The Bog Brothers were formed by a group of like-minded musicians in the Central New York area who share a love of playing Americana music and having a good time doing it. Mike Gridley (aka “Griz”) leads the group, playing mandolin, banjo and providing lead vocals. He is joined by Marc Odin on guitar and his longtime musical accomplice Steve Buck on bass and vocals. Mike Lounsbery adds harmonica, percussion and vocals, West Coast resident Taylor Bucci provides drums and vocals (when schedule permits), and Scott Wilson rounds out the group on dobro. “The band came together from campfire jam sessions and impromptu open-mic appearances,” said Gridley. “We were all looking for the opportunity to play songs we love and to do something a little different from other bands that we played in.” Since the group’s inception in 2012, they have been a growing presence on the local CNY scene. Highlights have been their performances at several local music festivals, including the Casual Dog Fest, The Tipp Hill Music Festival, The Bacon & Bourbon Fest, and The Crick Hill Music Fest. “The beauty of an acoustic band is that we can play anything from a small room, completely unplugged, to a large festival stage, and the music still comes through with the same impact. And our main objective is to provide a good time and a fun atmosphere for the band and the audience, and the more intimate nature of this music is perfect for achieving that,” said Gridley. The group plays in various configurations, ranging from just two to all six members. The Bog Brothers play wide range of roots, folk and Americana based music, drawing heavily from the music of the Grateful Dead and similar artists, frequently mining deep tracks that music lovers will appreciate. The sound of string band instruments such as Gridley’s mandolin and banjo and Wilson’s dobro blended with three-part harmony vocals are reminiscent of traditional music styles, but the group also infuses all their music with a modern energy and pulse, driven by Buck’s bass and Odin’s guitar.  The group also has a growing repertoire of original music, delivered in the Bogs fun-loving style. “We try to never lose that spirit of playing around the campfire that we started out with. If everyone isn’t having fun, then something’s wrong.”