Ironweed Bluegrass Band

IRONWEED (veronia noveboracensis) is a wildflower that blooms late in the summer. It has a small purple flower at the top, and a strong, iron-like stem. It’s a wild, tough flower but many argue it as a weed with a deep root and hard to get rid of. It’s real pretty and you’ll find it all over Boone County and beyond. Oh, and did we mention..the cows just won’t go near it.

IRONWEED (pickum singum excellentis) is a BLUEGRASS BAND from Columbia, Missouri formed in 1994. Some folks around here say there are strong similarities between the band and the wildflower. The IRONWEED BLUEGRASS BAND has developed a long, strong suit of hard-drivin' traditional and non-traditional bluegrass tunes. And when the folks want to dance, they can play some nice waltzes and two-steps, too. Their pickin' is awfully good -- and some will tell you that the singing is even better. This is a band to see, hear, and enjoy -- live!

Click here to see the services IRONWEED has to offer!

Click here to see past IRONWEED performances!

Looking for print-quality press photos? Here they are! 1 and 2 -- both photos by Caty Smith

Read the Ironweed Bluegrass Band blog here!

NEWSFLASH!!!!

(COLUMBIA, MO) -- The Ironweed Bluegrass Band has been selected by the Columbia Friends of China to perform at the Qingdao Beer Festival in Columbia’s Sister City, Laoshan District, China. Laoshan in located in the district of Qingdao in east China’s Shandong Province.

Ironweed will leave for Laoshan in August. They will play for the opening ceremonies on August 11th and for several performances at the festivities throughout the following week.

The Columbia Friends of China hosted a Dumpling Festival fundraiser last fall with the goal of raising funds to send artists to the festival in Laoshan.

The Ironweed Bluegrass Band has been together for more than 12 years and will be taking with them their two new Ironweeds, Jake Clayton on fiddle and multi-instruments and Alan Loshbaugh on upright bass.

Ironweed is deeply honored and looks forward to representing the City of Columbia to the Sister City in Laoshan, China.

“We are very pleased that Ironweed will represent Columbia at the Laoshan Beer Festival next month,” said Hsiao-Mei Wiedmeyer, Chairwoman of Columbia Friends of China. “The group is well-regarded and will give our friends in China a taste of music from the heartland of America. One of our goals is to continue the cultural understanding between Laoshan and Columbia and the beer festival is a very important venue in Laoshan.”

For information on the Ironweed Bluegrass Band and the Columbia Friends of China, you may go to their websites at www.ironweedbluegrassband.com friendsofchina.missouri.org/culture or contact Jane Accurso at 573 442-4683 and Hsiao-Mei Wiedmeyer at 573 875-4198.