Leigh Gibson & Tony Watt
Tony Watt & Southeast Expressway
Visit my links page for a listing of former performers in Southeast Expressway, other collaborators I've worked with, and various places I've played.
As one half of the powerhouse bluegrass band The Gibson Brothers, Leigh Gibson has made a name for himself as one of the finest purveyors of traditional bluegrass music today. The Gibson Brothers' last four albums have all gone to #1 on the Bluegrass Unlimited chart, an overwhelming achievement due in large part to Leigh's song-writing and singing. Award-winning flatpicking guitarist Tony Watt has been featured in Bluegrass Now and Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, and performed throughout the United States and Europe, including on the Grand Ole Opry with Rounder Recording artist Alecia Nugent. Leigh and Tony make music that is a departure from the traditional full bluegrass band sound. Classic country songs and haunting ballads, along with some of Leigh's favorite material that has been recorded by the Gibsons, the songs truly steal the show.
Taking their name from the primary north-south thoroughfare into downtown Boston, Tony Watt & Southeast Expressway make hard-driving bluegrass music. And as anyone who's ever been on the Southeast Expressway at rush hour would expect... they can definitely jam! Southeast Expressway strives to make modern bluegrass music that is at once both beautiful yet powerful, hip yet traditional.
Award-winning flatpicking guitarist Tony Watt has performed at bluegrass festivals throughout the United States and Europe, on the Grand Ole Opry, and elsewhere. He has been featured in Bluegrass Now Magazine and Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, and currently teaches bluegrass guitar, mandolin and jamming throughout the Northeast. Tony teaches classes, lessons, jam sessions, workshops and Kids' Academies in Cambridge, MA, Albany, NY and points in-between. Tony Watt & Southeast Expressway are available for public and private events; e-mail me at tonywatt@gmail.com for details.
Southeast Expressway features some of the area's most-talented pickers and singers, who also happen to be some of my closest friends:
Flynn Cohen is a talented multi-instrumentalist who performs primarily as an acoustic guitar accompanist for traditional fiddle music. He performs with the band Annalivia, Irish accordion legend John Whelan, progressive fiddle band Halali, and acclaimed dance band The Sevens, in addition to duo performances with fellow trad guitar player Matt Heaton and old-time fiddler Matt Brown. He has performed with numerous Celtic, bluegrass and other traditional musicians including Cathie Ryan, Aoife Clancy, Skip Healy, Adrienne Young & Little Sadie, the Revels, Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble, Malibu Storm, Gail Davies, Boston City Limits, Matt Glaser, John McGann, Jake & Taylor Armerding, Mark Simos, and many more. He has a BA in Music from Dartington College of Arts in Devon, England and an MA in Music Composition from Mills College in California. Flynn was formerly a visiting lecturer in Music at Bridgewater State College and is presently on the Music faculty at Keene State College in New Hampshire.
Born and raised in Western Michigan, Grace studied violin and piano at a young age until she discovered the banjo in high school. Grace built a 5-string prototype that won 2nd place in a statewide Science Olympiad. She received multiple scholarships to attend East Tennessee State University’s prestigious Bluegrass, Old-Time and Country Music program. As both a banjo player and vocalist, Grace has toured throughout the United States and Europe, including performances at MerleFest, the Ulster American Folk Festival (Omagh, Ireland) and the International Folkdance Festival (Palma De Mallorca, Spain). Grace currently plays banjo and sings with Boston's hottest new bluegrass band, Della Mae. In addition to her various bluegrass endeavors, Grace also works as a graphic designer and fabric artist.
Sam has been playing guitar, banjo and Dobro since he was 14. He is known for his high energy performing and outside the box approach to bluegrass. He has an eclectic musical background and is not afraid to admit that he loves both Scruggs, Sondheim and Schubert. He also likes Schrödinger, though not much of a musician, he was one heck of a physicist (Sam's other love in life). Sam regularly plays guitar and sings with his Boston-based band Red Hot Black Top.
Beginning his mandolin career in the Carolinas and making his way up to New England via Washington D.C., Ben Pearce has played bluegrass mandolin all over the east coast. Currently playing with Rhode Island's Pegheads and various other New England bands, Ben is also a builder of violins, guitars and mandolins. Don't let his youthful appearance fool you! He knows a huge variety of tunes, songs and mandolin styles as a result of his careful study with many of the first generation mandolin giants. A woodworker since middle school, and also a designer, architect, and multi-instrumentalist, Ben Pearce had his first opportunity to focus his talents to the art of lutherie while attending graduate school at the Rhode Island School of Design. Now operating his own shop, The Outlier Workshop is Ben's outlet for his passion for the ridiculous and the sublime. His aims are nothing short of making the best mandolins and guitars in the world.