THE BAND

The Lykens Valley Bluegrass Band have been entertaining audiences since around 1980. Based in central PA, they play mostly in that area, occasionally crossing the state borders. It was soon after their inception when they entered a band contest and won recording time at Green Valley Studios. Since then they have shared the stage with many of the top acts in bluegrass, as well as Willie Nelson, Confederate Railroad, Billy Walker and Jack Greene. They try to keep a nice mix of traditional & contemporary tunes in their set list. They also offer some original material, as well as the occasional country song if the mood strikes.

RON ETZWEILER - MANDOLIN, VOCALS

When Ron was a young boy at home, the family would have Charles Chips delivered to the house. It didn't take long for Ron to use the chip cans to construct his first drum kit. When the "chip man" would no longer accept the cans for return, Paul decided to buy Ron a proper kit. Ron played drums in local rock bands. Then one day while listening to a tape of his dad playing bluegrass back in the 50's, Ron's musical interest was shifted in that direction. He has written a number of songs for the band. His first one, Lykens Valley, made it to the quarterfinals in the International Song Writing contest. His influences include Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs and John Duffey. He still likes a variety of music & still enjoys drumming when he gets the chance.

JASON ETZWEILER - GUITAR, VOCALS

By the time Jason came of age, the LVBB were already established. This was ok because, like his big brother Ron, Jason's first love was the drums. (Since there was already a set in the house, there was no need for chip cans.) Their dad Paul would often say "By the time Ron started playing bluegrass & the house was relatively quiet, Jason came along & it all started up again!" Jason was exposed to bluegrass at a very young age, but didn't actually join up with the boys until he was about 18. His influences include Tony Rice, New Grass Revival and Jeff White. Like Ron, he also listens to a wide variety of music and still drums when he gets the chance.

ERIC TROUTMAN - BASS, VOCALS

Eric got his start at a very young age when his grandfather bought him his first mandolin. At age 9, he began playing the tenor banjo with "pap" in their square dance group. Once he started attending bluegrass festivals, he and a few other young pickers ended up forming Second Edition. During his time with them, he toured much of the east coast. After a few years, they disbanded. This was just around the time that the LVBB were in need of a bass player. So we signed him up for a lifetime term! Eric can play just about anything he gets his hands on. His influences include Ricky Skaggs, Doyle Lawson and The Lonesome River Band.

DISCLAIMER:
I had nothing to do with the "rambling daydream" that you are about to read. I "cut" it, "paste" it and "publish" it. --Thanks.

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STEVE SHELHAMER - BANJO

Steve Shelhamer has been playing the banjo since he was just a little "redneck" 36 years ago. His is a story of just how dangerous a fascination with bluegrass banjo can be. You see, Steve started off as a "casual user" of bluegrass music in the 60s. Back then, it wasn't cool to let anyone know you loved bluegrass. If people thought you liked bluegrass music, they may have been seen huddling together, murmuring about what kind of an uneducated "hillbilly" you must be to drink in that twangy stuff. So Steve stayed "in the closet" about his musical preferences for years. He'd go out in the barn or in his car, sometimes on his transistor radio, (with ear plug attachment) and secretly listen to stations like WSM or WWVA Wheeling Jamboree...always ready to quickly change the dial should someone come. He'd hear the likes of Bill Monroe, Lester and Earl, Sonny and Bobby etc. At first it was only on weekends. He'd tell himself that it was OK to love bluegrass music and that listening to bluegrass music wasn't doing any permanent harm. But then he started listening more and more and later and later into the night. He began to think about the music while at work. He soon found himself memorizing words and singing along to Stanley Brothers songs with hard core fanatics. It began to effect his concentration, as if slipping into some bizarre psychosis. Steve was soon seen wandering around Berwick with the residents of the Home for the Bewildered, singing "Rollin In My Sweet Baby's Arms". One day several of Steve's friends were hiding in the barn to see if all they'd heard was true. They watched as Steve snuck in...He checked through the barn board cracks carefully to be sure that he hadn't been followed. When he thought the coast was clear, he tuned the transistor to WSM, where he began to sing along with Reno and Smiley's "I Know Your Married But I Love You Still". That was enough to remove all doubt. They quickly confronted him, scolding and condemning him. They warned him of the dangers of a life time of bluegrass music...and what about his family? He reassured them he wasn't "hooked" and could quit any time he wanted to. Well to make a long story short, Steve was only kidding himself. The damage to his brain had already been done. Too many brain cells had been fried on bluegrass by then. Several prominent doctors at Geisinger have examined Steve, and have requested that his brain be put in a jar of Dave Hampton's apple cider, for preservation upon his death. Several other doctors have recommended a complete frontal lobotomy as the best prognosis for Steve. Unfortunately, in recent months, things have not gotten better for Steve's condition. He's acquired several pre-war Gibson banjos, and fancies himself some type of Frankenstein cross between Earl Scruggs, Sammy Shelor, Ron Stewart, and Jim Mills, and to make matters much worse, it seems in one final suicidal move, Steve's joined the Lykens Valley Bluegrass Band. He's truly slipped into the bluegrass abyss!

See you soon!!!