Meet the Bands (scroll down for Swampweed)

IRONWEED BLUEGRASS BAND:

Kelly Jones-Fiddle, Harmony Vocals        
Multi-Fiddle Champion of state, regional and world trophies, Kelly Jones, brings seasoned licks and expertise to the Ironweed stage. Inspired by his father’s square dance fiddling, he began his musical journey at an early age. He entered and won his first fiddle contest, the Missouri State Fiddle Championship in 1965. His professional music career includes Opry Shows, a Special Services Band while stationed in Viet Nam, a ten year tour with national country legend, Judy Lynn including eight years with fiddle king, Bobby Hicks. Kelly has performed in every state, Canada and overseas. He was selected by the Performing Arts Center as Missouri’s state representative in 1996 to perform at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington D. C. Currently he tours with Leroy Van Dyke and plays with Ironweed while home in Stover, Missouri.

Joe Wieneman-Mandolin, Harmony Vocals    
Master mandolinist, Joe Wieneman from Eldon, Mo., has played traditional bluegrass since the late ‘70s, starting with Gateway Bluegrass, a family band, and moving on to several other national touring Midwest groups thru the 1980s-‘90s. Most recently, he toured with Frank Ray and Cedar Hill.  Joe was a member of the original Rhonda Vincent & the Rage in 1995-96. He plays guitar, mandolin, & fiddle and sings baritone. Joe is funny and makes Jane laugh.

Jane Accurso-Lead Vocals, Guitar    
A lot of backwoods passion flows through Jane Accurso’s veins with her deep, Missouri Ozark and Arkansas roots. Her dad’s people were old-time stringband musicians and on her mom’s side, Aunt Pearl was known to be the best Schottische dancer in all of St. Clair County. From traditional grass to newgrass, from traditional country to Cajun and old-time, Jane continues to bring fire to the Ironweed stage with lead vocals, guitar and occasional mandolin, when smiled at real pretty. She likes to perform barefoot when the weather permits, but she has several pairs of excessively colorful cowboy boots reserved for wintertime use.

Dierik Leonhard-Banjo, Fiddle, Clawhammer Banjo, Vocals and etc.  
Dierik says he was born in Germany, but his close friends suspect that he’s really from the third moon of the Planet Banjo, located in Orion’s belt buckle. He is fluent in all styles of banjo picking, so he can — and often will — sound like Earl Scruggs one minute and Tony Trishka the next. Most pickers would be tickled just to know all of the stuff he’s forgotten or abandoned. Besides that, he is an excellent lead and harmony singer. His fiddlin’ raises the roof. His old-time clawhammer banjo will surely make you whoop & holler. Dierik has taught “Bluegrass 101″ for many years in the Columbia School system, and and has started many pickers down that high, lonesome bluegrass highway. Dierik has the biggest grin in bluegrass music.

Matthew Bossaller-Upright Bass  
Matt brings rowdy, roots energy to the Ironweed and Swampweed bands. From old time contra dances to Cajun to rock to “naughty hillbilly jazz,” his rockabilly slap on the doghouse bass drives bluegrass the way it was intended. His continued success with some of Columbia’s finest bands, Mudbugs, Baitshop Boys and Mondo,has prepared him to carry on his wild boy reputation as a recidivist rocker on the bass. Be ready for your hair to fly wild as he drives the Ironweed/Swampweed rhythm train.

….and now the Cajun band….Swampweed!

Ironweed has an evil twin..Swampweed, a Cajun Dancehall band... along with Dierik on fiddle, Jane on French vocals and Matt switching that slap to Cajun, Swampweed features Ehren Oncken on Cajun button accordion and the very ornery Jimmy Joe Culbertson on drums, triangle and his own special creation “The Washtar.” Lots of lively dance tunes honoring the Balfa brothers, Dennis McGee, Canray Fontenot, Amede Ardoin, Cheese Reed and many others.