The Mississippi Sawyers

The Mississippi Sawyers feature Jeff Griffy on guitar as well as lead and harmony vocals. From 2001 through 2005 Jeff filled the guitar position with David Davis and the Warrior River Boys and you can hear him on the self titled 2004 album on Rebel Records. Jeff co-wrote and arranged many of the songs on The Mississippi Sawyers new CD to be released in the fall of 2009. Mandolin player, Dave Mueller, has been playing in various bluegrass bands in the Missouri and Illinois area while fine tuning his lead and harmony vocals as well as polishing his own mandolin style. You can catch Dave teaching bluegrass ensemble and harmony vocals at the Folk School of St. Louis. Dave's a talented writer and produced some fine songs for the new CD including "Is This Goodbye", "Wasted Time", "Rise and Shine", as well as co-writing "Time Time Time". On banjo, we welcome JOSH SMITH. Josh is no stranger to the bluegrass scene, but is a new face to The Mississippi Sawyers lineup beginning in the 2010 season. Josh was a former bandmate of Jeff’s, also performing with David Davis and the Warrior River Boys from approximatly 1998 until his departure from the band in the summer of 2005. Over the past few years he has been touring with Gerald Evans and Paradise as well as filling in with acclaimed bands such as the Wildwood Valley Boys out of Indiana. He is an important addition and shares his passion with the entire band. Jeff and Josh had always hoped to have the chance to once again play together, and we are happy to say, that time has come. Josh currently makes him home in Florence, Kentucky. Lastly, there is Candice Hale on upright bass. Candice is originally from a small town in Maryland and has spent the past few years studying and learning from some of the best bluegrass musicians in St. Louis and now sings the occasional tenor and high baritone part. Candice and Jeff have co-written some great songs for the cd such as, "Drivin' Heartache", "Bringing My Darlin' Home", "A Soldier's Wife", "The Night is Dark" and the newest song "Wanted Man". The Mississippi Sawyers' new CD features the haunting title track "The Sunken Road" which Candice and Jeff together composed honoring the Antietam battlefield in Sharpsburg, Maryland that claimed so many lives during the Civil War.

The Mississippi Sawyers can perform those traditional bluegrass songs that first captivated all of us and still be able to blend their own musical style to create a unique sound that we’re sure you won’t find with any other band.