Friends & Collaborators
In many ways, Hog-eyed Man is not just a duo. Here are some of the like-minded friends and musicians with whom we have had the great fortune to play, perform, and record.
Art Rosenbaum (1938-2022)
Art Rosenbaum was a legend in his own time; eternally creative, energetic and curious. To call him prolific was an understatement. Art was a world-renowned visual artist, banjo player, fiddler, song-catcher, tune-collector, sea shanty singer, and champion of beautiful people and weird things. And he's the only hog-eyed man who has won a Grammy. ;-) In all his work, he connected the past, present and future in surprising and satisfying ways.
For Jason, it was the honor of a lifetime when Art drew his portrait for the posters, coffee cans, and T-shirts promoting the 32nd North Georgia Folk Festival in 2016.
On his 79th birthday, Art stopped by to join us for two numbers that are on on fourth album, “Old World Music of the Southern Appalachians,” and they are really, really good. The title track on our 6th release, “Across the Sea,” was also learned from Art. Thanks Art, for all you did in this lifetime! Rest in Peace, friend.
David Bragger
Old-Time Tiki Parlour record label head honcho David Bragger is our favorite guest-guitarist / engineer / videographer / photographer / PR-man / experimental noise maker / weird video connoisseur / life-coach / etc. A phenomenal fiddler in his own right, David has dedicated much of his life to producing, recording, and promoting some of today’s best old-time musicians. David plays guitar on our fifth album of traditional old-time music, “Kicked Up a Devil of a Row,” released July 2023. Thank you David! Love this guy.
Paddy “Otis” League
Paddy “Otis” League (aka Dr. Panayotis League in his other life) is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, and musicologist with deep roots in the musical and poetic traditions of Ireland and the Greek islands. Jason and Paddy have known each other since their teen years, when both were first cutting their teeth in the traditional music scenes of the southeast. We’ve all been hanging out with Paddy when we can, and he is freaking awesome on multiple instruments in multiple genres. Super fun to have him on board for “Across the Sea.” Check out Paddy’s other current projects as well, especially Miss Mango and Echolocator!
Michael Starkey
Michael is a super talented clawhammer banjo player currently living in the northwest highlands of Scotland. Michael’s UK-based projects include playing with fiddler/songwriter Hannah Read and the band Wayward Jane. Jason first played tunes with Michael in 2023 at Clifftop, and the following year Michael came to Athens for a visit. Soon enough, he was roped in to our transatlantic oldtime album “Across the Sea.” Michael’s approach falls perfectly in that space between melodic and rhythmic, with impeccable tone. Glad to have you on board, mate!
Maxine Gerber
Jason became friends with west-coaster Maxine Gerber during trips to Clifftop (i.e., the Appalachian String Band Festival held in Camp Washington Carver, West Virginia at the end of every summer) starting in 2016, where whiskey and chocolate have fueled many a late-night jam. Rob got to know her too when Hog-eyed Man played a CA festival in 2019. Considering that Max has been a top-tier banjo player for decades, she is criminally under-recorded. When we began thinking about who we wanted on Kicked Up a Devil of a Row, Max was our first call. Whether in duo, trio, or full band settings her supremely tasteful rhythmic banjo perfectly supports anyone lucky enough to be in the jam, adding lift and nuance but never distracting from the innate beauty of the tunes. Pure magic!
Charlie & Nancy Hartness
Rob first met Charlie and Nancy wandering randomly in Athens, GA. Jason and Charlie quickly discovered a shared love of quirky southern tunes best played in living rooms and kitchens. The rest is history. Charlie is our favorite fiddler/uke player/songsmith/squirrel observer/poet/retired-emergency room doc. Nancy makes weird sock puppets, sings great, and plays rock-solid guitar in that way that makes everybody in the jam play and sound better. These folks turn life into art. Charlie and Nancy are top-shelf oldtime music accompanists; if you don't already know, check out the Sky Island Stringband and Spencer & Rains' recent recordings. They also have released their own exceptional CD, and they played on our album, “Old World Music of the Southern Appalachians.”
Brendan Doyle
Over many decades our pal Brendan Doyle has honed his precise, percussive, and tasteful approach to clawhammer banjo, and we were delighted to have him join on our album "Kicked Up a Devil of a Row"! He's a true master of the craft and his commitment to getting deep inside the nooks and crannies of every tune adds so much to every jam and recording he is involved with. You can also hear Brendan’s approach on Spencer & Rains’ excellent Texas fiddle recordings, as well as earlier work with the Canote brothers and Mark Simos.
Tom Baker
Tom Baker, a native of Georgia, played piano and trumpet in his early years and later took up guitar and bass. While in high school, he inherited a five-string banjo from his uncle, Niles Puckett. Upon discovering the music of Bela Fleck, Tom became interested in bluegrass, folk, and old-time music and began learning Scruggs style banjo, and eventually, clawhammer. After moving to Athens in 1998, Tom formed the highly-acclaimed Packway Handle Band with high school friends, which is still going strong today.
We have played a lot of oldtime music with Tom over the last couple years, and we had a blast recording with him on Jim White's amazing outsider-folk album Waffles, Triangles & Jesus (and another one not yet released!). We were thrilled that Tom joined us to record our fourth record, “Old World Music of the Southern Appalachians,” on the Old-Time Tiki Parlour label.
Beverly Smith
Beverly Smith is one of the most respected guitar players and singers in old time music today. She's also a dynamite fiddler and pretty dang good on the banjo. Beverly has performed and recorded with mandolinist Carl Jones; fiddlers Bruce Molsky, Rafe Stefanini, Tara Nevins and Brad Leftwich; and singers Alice Gerrard, Mick Moloney, John Doyle, and Laurie Lewis. If that weren't enough, she is a really wonderful person with a generous spirit.
We love playing and hanging out with Beverly and were delighted to have her appear as a guest guitarist/singer/fiddler on Hog-eyed Man 3!
John Grimm
John Grimm is an award winning multi-instrumentalist who has played with The Georgia Mudcats, The Georgia Potlickers, Rural Radio Company, and others. He received the Dr. Gene Wiggins Award in recognition of his significant contributions to traditional music in north Georgia. (Wiggins was the author of "Fiddling Georgia Crazy," the definitive book on Fiddlin' John Carson). John even played the role of John Carson in the PBS film "The People vs. Leo Frank"! John runs a superb instrument store in Dahlonega, GA. He's also a super nice guy with whom we are always happy to hang out. Jason and John have twice won second place performing as a duo in the band contest at the Georgia String Band festival!
John also played fiddle and banjo with us on Hog-eyed Man 3.