Marley's Ghost

Marley’s Ghost moves effortlessly between reggae, folk, blues, Celtic, Gospel, old-time music, bluegrass, Scottish bagpipe tunes and Mardi Gras funk. No wonder that Marley’s Ghost is known as the “One-Band Music Festival". This inspired band uses powerful vocal harmonies and superb instrumentation to drive the music home.

Marley’s Ghost began as a trio in 1986 when Mike Phelan, Dan Wheetman and Jon Wilcox played for a St. Patrick's Day show. Ed Littlefield, Jr. joined soon after when they all came together at Littlefield’s recording studio to work on Wheetman’s solo album. With four notable parts creating a synergistic whole, they banded together as Marley’s Ghost.

DANNY WHEETMAN (baritone vocals, bass, rhythm guitar, fiddle, harmonica, banjo, dobro, lap steel) has toured and recorded with John Denver, played with Itzhak Perlman, opened for Steve Martin, and written a Christmas song for Kermit the Frog. His humor and showmanship provides a focal point for Marley’s Ghost’s upbeat entertainment. Wheetman's great passion is to tell the story of America through music in concert and on stage. When he’s not touring with Marley’s Ghost, he collaborates in the writing, composing, performing and directing of musicals including "Lost Highway" about Hank Williams; “Fire on the Mountain” about coal mining; “Cider House Rules” about abortion; and “It Ain’t Nothing But the Blues”, the Tony Nominated Broadway musical about Black American history. He received the Hollywood Drama Logue Award for musical direction of “Lost Highway.”

JON WILCOX (vocals, mandolin, rhythm guitar, Irish bouzouki) is a singer-songwriter and interpreter of traditional American and British Isles music who first gained national recognition in folk music circles in the 1970s. He plays and records with Marley's Ghost and the Rincon Ramblers, both of which are known for rich vocal harmonies and a de variety of musical styles. A graduate of Stanford Law School and former high school history teacher, Wilcox has been influenced by the tenor vocal styles of Ralph Stanley and Sam Cooke, the songwriting of Van Morrison and Jesse Winchester and the gospel genius of Sweet Honey in the Rock.

MIKE PHELAN (vocals, lead guitars, fiddle, dobro, bass, lap steel) grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where he was inspired at an early age by the great bluegrass and blues players who performed there. In the mid-1970s, he first worked with various bluegrass and old timey bands around Santa Barbara, CA. Later, he settled in the Sonora area, where he soon became the vocal and instrumental mainstay of numerous Mother Lode country, rock and swing bands. A fine singer in the classic country style and soulful lead instrumentalist, Phelan cites guitarists Steve Cropper and B. B. King and Western swing vocalist Tommy Duncan as his major influences.

ED LITTLEFIELD JR. (vocals, pedal steel guitar, Highland bagpipes, keyboards, mandolin, dobro, lead guitar) dove into the Northern California folk music scene as a teen. In the early 1970s, he toured extensively with the Seattle-based Western swing band, Lance Romance, before founding Sage Arts recording studio. One of the most innovative and creative of the new breed of pedal steel guitarists, Ed counts among his major influences Buddy Emmons, Bobby Black, Jerry Garcia and bluegrass greats Flatt and Scruggs.