Pilgrim Profiles: Your guide to the freshest faces in grass-roots music
By: Tim Newby
Band: The Dirty Grass Players (Official Webpage)
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Members: Ben Kolakowski (Guitar), Ryan Rogers (Mandolin), Colin Rappa (Bass), Alex Berman (Banjo), Alex Tocco (Violin)
Sounds Like: Forward-thinking, innovative bluegrass played with an exploratory, rock ‘n’ roll soul.
For Fans Of: Greensky Bluegrass, Infamous Stringdusters, Travelin’ McCourys
Bio: The Dirty Grass Players have their roots in informal picking sessions between Ben Kolakowski, Ryan Rogers, and Colin Rappa and their friends. The trio realized they had a special chemistry and looked to expand their line-up. At the Dear Jerry (Jerry Garcia Tribute) concert at Merriweather Post Pavilion, near their hometown of Baltimore, they met fellow musicians Alex Berman and Alex Tocco. After a jam session between the five young bluegrass pickers they recognized and immediate connection and the Dirty Grass Players were born. The addition of Berman and Tocco solidified the band’s traditional, yet forward-thinking bluegrass sound. Since then the band has started to garner serious attention, including winning the Charm City Bluegrass Festival Battle of the Bands in 2017. Their debut album, The Dirty Grass Players, was released in April 2017.
Albums: The Dirty Grass Players (2017)
Key Tracks:
What They Do Live:
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