The Brownsmead Flats (Brownsmead, OR) call themselves a crabgrass band; they make string band music that combines bluegrass with a strong sense of maritime tradition. Members include Dan Sutherland, Ray Raihala, Ned Heavenrich, John Fenton, and Larry Moore. Guitarist, singer, and harmonica player Ned Heavenrich brings a decade of commercial fishing experience to the band’s music, and banjoist and singer Ray Raihala has worked in and around fish markets his whole life. Performing songs like “Astoria’s Bar,” their music finds an enthusiastic audience and common culture at Astoria’s annual FisherPoets’ Gathering.
Bio
The Brownsmead Flats call themselves a crabgrass band; they make string band music that combines bluegrass with a strong sense of maritime tradition. The musicians that make up Brownsmead Flats began playing together in the late 1970s at potlucks and other informal social gatherings. By the mid-1980s, their music had begun to percolate into other areas of community life, including presentations for schoolchildren and benefit concerts for local causes. Each member of the Brownsead Flats brings their own style and talent to the band. Dan Sutherland is featured on the hammered dulcimer, fiddle, and mandolin. Ray Raihala picks the banjo, guitar and mandolin. Ned Heavenrich plays harmonica and guitar. John Fenton keeps the band together rhythmically with the bass, and Larry Moore rounds out the group with his expertise on mandolin and occasional flashes of fancy foot work. The band’s attraction to regional themes, like fishing, comes from personal experience living in the Pacific Northwest. “We like to do a lot of songs about living on the coast or near the coast,” says singer, guitarist, and harmonica player Ned Heavenrich. “That’s an important part of our music.” Ned brings a decade of commercial fishing experience to the band’s music, and banjoist and singer Ray Raihala grew up in a Columbia River gillnetting family. Performing place- and occupation-specific songs like “Astoria’s Bar,” the band finds an especially enthusiastic audience at Astoria’s annual FisherPoets’ Gathering. The Brownsmead Flats repertoire also showcases an unsparing sense of humor, sending up everything from the Lewis and Clark expedition to the annual rainfall. One song recounts the local legend of a loose alligator, supposedly smuggled in from Florida. Their droll humor crops up in conversation when the band members claim they play primarily “for the money.” Following up this tongue-in-cheek remark, is another explanation of what keeps the band going, offered by mandolin player Larry Moore: “You wake up the next day, and you say ‘why do I feel so good?’” The Brownsmead Flats create a festive atmosphere where audiences are encouraged to participate by singing along, doing hand motions, and participating in dances taught by the band. The versatility of the group allows them to generate music for audiences of all ages. Their tight harmonies and enjoyment of making music together translate into an event guaranteed to fill audiences with song and mirth.
