2008 Woodie Awards
The Butcher's Legs cut their own slice of American music
Ben Turner/ Verge editor
Issue date: 4/18/03 Section: The Verge
Local quartet The Butchers Legs offers a unique musical experience to patrons because the group's sound is a little a bit country and a little bit rock 'n' roll. While many might consider it bluegrass, banjo player Levi Wollen-Danner said the band does feature bluegrass instrumentation but old-time string music would be a more accurate description.
Wollen-Danner and guitarist Joshua Alford have been friends for some time. During their time at Charleston High, the tandem frequently jammed together as well as playing with other local musicians like the Quinlan Brothers, who now play in the Bloomington/Normal-based Bottle of Justus and multi-talented musician Joel Schute, who is now based in the Chicagoland area. Alford called their project, which was known as Folks Wagon, a substantial high school band saying they had quite a few original songs.
"After high school we went different ways musically and physically," Alford said.
Last Spring, Alford and Wollen-Danner began playing live together again, performing at The Uptowner and Friends & Co. as well as various open mics. They met stand-up bassist J.B. Fairies through a mutual friend and mandolin player Ryan Boyles introduced himself to the duo at a bar one night and became the final piece to the quartet that would later become The Butcher's Legs.
Wollen-Danner said Alford has a ton of original material the band has centered its live sets around. Although it may be difficult for many patrons to differentiate original material from the covers, Wollen-Danner said the band does perform traditional numbers that are part of the public domain, typically changing the songs around.
Wollen-Danner's father David Danner played banjo with former local outfit The Indian Creek Delta Boys. The group frequently recorded its practices and Wollen-Danner said he listens to some of the band's old tapes. After participating in multiple picking parties with his father and other local musicians, Wollen-Danner also picked up the older, clawhammer style of a banjo playing, which is more of a downstroke or strumming style. Danner said it gets its name from the shape you hand makes, which looks like the claw end of a hammer. He also has began playing his father's banjo.
Wollen-Danner and guitarist Joshua Alford have been friends for some time. During their time at Charleston High, the tandem frequently jammed together as well as playing with other local musicians like the Quinlan Brothers, who now play in the Bloomington/Normal-based Bottle of Justus and multi-talented musician Joel Schute, who is now based in the Chicagoland area. Alford called their project, which was known as Folks Wagon, a substantial high school band saying they had quite a few original songs.
"After high school we went different ways musically and physically," Alford said.
Last Spring, Alford and Wollen-Danner began playing live together again, performing at The Uptowner and Friends & Co. as well as various open mics. They met stand-up bassist J.B. Fairies through a mutual friend and mandolin player Ryan Boyles introduced himself to the duo at a bar one night and became the final piece to the quartet that would later become The Butcher's Legs.
Wollen-Danner said Alford has a ton of original material the band has centered its live sets around. Although it may be difficult for many patrons to differentiate original material from the covers, Wollen-Danner said the band does perform traditional numbers that are part of the public domain, typically changing the songs around.
Wollen-Danner's father David Danner played banjo with former local outfit The Indian Creek Delta Boys. The group frequently recorded its practices and Wollen-Danner said he listens to some of the band's old tapes. After participating in multiple picking parties with his father and other local musicians, Wollen-Danner also picked up the older, clawhammer style of a banjo playing, which is more of a downstroke or strumming style. Danner said it gets its name from the shape you hand makes, which looks like the claw end of a hammer. He also has began playing his father's banjo.
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