• subscribe
  • Search
  • Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers
    Sign Up For Weekly Dispatch
    Get the best of BGS delivered to your inbox.
    We Respect Your Privacy
Roots Culture Redefined

Header Main

Place Ads

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers

Aug 15, 2018

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers

To celebrate our Artists of the Month and their brand new album,Ā All Ashore, we interviewed each individual member of the Punch Brothers, exploring the processes, circumstances, and factors that led to the creation of this latest crop of songs. The themes and responses are just as diverse as the five men themselves and their musical approaches.

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers

Gabe Witcher, the fiddle player ā€“ and some might say secret weapon ā€“ in Punch Brothers, has been a performer for nearly his whole life. As a kid, he toured the Southwest playing bluegrass with his familyā€™s band; thatā€™s how he met Chris Thile, forming a musical friendship that has spanned more than three decades. Though his stage presence is low-key, his musicianship is undeniable, playing as joyously or mournfully as a song requires. This is also true onĀ All Ashore. [Read Gabe’s interview]

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers

Paul Kowert came on board as bassist for the Punch Brother about 10 years ago, stepping into a band of musicians he knew casually but admired greatly. In the following decade, heā€™s gained even more visibility in the world of acoustic music through his band Hawktail and a gig as bassist for David Rawlings Machine. His versatility is reflected in the list of bassists he cites as influences: Edgar Meyer, Mark Schatz, and Roy Milton ā€œJuniorā€ Huskey. Heā€™s quick to admit that heā€™s not a lyricist, yet his musical contributions definitely shape the undercurrent of the new record. [Read Paul’s interview]

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers

Chris Eldridge, the good-natured guitarist for Punch Brothers, comes by his bluegrass pedigree honestly. As a young man, he attended innumerable shows by Seldom Scene, a pioneering ensemble whose lineup included his father, banjo player Ben Eldridge. After studying at Oberlin Conservatory, he co-founded the Infamous Stringdusters, which won three IBMA Awards following their 2007 debut project,Ā Fork in the Road. Indeed that album title proved auspicious, as Eldridge took a different path with the formation of Punch Brothers ā€“ a rewarding partnership that a decade later has yielded their newest project. [Read Chris’s interview]

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers

Noam Pikelny has a dry delivery only when heā€™s joking around. But as the banjo player in Punch Brothers, his playing is crisp, inventive, and in step with his colleagues. This is especially true onĀ All Ashore, which explores the personal challenges of relationships as well as the growing political divide in America. This year heā€™s nominated for IBMA Banjo Player of the Year, while his two previous solo albums earned Grammy nominations. His Twitter bio sums it up: ā€œWidely considered the worldā€™s premier color blind banjoist. Punch Brother.ā€ [Read Noam’s interview]

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers

Chris Thile is walking briskly into the venue while chatting agreeably about Punch Brothersā€™ new album. Heā€™s used to multi-tasking, of course. In addition to kicking off an extensive tour with that eclectic band, he hosts the public radio showĀ Live From Here, and heā€™s also a husband and father with a lot on his mind ā€“ particularly when it comes to the state of the world. [Read Chris’s interview]


Illustrations by Zachary Johnson

Suggested Reads


Sitewide Footer Banner

Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers
Artist of the Month: Punch Brothers