When it comes to movers and shakers in the bluegrass world, Full Cord is a super-group on the rise.

After winning the prestigious 2022 Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition in Colorado, the Michigan-based group followed that with another much-coveted honor when the International Bluegrass Music Association named Full Cord its “Momentum Award Band of the Year.”

While mandolinist Brian Oberlin notes the band’s music “is new and fresh to the ears of seasoned bluegrass fans,” the bluegrass traditions in Full Cord have deep roots.

The group’s members – Oberlin, guitarist Eric Langejans, bassist Todd Kirchner and fiddler Grant Flick – boast decades of musical artistry, with experience in popular performing bands from Michigan to Oregon. And with the recent addition of award-winning, Colorado-based banjoist Ricky Mier, Full Cord is poised to take the next step in its journey as a bluegrass powerhouse: The band’s debut album on Nashville’s Dark Shadow Recordings is set to drop in 2023.

Full Cord’s songwriting has reached a new “tipping point,” Manager Katie Kirchner suggests, enhanced by the group’s vast repertoire and robust experience in numerous band projects over the years.

And Oberlin insists the band is “just hitting its stride” – ready to follow in the footsteps of fellow Michigan bluegrass icons Billy Strings and Greensky Bluegrass as yet another star in the making.

Born from the tradition of Bluegrass jams and potlucks, The Plate Scrapers — Derek Kretzer (banjo), Andrew Jordan (guitar), Robbie Mann (fiddle), Jody Mosser (dobro), and Kevin Johnson (bass) — have been putting in the work and showcasing their love for the genre since 2014. They have since released 3 studio albums, 3 live albums, and have toured relentlessly up and down the east coast and into the midwest. In 2019, they won the Podunk Bluegrass Telefunken Band Contest. They have been featured on WAMU Bluegrass Country Radio, performed as an IBMA Official Showcase artist, and their latest release, Destination Horizon (2020) debuted at #9 on the Bluegrass Album Billboard charts with rave reviews from Bluegrass Today. 

As a band that strives to maintain a healthy equilibrium between their diverse musical backgrounds and the traditional Appalachian sounds, they have wowed audiences across the entire spectrum. This progressively minded Bluegrass act truly feels at home on any stage. They’ve provided direct support for bluegrass legends such as The Seldom Scene, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, and Larry Keel. On the other side of that coin, they aren’t afraid to get weird at a late night festival slot and have become well known for their tastefully balanced and refreshingly diverse song-writing. Catch their live show and you’ll be sure to receive a full helping of hard-driving bluegrass favorites and heart-wrenching country ballads. Dig into their recorded originals, however, and you’ll find tracks ranging from thoughtful folk lyricism to gritty tales of harrowing adventure. ​

The Plate Scrapers passion for bluegrass and performing shines thru their music and performances.  Such is evident in their musical prowess and creative chemistry on stage, guaranteeing a unique and immersive experience each time. The band continues to be fueled by loyal fans and an unrelenting drive to continue moving forward…casually.