The Green Grass Boys

The Green Grass Boys combine folk, bluegrass and alternative country musics with guitar, fiddle, harmonica and banjo to drive the group’s large cache of original songs and unique old standard arrangements. The Green Grass Boys have been performing for more than 25 years in and around Florida under many different names and... combinations. Banjo champion Jack Piccalo from Green Cove Springs, Mandolin/fiddler Joe Smith from Jacksonville, Florida State Fiddle champ Elan Chalford from Palm Harbor, harmonica wizard T.C. Carr of Gulfport and guitarist Pete Gallagher of St. Petersburg -- those are the Green Grass Boys. The band is often joined, also, by guitar man Raiford Starke and slide guitar king Dr. Blues. A special feature of the group is their expert exploration into the music of the greatest Florida fiddlers – Vassar Clements, Ervin T. Rouse, Arthur Smith, Chubby Anthony and Chubby Wise -- breathing new fire into old classics like “Lonesome Fiddle Blues,” “Bill Cheetham,” “Faded Love,” “Florida Blues”and the “Orange Blossom Special.” Their original songs cover the Florida landscape, from their “Suwannee River 2023” call to attention to “Chokoloskee,” about the last beautiful days of a SW Florida fishing village. From the “Devil West Down to Georgia” and “Mama Tried” to “Minor Swing,” “Dixie Hoedown” “Girl From Immokalee,” “Dog Paw Tea” and “Dog Peter Gnats. ” you won’t soon run across another band quite like the eclectic, always entertaining, Green Grass Boys.

A half hour Green Grass Boys performance, featuring guitarist/harmonicat Raiford Starke, is preserved on the Internet here. Their unique version of the “Orange Blossom Special” can be viewed here.