Pickled Okra
old-fangled new-fashioned music

If Pickled Okra’s special brand of Americana music could be described, you might call it “old-school, porch-settin’, sing into a can-style bluegrass”. If you ask one of the members of the band they’ll tell you it's “ham and cheese grass”. Either way this group made up of two married couples (all characters in their own right), is undeniably charming and entertaining - not to mention pretty darn talented. Yes they know their bluegrass licks and aren’t afraid to show ‘em off, but their music is full of ideas borrowed from old time fiddle tunes, jazzy delta blues, pop, rock, reggae and funk as well, for a sound that is timeless yet modern in it's own quirky way. It’s kind of like stepping back in time, but with indoor plumbing.

They have a special appeal, partly because they dole out “Pickled” versions of pop/rock tunes (by the likes of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Bob Marley, to name a few). It’s also because of their playful antics, single mic choreography, dressing in early appalachian finery, and being, as one fan put it, “like raw milk - no BHT”. They’ve gained recognition in the Pacific Northwest and beyond for their performances, having appeared at such venues as....

  • The Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle, WA.
  • The Wild and Scenic Music Festival in Leavenworth, WA.
  • The George Washington Bluegrass Festival in George WA.
  • You will be able to see them at Wintergrass in Bellevue, WA. on March 1st and 2nd, 2013
     
  • Always eager to play, they also keep busy doing weddings, farm parties, corporate and city events, pubs, cafes, and farmer’s markets. They love to perform, and no matter how small or big the venue, they always make folks feel like they’re guests right there on the front porch of an old mountain cabin.

    Please like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/pickledokra we're trying to get to 1000 - only 592 to go!!!

    Pickle log...

    Some Footage with Spoonman at the Port Townsend Vaudeville Festival!

    Heres the youtube video

    Busking Season is here! See this video of us at the Portland Farmers Market

    Our new friend John Hart of New Folk Radio fame invited us down to Portland to try out the farmers market busking in his neck of the woods... He just posted this awesome video he made of us --- http://youtu.be/mm5UBljQG4A  it's pretty classic Pickled Okra ...
    THANKS JOHN!!! check out his cool website http://www.DesktopConcerts.com  to see some of his other interviews...

    Thanks to all of you- Get on the Calendar!

    Thanks to all of you who can out to see us in 2012 - It was amazing year! In Feb we had our 1st multi state tour (6 states over the course of a month). In March we played on Pepper Proud's first CD. In April we had our first Karaokegrass. In May Paisley lost her dear mother Ruby Erck not the first death in her life but the first loss of a parent - not fun. In June we enjoyed our 2nd annual Fifty Fest out in Mawntana (I know, thats not a first but it's noteworthy). In July we experienced our first band …

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    We played Brandi Carlile's wedding!

    Hi! Teresa here.....Brandi's Mom! I cannot thank you all enough for making the wedding such an amazing nite! You were absolutely WONDERFUL! So gracious , Fun , and extremely talented! You are by far one of the most talented groups I have EVER seen! Brandi told me you were great , but I could not have imagined just HOW great! We were completely blown away at your talent! You made the evening soooo Fun and memorable!!!
    We will Never forget it!! Thank You! ~ Thank You!


    Pickled Okra will be performing at Wintergrass this year!

    Wintergrass 2013 Lineup

    The Seldom Scene
    The David Grisman Sextet
    Peter Rowan and the Travelin’ McCourys
    California
    Laurie Lewis and the Right Hands
    Della Mae
    The Cleverlys
    Sarah Jarosz
    18 South
    Hills to Holler
    Mollie O'Brien
    Spinney Brothers
    Matuto
    Pert Near Sandstone
    Darol Anger and the Furies
    The Kenny and Amanda Smith Band
    The Deadly Gentlemen
     and ---->  PICKLED OKRA!!!!

    California Bluegrass Association says...

    Brenda over at the CBA wrote a nice article about us - and nestled it right in between her thoughts about David Grisman and  Wintergrass favorites "Red Wine".
    Thanks Brenda!

    Click the image below to enlarge it so you can read it...

    "Sounds Like Chicken" -- the Featured Record of the week in London!

    Barry Everitt from House of Mercy Radio show in London says...
    "Our Record of the week comes from Seattle Washington:  A husband and wife team.  Pickled Okra's latest recording 'Sounds Like Chicken' is a unique twist on bluegrass and roots music.  Along with banjo picker Tony Markey, we have Mrs. Paisley Gray on stand up bass & husband Todd Gray on mandolin. They all harmonize and share the vocals.  They all write, and this record is a combined piece of, as they describe it, un-traditional oldtimey bluegrass."

    Listen in at www.houseofmercy.tv/store.htm
    (scroll to the bottom and click on "week ending April 7th")

    Big Sky Documentary Film Festival at The Wilma Theater in Missoula

    We played at the BigSky Documentary Film Festival in Missoula, Montana, and just got some pictures from one of the phtographers  so we thought we'd share them...




    Here is a really nice video of us put together by one fo the film students...

    Pickled Okra from Big Sky Film Fest on Vimeo.

    Wild West Tour

    Just getting around to updating the website since our wild west tour in feb. Heres a quick run down Jan 30th - Olympia Great show at Charlies - our friends The Oly Mountain Boys showed us some real southern washington hospitality --- thanks guys! Jan 31st - Portland We got to play at the Alberta Street Pub , a place we've admired from afar for years- great sound and really nice people. Feb 1st - Eugene We popped into the open mic at Cozmic Pizza where we had a really warm reception and got invivted back …

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    Play Audio Blackbird Studio - I Made it (and "bike" intro)

    Download MP3 Subscribe with iTunes

    Darrington bluegrass festival

    I ran accross thie great article about the Darrington bluegrass festival -and after visiting the jam a few weeks ago I thought I'd share a piece of it ... READ THE WHOLE ARTICLE HERE   Travel Washington: Darrington’s bluegrass thrives in Evergreen State --Written On: March/April 2008 -- Written By: Richard S. Davis ...Roy Morgan , a retired logger and one of [Darrinton Bluegrass] Festival's founders, came to Darrington in 1958 at 19. “I knew some people here, and the …

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    Reading "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone" a Carter Family History

    Can you imagine coming from a place called Poor Valley? Not the most elegant of names - but I suppose Missoula isn't all that great either hu? I love the stories of how unpretentious the Carter Family Group was - and how they influenced so many famous musicians. It reminded me how much I want to learn the words to Wildwood Flower. That is such a poetic little ditty... I have heard so much about how they influenced such legends as Chet Atkins, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. …

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    Enter the Lair

     



    YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!
    We're on a mission to get 1000 fans before the year is over.
    SO please help spread the word.

    Did you know that if you like us AND you click the "like" button, then post something on our fanpage all your friends can see what you write about us. That way they can more easily be enticed into the lair that is Pickled Okra... mooo ha ha ha DO it DO it - you know you want to !

    OUR FACEBOOK FANPAGE

    Rielly Springs Jamboree

    I ran across this website the other day that tells about the Reilly Springs Jamboree in Texas. I have heard about this jamboree my whole life, from my dad, Lou Erck who started it back in the fifties along with Bob and Joe Shelton. Having only ever heard about it from vague mentions here and there from my dad and my brother (who was a teenager at the time), I had no idea what it was really like till I read about it here ... In my mind - it was a small event that only existed a few …

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    Play Audio Rielly Springs Jamboree

    Download MP3 Subscribe with iTunes

    The Role of Music Copyright in the Digital Age...

    I ran across a really great document about music copyrights (according to ASCAP) http://www.ascap.com/rights/pdf/ASCAP_BillOfRights_Position.pdf Who Should Read This Paper? This paper is intended for a broad audience. Rather than addressing itself to those already versed in copyright law, this paper is designed to speak to those united by an interest in better understanding the role of music copyright in the digital age. The reader might be a young songwriter trying to promote his or her works without …

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    Review from David Innes of the UK based magazine:





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    Sounds Like Chicken

    Sounds Like Chicken

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    Booking: Paisley Gray >>>>> pickledokraband @ gmail . com