Artists – Access Living Showcase Stage

We came together like many bands when we began jamming at festivals. One festival we were asked to step in for a vacant spot on stage and that led to the beginning of the band.

Current Members are:

Bob Martin on banjo

Curt Fields on lead guitar

Jim Dills on bass

Marilyn Martin on vocals & guitar

Carol Dills on vocals & guitar

Betty Lampinen on vocals & rhythm guitar

The North Cascades Bluegrass band is made up of local talent and joins us each year.  It’s talent from many different bands or individuals who come to share their music with our fans.  The band members are never exactly the same.

This year’s talent is:

Kent Powell – Bass:  Kent has been involved in the bluegrass scene in the Pacific Northwest for over forty years.  He played banjo with several groups including Backgrasswardes, Cascade Mtn. Ramblers, Crossfire, and Runaway Train and several more.  He currently plays bass with Runaway Train, North Country and String Theory.

Ruben Taylor – Mandolin/Guitar:  Ruben is a transplant from Alaska.  While there, Ruben cut his musical teeth on piano and fiddle, competing in fiddle contests.  Since that time, Ruben has picked up both mandolin and guitar, both of which he plays with this group.

Tobias Simcox – Mandolin:  Tobias (Toby), grew up learning classical violin from the age of 3.  He played 1st chair violin in the Everett Youth Symphony for 2 years.  Later he went on to playing Celtic fiddle and then Texas fiddle where he took 3rd in Washington State’s junior fiddle contest.  At 13, he taught himself to play guitar and mandolin after receiving them for his birthday.  Five hears ago he discovered bluegrass festivals and what bluegrass music/jams are all about.  Least to say he has been hooked ever since.

Rick Aherns – Banjo:  Rick has agreed to sit in with the North Cascades Bluegrass Boys, due to a conflict with the original banjo player scheduled for this event.  Rick is an experienced banjo player with his own unique style.  Rick has played with many bands in the Northwest and he can be seen, jamming most nights at many festivals.  He also hosts an event of his own.  We are pleased to have Rick on our stage and appreciate him stepping in.

John Bennett (Robbie) – fiddle:  Robbie  is one of the NW finest fiddle players.  His fiddle playing is so pleasant and smooth its a joy to hear and he rounds out Roosevelt Road with true Bluegrass vocals as well.  Robbie can be seen at many festivals as a great addition to any jam.  He is also a trouper when it comes to bands in need of a fiddle player.  Robbie has been part of Roosevelt Road for many years and by osmosis, not only a friend of the North Cascades Bluegrass Festival, but a workshop instructor and performer from many of our stages during the last 7 years.

The Prozac Mtn Boys offer an uplifting, therapeutic mixture of traditional, bluegrass, and modern music. By combining bluegrass instrumentation with rich vocal harmonies the Prozac Mtn Boys create a surprisingly familiar, intimate blend of yesterday and today.

The High Mountain String Band is a progressive bluegrass band based in Bellingham Washington.  The band plays both original compositions and a deep catalog of classic and modern songs.  Always upbeat and up-tempo, the High Mountain String Band blends vocal harmonies with virtuosic instrumental work on the fiddle, banjo, and mandolin.

We are Northwest-style bluegrass focusing on original songs, brother harmonies, and chestnuts from bluegrass and old-time traditions.

Red Sky Riders is a Bellingham band that has performed at local events and commercial venues in Whatcom and Skagit counties since 2017. There are always at least 5 musicians on stage.
We play Americana & Bluegrass.
We are all active in local sessions.