Loafer's Glory

Presented By: Caltech Folk Music Society

You may not have heard of this group, but once you hear them sing and play, you'll never forget them. Loafer's Glory brings together four of the finest musicians in Southern California bluegrass and old time music. As is often the case in bluegrass, they're a part-time band, with each of the members being involved in other projects. Their singing is truly exceptional.

You have likely heard Herb Pedersen's voice and banjo or guitar in such groups as the Dillards, Desert Rose Band, the Laurel Canyon Ramblers, or perhaps his session work with Emmylou Harris, Lindda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Jennifer Warnes, John Prine, Jesse Winchester, and many others.

Bill Bryson, on upright bass and vocals, is quite a workshorse, playing with a half dozen fine bluegrass bands in Southern California. A former members of the Bluegrass Cardinals and bandmate of Herb in the Desert Rose Band and the Laurel Canyon Ramblers, he also plays with the Grateful Dudes, Bluegrass Etc. (who played here in 2000), the Brombies, and others. He's recorded with Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Glen Campbell, Emmylou Harris, and many others. He's a fine singer, has written some excellent songs, and does a great job as spokesman for the band between songs.

And then there's the Sauber Boys. Tom Sauber has been a fixturein Southern California bluegrass, folk, and traditional music for many years. He is a master on banjo, fiddle, guitar, and mandolin, and a good singer to boot. He has a master's degree in folklore and he is very knowledgable about many aspects of traditional music, as people who heard his show "Ballads, Banjos, and Bluegrass" on KPFK for some 12 years. He plays mostly fiddle in this group, and a very fine fiddler he is.

Patrick Sauber is his son, and he certainly has all the musical talent and love of this kind of music that his dad has. You may have heard him playing banjo with Laurie Lewis and her band at Caltech last year. Patrick is also a multi-talented instrumentalist, though he sticks to mandolin and banjo in this group.