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Band History |
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Shady Mix was founded in 1989 in Carbondale, Illinois, USA, when one evening German native Mark Stoffel and musical partner Wil Maring received a call that a music club on the shores of the Mississippi River in nearby Missouri needed a bluegrass band to play regularly. The original Shady Mixers, in addition to Wil and Mark, were Kelley Sims, lead guitar and vocal, and Geoff Maring on standup bass. For many of the gigs, Doug Knecht came from Peoria, IL. to sit in on banjo. From humble beginnings as the house bluegrass band of "Port Cape", Shady Mix moved on to perform at regional music festivals and on local radio and television stations, soon becoming one of the most well-known bluegrass groups in their area. Their first CD, Made in the Shade was released in late 1991 with the original members.
In 1992 Shady Mix toured Europe for the first time to play before enthusiastic audiences. After Wil and Mark's relocation to Germany in late 1992, Shady Mix was reformed with German members, with special attention paid that the band sound would remain acoustically oriented. Thanks to the help of excellent resident musicians from the Munich area, Shady Mix continued to entertain excited audiences on the European side of the Atlantic. The Shady Mix musical style in Europe broadened from bluegrass into what is now termed "Americana" roots music. In 1996 they released "Songs of the Ranch and Range", a highly acclaimed collection of cowboy and western swing music. After the its release they received a glowing review from Rolling Stone Europe and the nomination for "Newcomer of the Year" by the German/American Country Music Federation. In 1998 they released "Bottomlands" using Wil's award-winning song as the title cut. "Bottomlands" is a collection of mostly original music from the European Shady Mix band members. In September 2001, after almost of a decade of professional music in Europe, Mark and Wil made the decision to move back to the U.S. The German formation of Shady Mix gave its last concert at Munich's famous Rattlesnake Saloon.
Wil and Mark's move back to the U.S. began a new chapter in the history of a band that will hopefully be making beautiful acoustic music for many years to come. They wasted no time reviving Shady Mix back home in Southern Illinois, much to the delight of their old fans, and immediately began gaining new fans on this side of the Atlantic. The newest Shady Mixer is the veteran Bill Monroe/Osborne Bros./Kathy Mattea band member, multi-instrumentalist Robert Bowlin. An amazing artist in his own right, Robert's versatile and virtuose musical style on guitar and fiddle complement the Shady Mix's unique hybrid acoustic sound perfectly.
Shady Mix's musical style and repertoire includes a little something to please everyone. Using only acoustic instruments, the typical stylistic elements of bluegrass music are applied to cowboy songs, country and bluegrass standards, and older American folk music. Borrowed material is tastefully and originally arranged, but never imitated. In addition, a good portion of the repertoire are songs coming from Wil herself, whose prizewinning songwriting is an integral part of the Shady Mix sound. Robert is often called upon to take the stage alone to do one of his impressive solo guitar pieces. Fans enjoy the spontaneity of Shady Mix shows, which are often broken up by "stump the band" request sessions, or Mark's silly antics on the mandolin . Shady Mix music seems to appeal to all age groups, from the toddlers dancing in front of the stage to the seniors requesting the songs their parents used to sing. Increasingly, the requests seem to come from the originals on the Shady Mix and Wil Maring CDs themselves. It is a heartfelt music that is not easily categorized, but that hasn't seemed to matter, if the band's very busy first year back in the U.S. was any sign of things to come.
SUMMARY OF SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS AND PERFORMANCES
1991 1992 1992-2000 1993-2001 1996-97 1997 1998 1999 2001 2001 2002 2003 2003 2003 2004 2004 2004 2005 2005 |
Mark Stoffel wins Illinois State Fiddle Championship Production of half hour television concert, WSIU-TV, shown in Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky, for public TV fundraising Daily performances at "Americana" Horse Show, the European International Championships in Western Riding House band for "Red Grizzly Saloon" in Germany, playing up to 120 shows a year for audiences throughout central Europe Nomination as "Bluegrass Band of the Year" and "Newcomer of the Year", German American Country Music Federation Guest on nationally-aired country music special for German National Television Wil Maring wins first place at the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, at "Merlefest" in N.C, the largest acoustic music festival in the U.S. Two week tour of Japan Performance at the "International Dobro Festival" in Trnava, Slovakia, aired on Slovakian National Television Performance at "Tollwood International Music Festival", Munich, Germany Nomination by the Illinois Arts Council to represent Illinois in a national folk music program and perform at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC Live performance on WPLN's nationally syndicated radio program, Nashville, TN Invitation to perform at International Bluegrass Association's Songwriter Showcase Half hour televised concert on WSIU Southern Illinois Public Television Appearance on the Grand Ol' Opry, Nashville, TN Wil chosen as Songwriter Workshop panel member by International Bluegrass Association, Louisville, KY Wil invited to perform at the Frank Brown International Songwriter's Festival, Pensacola, FL Performances at the Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN Invitation to be a member of the Illinois Arts Council Touring Artists Roster |
Home - Recordings - Tour Schedule - Meet the Band! - News & Stories