Where to begin?? We saw snippets of Mile Twelve at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass last year. We enjoyed them. Then in January we saw full performances at the Yee Haw Music Fest. We really enjoyed them! Last night we saw them in a very intimate setting at Northfield Mandolins Workshop. We were blown away!
Northfield Mandolins is based in Marshall, Michigan. They periodically host bands that are traveling through the area. Their workshop has seating for forty guests, and we were fortunate enough to get tickets. None of us were more than ten feet from the main microphone. The sound system was probably not necessary!
Northfield has hosted the Marshall Mandolin Summit for a number of years. This year the Summit will be August 8-11. The participants share in workshops and concerts with some of the very best mandolin players in the world.
Mile Twelve band members include David Benedict on mandolin, Evan Murphy on guitar, BB Bowness on banjo, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle, and Nate Sabat on bass. All of them are extremely talented musicians and songwriters. Their new release, City on a Hill, reflects the band’s individual and collective talent. The project tugs on your heart strings and then puts a big smile on your face.
The band and band members have won IBMA Momentum awards in 2017 and 2018.
They are in the midst of a high mileage tour. In the past few days they have done dates at MerleFest, and in Kentucky, Georgia, and Michigan, and have dates in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois to round out the trip. Evan and BB talked about making “incoherent human noises” during some of the long days in the car.
Be sure to put Mile Twelve on your list of bands to see and hear. You will be well rewarded.
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