The Katahdin Valley Boys will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at the Vienna Union Hall, 5 Vienna Mountain Road in Vienna. The band performs traditional and contemporary bluegrass and gospel music including numerous original tunes.

Their repertoire features tight harmonies and smooth solos. The band is unique in that all five band members are featured instrumentally and vocally in each set of every show, Ken Brooks on guitar and vocals, Dan Simons on mandolin and vocals, Jeff Folger on banjo and vocals and Steve Bixby on bass and vocals.

Simons of Vienna is a well-seasoned musician who plays Bluegrass Mandolin, sings lead and harmony vocals, and is a talented guitar player. He draws from a wealth of experience having played with several roots and bluegrass ensembles, and various local groups, he performs original material as well as cover tunes. The Katahdin Valley Boys added Simons to the band in 2016.

Folger is a native of Sidney. A lead and tenor harmony singer, Folger plays the five-string banjo in a traditional, hard driving style. The classic sounds of Ralph Stanley, Earl Scruggs and J.D. Crowe have been a major part of his musical influence. Folger has been performing since 1993 and has been with the Katahdin Valley Boys since 1998 as a founding member.

Brooks calls Athens home. He was honored by the Maine County Music Association as an inductee into the “Country Music Hall of Fame” in 2012. His rhythm and lead guitar picking along with lead and harmony vocals enhance the band’s all around sound. He brings a wealth of experience and vast repertoire to the band. Performing since 1965, Brooks has played with several popular bluegrass bands. He has an extensive discography having recorded as a solo and ensemble artist. The Katahdin Valley Boys are proud to incorporate Folger’s vocal excellence and solid guitar work into the band.

Bixby plays the upright bass, performs much of the MC work, and adds his vocal work to the show. Originally from Ashland, Massachusetts, Bixby lives on the Pemaquid Peninsula in Round Pond. At the invitation of a friend to join him at a festival in New York State, he caught the Bluegrass bug in 1978 and began playing Bluegrass Bass in 1980. An accomplished Bass player and recording artist, he has performed with several well known Bluegrass acts and at numerous Bluegrass Festivals throughout the Northeast.

The Katahdin Valley Boys were honored as recipients of the “Bluegrass Band of the Year” award for 2012 by The Maine Country Music Association and in 2008, 2009 and 2011 by the Maine Academy of Country Music.

Tickets cost $10. For more information, call 293-2674 or 293-2362.

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