Tallgrass Express String Band

This band is the real deal; their music rises from the land they love.
--Cheryl Unruh, Emporia Gazette

American Roots Music
from the Tallgrass Prairie

See "Music Samples" above for more info on our 2010 CD
Clean Curve of Hill Against Sky: Songs of the Kansas Flint Hills

TheTallgrass Express String Band is a four-member string band located in the heart of the Kansas Flint Hills and dedicated to traditional style string band music.

Our band tailors programs to fit our audience and performs an assortment of acoustic musical styles that are easy on the ears and appeal to all ages. In historic western dress, we sing and play a variety of instruments including fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro, harmonica, and concertina.

We can do vocal and instumental concerts, or provide background instrumental music for multi-function events. We also play for contra and folk dances. Our concerts include brief stories on the background of songs, humorous observations on rural life today, and frequent references to our experiences with the land and culture of our home, the tallgrass prairie of the Kansas Flint Hills.

It's all delivered with a sparkle we hope shows how much we enjoy making and sharing our music with others. Our growing experience includes community festivals and concerts, historical events, organization dinners, parties, weddings & receptions, church programs, and dances.

Our repertoire is as broad as the cultural roots of Kansas. Genres include fast-driving Old Time and Bluegrass favorites, beautiful ancient Celtic tunes, early American Gospel hymns, and beloved Cowboy and Western standards. We play both classic melodies as well as lesser known tunes with old time roots.

Finally, we include many of our own original songs written in traditional style about Kansas and the land and life of the Flint Hills. Topics include cowboys and ranch life, wildlife, Native Americans, and the beauty of the landscape. We feel incredibly lucky to live amidst the splendor and wide open spaces of the tallgrass prairie, and through our music, we celebrate this land and its people.

"The Tallgrass Express String Band has never let us down and has always exceeded our expectations. . . It is a real treat for the visitors and the staff alike to have this high caliber group play for our historic barn dances. Everyone looks forward to the event." --Heather Brown, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

"The biggest pleasure we've had here at the Emma Chase Friday Night Pickin's is watching the growth of individual musicians. Perhaps that pleasure is only amplified when some of the best musicians group together to become something truly special. Such is the case of Tallgrass Express."
--Sue and Monty Smith, Emma Chase Cafe, Cottonwood Falls

Add the excitement of live music to your event!

"This group is remarkably talented, well organized, and extremely personable."
--Mary Honeyman, Kaw Mission State Historic Site