Joe Hillman Band

February 14th

Nestled in the heart of Chester County, PA, the Joe Hillman Band is an acoustic string band specialized in entertaining crowds of all walks of life. The band draws influence from rock and roll, bluegrass, and swing music, mixed together to provide an original and energetic experience.

Vocalist JOE HILLMAN began singing in choir at the of 7 in Philadelphia, PA. After years of classical voice, piano and french horn training, he sold his horn to pick up the electric guitar. He has never looked back, except maybe recently. In the 80's & 90's Joe was the lead singer of the band Modern Beatnik, which gave him the chance to hone his skills as a front man and open for major acts in the tri-state area. He worked for master luthier, John Zeidler as an apprentice, and later built his own Mandolin. In 2001 Joe founded the Long Trail band, known today as the JOE HILLMAN BAND. Joe's presence as a front man is defined by his powerful vocals, unique mandolin style, and welcoming stage presence. His love of music is an inspiration to all those who have the pleasure of working with him.

Guitarist and fiddler JORDAN RAST was originally trained in Suzuki violin, but quickly departed classical music in favor of songwriting and the fiddle. He has enjoyed success as a songwriter, winning the Appalachian String Band Music Festival’s original neo-traditional song award 3 times (2011, 2013, and 2016) as well as releasing 3 original solo albums (DreamDays, 2007; Fractured Love, 2011; Cowboy Money, 2015). He is also an accomplished old time fiddler, and recently received second place in the FreshGrass Fiddle Awards in 2016.In the past, Jordan has been a leading member of a number of bands including Old Time Liberation Front and Second Hand Suits. His current projects include the folk duo “Monica de Vitry & Jordan Rast,” as well as playing guitar and fiddle with the “Joe Hillman Band.”When Jordan is not playing music, he is pursuing a career in psychology. He will receive his M.S. in Experimental Psychology from Villanova University in May of 2017.

Charlie Muench is an upright bassist, banjo player, and vocalist living from Lancaster,PA. He started playing the upright bass in elementary school orchestra at the age of 9. He studied Music Education at West Chester University graduating in 2011. Muench is a founding member of The Stray Birds and has toured and recorded with them since 2012 (thestraybirds.com) He currently lives and freelances in Philadelphia.