mysticism, religious imagery and Biblical reference, The .357 String Band’s music ultimately engages with life here on Earth - the struggle of human beings to reconcile conflicting impulses and emotions is at the core of their music. With lyrics that can be as dark as the human soul at its worst, the music can’t be called negative - rather, it serves as a grim-yet-hopeful reminder that only by fully embracing the demons inside each of us can we exorcise them.
Impossible to pin down to any one genre, The .357 String Band have won accolades from fans of many different styles of music, and they were voted “Best Country” by the Shepherd Express’ People’s Choice Awards in 2007, “Best Alt-Country” in 2009, as well as winning “Best Bluegrass” in the 2008 and 2011 Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards. They have played with bands from many different genres, successfully sharing the stage with Old Time American string bands like Old Crow Medicine Show and The Hackensaw Boys; Outlaw Country like Hank Williams III and Wayne “The Train” Hancock; Blues bands like Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band and The Black Diamond Heavies; Punk bands, including the infamous ANTiSEEN and Exploited; as well as many bands that, like .357 themselves, defy easy categorization, such as The Avett Brothers, Wovenhand and Th’ Legendary Shack* Shakers.
The .357 String Band has released three albums - 2006’s Ghost Town, featuring performances by Lonesome Wyatt from Those Poor Bastards, Rebecca Manthe from the Tossers, and Jeff Hamilton of the Violent Femmes, as well as co-production from Col. JD Wilkes of Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers; 2008’s Fire & Hail, which was recorded by and features performances by Andy Gibson of Hank III’s Damn Band, as well as performances by Donnie Herron, of BR549; and 2010’s Lightning From The North, also recorded by and featuring performances by Andy Gibson.
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