Henhouse Prowlers
THE HENHOUSE PROWLERS ARE BLUEGRASS AMBASSADORS.
Founded two decades ago with the simple desire to play original and powerful bluegrass, this Chicago-bred quartet now finds themselves at the intersection of performance, diplomacy, and education.
Onstage, the group's enthralling performances give audiences a sense of how much they love what they do. On record – including their latest offering, 2023’s Lead and Iron, released via Dark Shadow Recording – the band explores their collective life experiences through songwriting and intricate instrumentation. While bluegrass is the undeniable foundation of the Prowlers’ music, the band bends and squeezes the traditional form into a keenly developed sound all their own.
Working with the U.S. State Department and under their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors, the Prowlers have toured over 25 countries across the globe. The group's experiences with people and musicians across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East have shaped the band’s worldview and broadened the group’s direction towards bridging cultural gaps with music, educational programs, and workshops. Using traditional American music as a foundation, connecting folk music, customs, and history the world over, the Prowlers incorporate international elements into their already robust repertoire of unique traditional American music.
Whether playing live or presenting seminars, wherever they are, the Henhouse Prowlers find and spread the commonality we share as human beings through the universal language of music. You can feel it at every show.
On The Trail
On the Trail is a modern acoustic band that explores everything from bluegrass to contemporary pop, from stunning instrumentals to beautiful traditional songs. The group was founded through their love of bluegrass and the band the Punch Brothers. They have already gained recognition and praise for their exploration and strong execution of the challenging music, as well as for their new original music. Most recently, On the Trail had the honor of winning the 2022 Thomas Point Beach Band Competition after participating in 2021’s Telefunken Battle of the Bands at the Podunk Bluegrass Festival. They also were selected as an Emerging Artist at Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival 2023. On The Trail features Austin Scelzo (fiddle and vocals), Tom Polizzi (mandolin and vocals), Charlie Widmer (guitar and vocals) and Matt Curley (upright bass and vocals). Their debut self-titled EP On the Trail is also available for streaming on all platforms.