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0:00/2:31
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Yonder Mountain 1:060:00/1:06
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Lil Sadie 1:340:00/1:34
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Aint No Grave 1:290:00/1:29
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Cripple Creek 0:590:00/0:59
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Fly Away Mashup 1:300:00/1:30
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Old Home Place 2:310:00/2:31
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Doug's Tune 0:560:00/0:56
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Pretty Daughter 1:450:00/1:45
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Santa Rap 4:260:00/4:26
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0:00/24:14
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I Made It (shrt) 0:550:00/0:55
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0:00/0:56
The Pickle Blurb
Pickled Okra is in an entirely different category of Americana string band. Skirting the edges of many genres, their sound and style is perhaps the child of bluegrass married with funk, reggae, rockabilly, and some other surprises. At the core of it all is the Pickled Okra duo: Todd and Paisley Gray, a charmingly quirky yet well-dressed ol’ married couple. Their intricate harmonies weave together with the high tones of mandolin, and low bellows of the upright bass. Banjo is often added to the mix, and dished out with expertise by one of several renowned local masters. They have gained recognition for delighting audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest, and their recordings have attracted the attention of music industry fixtures as far away as the UK.
Endorsements
High Res Photos
Notable Gigs
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Nectar Lounge
12/17/2016 :: Seattle, WA -
Wintergrass
3/2/2013 :: Bellevue, WA -
Historic Everett Theatre
2/16/2013 :: Everett, WA -
Brandi Carlile's wedding
9/28/2012 :: Enumclaw, WA -
George Washington BG Fest
9/15/2012 :: George, WA -
Wild & Scenic Music Fest
8/25/2012 :: Leavenworth, WA -
Rockygrass (band competition)
7/28/2012 :: Lyons, CO -
Folklife Music Fest
5/28/2012 :: Seattle, WA -
The Wilma Theatre
2/9/2012 :: Missoula, MT -
Byrnes Performing Arts Center
12/10/2011 :: Arlington, WA -
Wild & Scenic Music Fest
8/27/2011 :: Leavenworth, WA -
Folklife Music Fest
5/28/2010 :: Seattle, WA
Discography
In a Pickle
The first CD filled with traditional bluegrass songs and some not so traditional
- Doug's Tune
- Still Haven't Found (yes THAT Still haven't found)
- Yonder Mountain (by Tony Markey)
- Lil Sadie
- Aint No grave
- Cripple Creek
- Fly Away Mashup
- LIl Maggie
- Purdy Daughter
- Sugarland Run
- Ruthie
- Rocky Top
A Pickled Christmas
The Second CD of pickled holiday tunes
- Joy To World
- Jingle Bells
- Blue Christmas
- Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer
- Santa Baby
- Away in a Manger
- Deck the Halls
- O Holy Night
- Santa Rap
Sounds Like Chicken
The Third CD nothing but originals on this one
- Rainbow Dreams-Todd
- No Rest For The Wicked-Todd
- Stringtime In The Summer-Todd
- Waste Our Precious Time-Tony
- Round Pond-Todd
- I Made It-Todd
- Mattie Hackett-Paisley
- Blood Moon-Tony
- Won’t You Tell Me Darlin-Todd & Paisley
- Roots Music-Paisley
- My Friend Bill-Paisley
- You And Me-Todd & Paisley
News & Reviews
Sounds Like Chicken Reviews
:: R2 (Rock n Reel) Magazine
Husband and wife Todd and Paisley Gray and their banjo-wielding friend, Tony Markey, prove that old-time bluegrass is not the property soley of those who have assimilated it from an early age in its spiritual heartlands. Pickled Okra are based in Seattle although Todd is from Maine and Markey is Alaskan. 'Sounds Like Chicken' is infused with the type of optimism that endears even curmudgeonly reviewers to Jonathan Richman or Barenaked Ladies and the sunny disposition of most of the lyrical content spills over into the pappable joy of the Okras' melodies and edgy harmonies. Even when there's been a storm the previous night, in 'Stringtime In the Summer', the corn is drying and we can have a bluegrass jam and a picnic. And what is it about these down-home tunes that demand a song about the delights of home cooking? In the marvellous list song 'Roots Music', the virtues of combining natural food ingredients into soul food are lip-smackingly extolled. Yet an album highpoint is 'Mattie Hackett' - a strident, bleak murder ballad, written and sung by Paisley, proof that Pickled Okra have versatility to match their admirable writing and instrumental prowess.
... David Innes :: July 11, 2012
:: California Bluegrass Association
Pickled Okra rolls off the tongue and for those folks not fond of this particular vegetable, there may a moment of tasteful pondering. Regardless of your culinary leanings, this tasty CD is worth contemplating. Todd and Paisley Gray are joined by Tony Markey on banjo and their delightful old-timey look at life produced a harvest of original songs filled with bouncy rhythms, intriguing lyric juxtapositions and a sense of humor that tickled the senses. The opening song "Rainbow Dreams" is filled with images of piled laundry, wandering cats and the musings of a unemployed singer who is "home alone and wasting time. The band's mix of mandolin, banjo and bass has a bright, happy bounce that has echoes of Dixieland strums that makes you want to tap your toes and swing your feet. Tony's instrumental "Blood Moon, " features a tantalizing mandolin solo balanced by a trailing banjo. "Won't You Tell Me Darlin" is a courting song with classic song references - mountain dew, mending socks, and fixing cabins against a instrumental blend of banjo and mandolin. Another Paisley original is "Roots Music" with tributes to carrots, potatoes, turnips and beans in a stew. "My Friend Bill" salutes Bill Monroe and includes references to footprints in the snow, a horse named Molly, Uncle Pen accompanied by a hard-driving banjo. Yummy!
... BRENDA and the Review :: May 7, 2012
"Sounds Like Chicken" -- the Featured Record of the week in London!
"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."
... Barry Everitt from House of Mercy Radio :: April 7th, 2012
:: Seattle Weekly
An Old-Timey Bluegrass Jamboree
"Un-traditional bluegrass" band, steadfast buskers, and husband and wife based Pickled Okra return with their third full length release Sounds Like Chicken, a jumpy, carefree 12-song collection of original string tunes. Offset by banjo picker Tony Markey, Todd and Paisley Gray weave a bygone-era bluegrass sound through spirited harmonies, instrumentals, a murder ballad, and a little whimsy. This rootsy team plays with verve and sings with glee, and their bubbly style will have you humming right along.
... Gwendolyn Elliott :: Jan. 30 2011