PRESS RELEASE INFORMATION
BOB CSUGIE: vocals, upright bass
LARRY DEMING: fiddle
STEPHEN K. MILLER: mandolin
DICK NEAL: vocals, banjo
CHUCK O'DONNELL: vocals, guitar
HOE is an acoustic band (guitar, mandolin, fiddle, 5-string banjo, upright bass)--no electric instruments, no percussion. Its music blends bluegrass/old time string band traditions with modern pop ideas. A HOE concert features tight vocal harmony and crisp instrumental accompaniment.
The musicians in HOE came together in 2003 as the studio band on the first solo CD (entitled "HOE") by DICK NEAL (5-string banjo, voice; www.dickneal.com). Soon after the sessions, they decided to begin performing live. So appropriating the name HOE for the band, LIAM BAILEY, STEVE COMBS, and CHRIS TESKEY joined Dick for appearances on stages all over Connecticut.
HOE quickly gained a following and reputation as the act with a fresh, original sound and an unpredictable sense of humor. When Liam and Steve relocated to points west in 2005, they were replaced by BOB CSUGIE (bass, voice), STEPHEN K. MILLER (mandolin), DAN TRESSLER (fiddle, voice), and DAN CARLUCCI (guitar, voice).
Dan and Dan departed in 2008 to concentrate on their own project, STRING FINGERS, and HOE then recruited the talents of LARRY DEMING (fiddle, voice) to fill out the sound.
The current lineup features CHUCK O'DONNELL (guitar, voice), who in the autumn of 2011 replaced founding member Chris Teskey when he moved to Washington, DC, to become program director for radio station WAMU.
All 5 musicians in HOE are featured as vocalists. A live performance consists of harmony singing, hot instrumental picking and a dollop of the band's onstage wit. Tunes are chosen from a variety of sources including--but not limited to--the bluegrass/old-time traditions. The band also plays a number of original compositions. To hear clips of HOE playing live, please visit the LISTEN page. There is also a photo gallery on the site on the PHOTOS page.
Since forming in 2003, HOE continues to perform at a variety of corporate events, weddings, harvest festivals, outdoor concerts, church functions, square dances, and parties. HOE also appears regularly as featured artists at the NORWALK OYSTER FESTIVAL, the SONO ARTS FESTIVAL, the prestigious COOPERSTOWN and LYRICS COFFEEHOUSE CONCERT SERIES, the PODUNK BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL, the MERIDEN DAFFODIL FESTIVAL, the NORWALK HARBOR SPLASH FESTIVAL, WESTPORT FIRST NIGHT CELEBRATION, the GATHERING OF THE VIBES FESTIVAL, BARTLETT ARBORETUM CONCERT SERIES, KATHERINE HEPBURN THEATER, and for the last 8 years has hosted the wildly popular monthly Bluegrass & Beer jam at the ACOUSTIC CAFE in Bridgeport, CT. In addition, HOE has shared the stage with the likes of RALPH STANLEY, the MAMMALS, STACEY EARLE, and others.
