Oklahoma is on fire with bluegrass these days, with a new band, Midnight Hollow, that is only adding to the flames.
Banjo picker Joey Shann previously toured with The Baker Family and The Dave Adkins Band. From Claremore, OK, Shann held the title in 2018 in both Oklahoma and Kentucky in the State Banjo Championship. A multi- faceted talent, he was self taught while in his younger years, and now plays piano, banjo, and dobro, which is just a tip of what he brings to the table with his musicality.
Chance Coppedge, a Tulsan, is a hot in-demand bassist. While he may not play the stand up bass as traditional bluegrass usually does, Coppedge brings his self taught structure center stage. Chance has worked in Branson with Eric Hinson, of the original Hinson Family. Today Chance is the bassist and musical director for The Life Church of Broken Arrow OK, and instructs for the Anthem Road Academy.
Joe Kahlden, singer and songwriter, flatpicks with the best of them. No stranger to the stage, Kahlden and his family band have opened for Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder. Joe also plays lead acoustic with another rising talent, Cliff Top.
Full of talent, mandolin player Sam Conrey hails from near Memphis, Tennessee. Sam’s musical roots began with blues and rock. But magic happened when Sam stumbled into a jam session in Edmond, OK. Totally mesmerized by the mandolin, Conrey purchased his first only recently and has played for a year and a half. Conrey is also an active member of the band, Cliff Top.
Midnight Hollow’s newest release Can’t Make Things Right, was written by Kahlden. Their EP, a 3 track, was Kahlden and Conrey both take life’s moment and in a story-book fashion write songs that will bring tears to your eyes. Conrey states, “Joe and I are stylistically different. He offers originality but the whole band shares responsibility and works together.”
Midnight Hollow will have a full-length album released in June 2022.
Jonathan Hunt, of the Hunt Brothers Band, was the engineer of Can’t Make Things Right, and the recording was completed on the stage of The Double Stop Fiddle Shop, in Guthrie OK.
Shann and Coppedge had an earlier band, Coyote Hill in 2003. However, it was Byron Berline’s Oklahoma International Bluegrass Festival that introduced the four men. While jamming in the camp, they found one another. Shann spoke of OIBF 2021, “It was a very special year with Byron’s passing. Everyone was supportive and the spirits were up.” Conrey agreed, saying, “I only met Byron one time, and he gave me some constructive criticism, which I learned from. I wish I would’ve known him better.”
the band performed their first show at the Double Stop Fiddle Shop. Although Berline is not physically present, his spirit engulfs the state of Oklahoma as new talents emerge.
Midnight Hollow is sponsored by Streeper Banjos, Pitt Resophonic Guitars, Travis Williams Guitars, and GHS Strings.
