Don’t Be Afraid video from The Storytellers

The Storytellers are a hybrid bluegrass/jamgrass group making the scene in Los Angeles, CA this past four years. Formed initially as a duo busking on the streets, they have grown into a regular five piece band working from southern California to Las Vegas, seeking to bridge the gap between the traditional bluegrass and jamgrass worlds.

Consisting of Scott Diehl on guitar and vocals, Lance Frantzich on bass and vocals, David Burns on banjo, Tyler Emerson on fiddle, and Steve Stelmach on percussion, they have performed regularly at the Gilley’s restaurant at the Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Vegas, and have made appearances at the Huck Finn Jubilee and, most recently, the Prescott Bluegrass Festival. During the pandemic months, The Storytellers put on free, weekly outdoor shows they billed as Bluegrass-Ish Brunch, which often drew several hundred people in Orange County.

They have become known for their grassy covers of Grateful Dead songs, along with bluegrass standards and their own original material.

Here is a live video of them doing their song, Don’t Be Afraid, at DJE Sound & Lighting in Lake Forest, CA earlier this year.

You can see many more of The Storytellers’ videos on their YouTube channel, and find out more about the band and their tour dates on their official web site.

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About the Author

John Lawless

John had served as primary author and editor for The Bluegrass Blog from its launch in 2004 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.