"Armed with banjo, guitar, and a dream, Southern-fried troubadour, Austin Quattlebaum, spreads around his wildly swampy blues and backwoods folk."

-The Sacramento Bee

 

“An upholder of tradition who jolts new light into vintage practices, Quattlebaum’s a talented player…”

-Connect Savannah

 

Quattlebaum, Southern Gent and Banjo Slinger, brings more to the table than just music. With his infectious smile and weird antics, he brings people together; encouraging camaraderie and building community. The singer-songwriter, currently based in Bend, Oregon, tours the country picking and strumming indie-folk songs that are spacious and emotive, and have an implicit groove. When he plays, you can hear the reverberations of the rustic mountains clashing with the breezy ocean. Like a willowy heron, Quattlebaum struts around on stage as the music moves through him, evoking a range of emotions from laughter to longing.  He shares tender moments, where one can almost hear his banjo breathing, then erupts into raucous peaks of unbridled energy—his captivating solo performances take his audiences on a ride.

 

Quattlebaum’s playing style is rooted in traditional southern bluegrass, but his stage presence and improvisational nature have morphed his sound into something all his own. He’s developed his show to be a more complete live experience, switching instruments around on stage from banjo to cello banjo to guitar, and incorporating comedy and funny stories in between songs.

 

After college in Asheville, NC, Quattlebaum hit the road, rambling the countryside in his Volkswagen camper, armed with his banjo, eventually landing in the Sierra foothills near South Lake Tahoe. There, he recorded his first solo album, 2013’s The Ghost Tangled in the Oaks, which has prominent country and bluegrass elements in it. His childhood home of Savannah, GA shines through in the swampy tones and sleepy southern lilt of his banjo.

 

After its release in 2014, Quattlebaum started the Portland band, Crow and the Canyon, which achieved many accolades, notoriety, and big festival plays in their short history. In 2018 they were selected as Cultural Ambassadors for the U.S. State Department’s American Music Abroad Program where they traveled across Africa teaching at music universities, hosting workshops, entertaining diplomats, and collaborating with African bands.

 

Quattlebaum released his follow-up album, EP Vol. 1, in October 2018. The bluegrass and country influences are softly buried underneath the surreal and lonesome, almost vintage folk sounds. Played with sparse instrumentation and a hypnotic air, this new album holds space for his gritty and raw vocals.

Fresh on the heels of his new release and 100+ shows played in 2018, he shows no signs of slowing down. Whether taking the stage with one of his projects or all on his own, Quattlebaum isn't shy and always brings a good time.