Bio
The prairies of Manitoba may be a long way from the South Eastern USA, but Spring Thaw delivers Bluegrass with drive and style to warm up even the coldest Canadian winter.
Though formed in early 2011, the band is made up of some of Manitoba's top Bluegrass and Roots musicians and has a growing following at festivals and venues around the province.
Check out our video (above) for a taste of our Show...
Spring Thaw is:
Aaron Burnett -- Aaron has performed across Canada with some of Manitoba's best known bluegrass musicians from the Slavek Hanzlik Band to The Ain't No Mountain Boys, The Keystone Bluegrass Quartet and The Dry River Boys. Aaron is a Juno nominee and Prairie Music Award nominee and is known as one of Western Canada's favourite Children's musicians.
Rob Ivany -- Rob grew up in Niagara Falls Ontario. He heard bluegrass and gospel music from an early age and one of his uncles, the late Rex Yetman, was a founding member of pioneering Canadian bluegrass band, The York County Boys. He played in a family gospel group in southern Ontario, and country-gospel in Manitoba, Alberta and Texas.
Kelly Dueck -- Considered one of the top Scruggs-style banjo players in the province, Kelly got hooked on the 5-String banjo as a teenager, thanks to Beverly Hillbillies re-runs. He still cites Scruggs as his major influence, though shades of JD Crowe show up in his playing, as well. Kelly has performed at festivals and in concert all over Manitoba and Saskatchewan including the Northern Lights Bluegrass Festival, the Cripple Creek Bluegrass festival and others.
Eric Ross -- Eric is one of Manitoba's top young fiddle players. Comfortable in a variety of styles, Eric has dived headfirst into Bluegrass and knows how to pull bluesy, syrupy licks like a champ. Eric has finished in the top 10 at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Contest.
Tim Taves -- Tim is one of Winnipeg's most musical bassists. Comfortable slapping funk as easily as he is caressing lyrical jazz solos out of his bass, Tim likes to relax with bluegrass -- and quantum mechanics -- while completing his Ph.D. in physics at the University of Winnipeg.
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