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FeedFeb 22, 2012 07:05 AM WV Sound
Keeping a beat in the Mountain State
The Greens Give Life to the Blues
Photographed by Kendal Montgomery
Hailing from Parkersburg but currently based in Morgantown, The Greens strike a chord with fans across the state.
The band has spent a decade crafting its sound since forming in 2002. Founding members Andy Tuck and Nathan Yoke met while working in Parkersburg. “The reason we called ourselves The Greens is because while our songs and chord progressions are all blues-based, we were doing original music,” Andy says. “It wasn’t necessarily the blues. It became The Greens.”
Drummer Nathan Yoke, bass player Ben Sweeney, and lead vocalist and guitarist Andy Tuck make up the band. The group released two albums last year in a session with Mark Poole’s Zone 8 Recording Studio in Morgantown. The band released Songs for People, a collection of hits the band has written over the years, as well as an instrumental rock album, Rock Saga. Both albums were recorded live in the studio with one take to capture the band’s sound as a cohesive unit, Andy says. “It’s a totally collaborative effort in that each musician is responsible for some aspect of the songwriting,” says Andy. “We don’t pay too much attention to a specific genre; as long as its rock ‘n’ roll—jazz rock, soul rock, bluegrass rock, funk rock, country rock. Within those parameters we try to write songs that are timeless.”
Nathan says the band has tried to pin down its style over the years, but the members’ tastes are so eclectic that the music has become a melting pot. “A long time ago, we tried to figure out how we could classify ourselves, and somehow ‘Appalachian neo-classic rock soul boogaloo’ came out,” he laughs. “It was what we kind of settled on, because we really appreciate and love our Appalachian roots, and we’re never afraid to admit that. We’re more than happy to play a traditional folk or bluegrass song, but we don’t feel stereotyped to stay away from other genres like funk or soul or jazz or reggae or calypso. We literally love all kinds of music.”
The Greens book shows nearly every weekend across the region, and the band plays more than 100 shows yearly.
See The Greens live:
Saturday, March 3, PJ Kelly’s, Clarksburg, WV
Saturday, March 17, Sixpence Pub & Eatery, Parkersburg, WV
Friday, April 20, Gibbie’s Pub & Eatery, Morgantown, WV
Reader Comments:
Hi my name is Nic and I love the Greens. This article has my approval.
The Greens. Yes. I also approve this article.