Last updated: 9 hours ago
The modern bluegrass band Dry Branch Fire Squad is dedicated to bluegrass, old-timey, and Southern gospel music traditions. Mandolin player and comedian Ron Thomason founded the Fire Squad in 1976. The earliest incarnation of the group included guitarist John Baker, banjo player Robert Leach, and bass player John Carpenter. Two years later, Mary Jo Leet became the group's vocalist. Dry Branch Fire Squad released a series of independent releases before signing with Rounder in 1978; they would stay with the venerable roots label for the rest of their career.
The Fire Squad continued to release albums on Rounder throughout the 1980s; standouts included Good Neighbours & Friends (1985) and the gospel-flavored Golgotha from a year later. By 1996's Live! At Last, the group included Thomason, guitarist Adam McIntosh, and banjoist Dan Russell; Mary Jo Leet was joined by her husband, Charlie, on harmonies and acoustic bass. The live album displayed the Fire Squad's penchant not only for traditional bluegrass and other Americana styles, but uproarious comedy as well. Memories That Bless & Burn appeared in 1999. The record mixed older material with new, and featured vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:2Mlqh77i6Ht9fAQwxoNoZz">Suzanne Thomas</a>. The band followed with 2001's Hand Hewn, and continued to be a favorite on the bluegrass and folk festival circuit. A second live album, the double disc Live at the Newburyport Firehouse, was released on Rounder in 2005. In 2007 Rounder released Thirtieth Anniversary Special, a retrospective that included four new tracks, followed by the all new Echoes of the Mountains in 2009. ~ Johnny Loftus, Rovi
The Fire Squad continued to release albums on Rounder throughout the 1980s; standouts included Good Neighbours & Friends (1985) and the gospel-flavored Golgotha from a year later. By 1996's Live! At Last, the group included Thomason, guitarist Adam McIntosh, and banjoist Dan Russell; Mary Jo Leet was joined by her husband, Charlie, on harmonies and acoustic bass. The live album displayed the Fire Squad's penchant not only for traditional bluegrass and other Americana styles, but uproarious comedy as well. Memories That Bless & Burn appeared in 1999. The record mixed older material with new, and featured vocalist <a href="spotify:artist:2Mlqh77i6Ht9fAQwxoNoZz">Suzanne Thomas</a>. The band followed with 2001's Hand Hewn, and continued to be a favorite on the bluegrass and folk festival circuit. A second live album, the double disc Live at the Newburyport Firehouse, was released on Rounder in 2005. In 2007 Rounder released Thirtieth Anniversary Special, a retrospective that included four new tracks, followed by the all new Echoes of the Mountains in 2009. ~ Johnny Loftus, Rovi
Monthly Listeners
7,731
Monthly Listeners History
Track the evolution of monthly listeners over the last 28 days.
Followers
5,582
Followers History
Track the evolution of followers over the last 28 days.
Top Cities
193 listeners
176 listeners
136 listeners
106 listeners
104 listeners
Related Artists
The Bluegrass Cardinals
BlueRidge
Boone Creek
Don Rigsby
Marshall Family
Bluegrass Gospel Project
Cliff Waldron
Joe Mullins
Lost and Found
Buck White
Charlie Monroe
Front Porch String Band
The Nashville Grass
Crowe Brothers
Hubert Cox
Zoe & Cloyd
Cody Shuler & Pine Mountain Railroad
Ralph Stanley II
Nothin' Fancy
Dudley Connell
Alan Bibey & Grasstowne
Nathan Stanley
David Marshall
Chris Davis
The King James Boys
