Laura Orshaw becomes fifth Po’ Ramblin’ Boy

Tennessee’s The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys have finally made it official, inviting fiddler Laura Orshaw to become the fifth member of the group. Orshaw has been performing with the Boys this past several years when her schedule allowed, and was included on their past two albums, including their current Grammy-nominated Toil, Tears, & Trouble for Rounder Records.

But mandolinist C.J. Lewandowski says that they have decided they want her around full-time.

“The four of us guys in the band were friends before we were bandmates, so when we were looking for a 5th piece, we wanted to make sure we had the right fit, and Laura is it! Her incredible talent and personality are just what we needed to take the band to the next level.”

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are dedicated to the proposition that contemporary audiences will respond positively to hard-driving, traditional bluegrass music presented with a vintage flair. This has been their credo since they were working at the Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery in Gatlinburg several years ago, and it has taken them to international acclaim and a major label contract. What had started with the Boys showcasing classic bluegrass material from the Ozark region has transformed into them composing original songs in that same rough-hewed style.

And that is what Laura says she loves about working with them.

 “The old-school, traditional brand of high-energy bluegrass that The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys epitomize has always been near and dear to my heart. It’s been a real treat to get to perform and record with the boys over the past few years, and I’m so excited to now be joining the band!”

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys start in on their 2020 schedule next week on Danny Stewart’s Bluegrass Cruise, and have a couple of additional dates before flying out to Los Angeles for the Grammy Awards on January 26. You can follow their touring stops online.

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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 2006 until being folded into Bluegrass Today in September of 2011. He continues in that capacity here, managing a strong team of columnists and correspondents.