Red Eyed Rooster

Old Time Music Blog

Todd Grebe & Cold Country- Bio

Todd Grebe and Cold Country at Rhythm and Roots Reunion, Bristol, Va., Sept. 17, 2011.

Photo credit: John Gillis

 

Inspired by the Grateful Dead, Todd began playing guitar as a teenager, which led to his discovery of bluegrass music. Along with friends, he formed the traditional bluegrass band Well Strung, providing him the opportunity to develop his chops by playing in bars and at festivals throughout the state of Alaska. Channeling the spirit of heroes such as Jimmy Martin and Johnny Cash, it wasn’t long before Todd began crafting his own original compositions. As he felt confined by the limitations of the traditional bluegrass format, though, he sought a more versatile acoustic sound to compliment his vocal abilities and lyrical themes.

 

Enlisting members from Well Strung to back him, his vision was fulfilled by forming an ensemble that relied primarily on guitar, bass, mandolin and fiddle. While incorporating noticeable elements of bluegrass such as drive and harmonization, this new configuration allowed the dynamic room to experiment with honky-tonk and country stylings as well. In homage to his Alaskan roots, he billed the group as Todd Grebe & Cold Country, releasing a self-titled debut album in 2008 that featured all original material and garnered critical acclaim in Alaska and beyond.

 

In 2010, Todd moved to Nashville to further his musical career. Shortly thereafter
he joined longtime friends as a full time member in the newgrass group Bearfoot, yet continued to write material in the stylistic vein of Cold County. Influenced by the musical landscape of his adoptive home town and inspired by the many talented musicians of the area, he soon had enough material to complete another album. After recruiting Angela Oudean (fiddle), David Long (mandolin) and Mike Bub to form the nucleus of a new Cold Country band, Todd bunkered down in a Nashville studio during the winter of 2010 to record a second album.

 

Co-produced by Bub, engineered by industry stalwart David Ferguson and featuring performances by renowned session drummer Larry Atamanuik and banjo master Rob McCoury, the resultant album- entitled Until Tomorrow- is an exceptional sophomore effort. Seamlessly incorporating elements of bluegrass, swing jazz, and country, Until Tomorrow is strikingly reminiscent of music made in Nashville circa 1950’s and 60’s. In fact, if the Grand Ole Opry was anything today like it was then, one might assume that Todd Grebe & Cold Country would be weekly guests. As things stand now, though, Todd has certainly made a case for himself to be included in conversations regarding upcoming Nashville songwriters while his band, Cold Country, is poised to make their mark on an unsuspecting American roots music scene.

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