Tallgrass Express String Band American Roots Music from the Tallgrass Prairie

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Who's Who & Our Story

Charlie Laughridge (on fiddle, mandolin & concertina) operates a business in rural Council Grove. He played ten years with the band Firewater.  Charlie's antics always add to performances.

Annie Wilson (on guitar) is a teacher, mother of three, and helps her husband on their Flint Hills ranch in Chase County.   She used to play in the duo Ann & Annie.

Loren Ratzloff (on banjo, dobro & mandolin) farms near Canton. He portrays Abraham Lincoln and won the 2008 Lincoln Days Lookalike contest.  He is  building a native timber log cabin.  Loren also plays with Black Kettle.

Our Story & Our Thanks

Tallgrass Express String Band began playing together in 2004.  Founders include current members, as well as our talented friends Derrick Doty of Council Grove and Gary Rinehart of Topeka.  We also played early on with the late Gary Hughes of Wichita who was a great influence.  We met primarily through the renowned Friday night jam sessions at the  Emma Chase Cafe in Cottonwood Falls, and related activities.  We are forever grateful to Monty & Sue Smith of the Emma for bringing music into our lives and building community and fellowship through their generous sponsorship of these delightful, fun-packed evenings, as well as many other events.  We are thankful also to their best-in-the-world audiences who help give experience and confidence to developing players. We recorded our first CD in 2005 with the encouragement and support of Julia Ryan and Kerry Ahlstrom of Council Grove, as well as Monty and Sue Smith.  On our 2007 CD, we were so fortunate to have the immense talent of Carole Brown on bass, and again the amazing graphic design skill of Julia Ryan.  Our own Charlie did the original watercolor painting of us in the stagecoach on the cover.  We are thankful once again to the Emma Chase for sponsoring the debut concerts on both of these CDs. We are so lucky to have the generous support of our friends and community in pursuing our musical efforts, and we hope we can give back to them at least half the fun we are having when we play!