Rich green stuff

Named after a place down in Tennessee, local band Mossy Creek, at just under a year old, is the most recent addition to Chico’s bluegrass scene.

The members of Mossy Creek are a talented bunch of singers and instrumentalists. There’s lead vocalist and guitarist Erin Haley (ex-Chico City Light Opera); Dean Mott on lead/harmony vocals, dobro and guitar; Pat Haley (he and Mott are also in local top-40 band Magic) on banjo, dobro, guitar and harmony vocals; Christine Hogan (ex-String Nation) on fiddle and harmony vocals; Kim Gimbal (Spark ‘N Cinder, et al.) on mandolin and harmony vocals; and Lancer Hardy (ex-Crazygrass) on electric bass.

At this Sunday-afternoon concert, Mossy Creek’s cover of the Ian & Sylvia song “Someday Soon” was nicely done, though I would have liked to have heard Erin Haley’s voice mike turned up a bit. She has a great voice but, especially when she sang unaccompanied lead, was a hair too soft at times.

Mott’s lead singing (he tends to sing back-up in this group) is very refreshing. He has a voice that really shines in this genre when given the opportunity. Flatt & Scruggs’ “Polka on a Banjo,” with Mott singing lead, was a whole lot of fun. Mott and Erin Haley harmonize very well together. Their duet on Hank Williams’ “I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome” (of Bill Monroe fame) was crisp and captivating.

Mossy Creek’s cover of the Rhonda Vincent a cappella four-part harmony stunner "Fishers of Men" was an ambitious endeavor, but the two Haleys (father and daughter), Mott and Gimbal (on excellent bass vocals) pulled it off quite nicely.