Is there such a thing as the High Sierra Sound? If so, it lives in Eastern Sierra troubadours Sweetwater String Band who will arrive in the Tahoe area fresh off of a busy summer tour featuring performances at Kate Wolf Festival, Huck Finn Jubilee and Strawberry Bluegrass.
Sept. 16 | 8:30 p.m. | Moody’s | Truckee
Sept. 24 | 3:30 p.m. | Lost Sierra Hoedown | Plumas Eureka State Park
“It’s definitely been a break out year for us,” say Sweetwater String Band’s cellist David Huebner.
That’s right – cellist. Huebner grew up in the world of classical music, but found his way into a bluegrass outfit after relocating from Los Angeles to the Eastern Sierra.
“I was classically trained growing up,” Huebner says. “I was drawn to old-time bluegrass style, being able to play around a single music and just balance yourself. That was one of the original inspirations for me.”
“I think the soulgrass reference applies to the fact that our music is very lyrical and a lot of the songs carry important messages.”
–David Huebner
Like so many other wanderers of the West, Huebner was drawn by the mountain sound and way of life.
“I was very successful in the classical music world as a kid,” he recalls. “After graduating from high school and I was like, ‘I’m done with this. I don’t want to go down this path.’ Everybody wanted me to. I moved to the mountains and just kind of explored a lifestyle for a while. I quit playing for a few years. Through the encouragement of friends, I started playing guitar and writing songs. I was hooked immediately on songwriting and telling my own story.”
Huebner shares the songwriting duties with mandolinist Scott Roberts. Blended in with upright bass and guitar, the cello adds a darker, moodier layer to the typical bluegrass sound.
“I share space with the bass so there is very warm foundation to the band,” explains Huebner. “I will sometimes literally double up on the same note, but he’s plucking it and I’m bowing it out. The guitar and I also share a similar range. It’s a heaviness that expands into an overall warmth because there isn’t a bright banjo and there isn’t that high fiddle either.”
According to Huebner, cello was a traditional part of old-time Appalachia string bands, but faded into obscurity during the 20th Century.
“I’ve seen historic photos of string bands with a cello in Appalachia dating back into the late 1800s, early 1900s,” he claims. “I know it’s always been there in some respects but it’s always been in the shadows. People like Rushad Eggleston (of Crooked Still and Republic of Strings) have helped make it into a mainstream instrument again.”
The group’s sound has been popularly described as cello-driven High Sierra soulgrass.
“I think the soulgrass reference applies to the fact that our music is very lyrical and a lot of the songs carry important messages,” says Huebner. “It’s fun music to listen to, it’s fun music to dance to, but it’s also music that people relate to because our messages and images carry a universal appeal. It somehow manages to bring the traditional bluegrass into the progressive bluegrass realm in a very easy way. But it’s not jamgrass per say. It’s not so far off that it doesn’t appeal to the traditionalists.”
Sweetwater takes the traditional bluegrass form, rhythm and vocabulary and makes it new by infusing a sense of contemporary relevance.
“We bring songs that we believe in and lyrics we care about,” says Huebner. “For me, a song will kind of come in two ways. Some are influenced by events that occur, a political movement or inspiration. Other times, it’s a way of life: being on the road, missing home, being in a particular place or feeling some sort of nostalgia. I try to write it in a way that isn’t so particular, and think about those universal things we can all relate to in some way. Songs are important to people and need to be heard.”
When he’s not touring with Sweetwater, Huebner resides in the cowboy town of Sheridan, Wyo., where he plays with Americana band The Two Tracks. He hopes to see lots of folks out and about to share in the musical experience when Sweetwater comes into town.
“The typical Sweetwater show is a positive vibe, great folk, some dancing, some jams for sure,” says Huebner. “We do some improvising and stretch some of our tunes. There’s a lot of original music and we also try to surprise the audience with a few choice cover songs and keep people guessing.”
For more information, visit moodysbistro.com or lostsierrahoedown.com.
