THE GOOD OL’ PERSONS
- From the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Formed in 1975 as an all-girl bluegrass band by Kathy Kallick and Laurie Lewis. They were among the first (after Hazel & Alice) to feature women as bluegrass band leaders and songwriters.
- Name was meant to be a joke—a humorous response to Frank Wakefield’s “Good Ol’ Boys” who were also active in the Bay Area at that time.
- Although bluegrass-based, they featured a variety of musical styles including jazz, swing, Latin, old-time, country and cajun.
- 1995, celebrated 20th anniversary with a concert at the Freight and Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley. It was a farewell concert as well, as the group disbanded. They’ve played reunion shows at western festivals since then.
- Kathy Kallick, who led the group for 20 years, now performs with her own band.
- 2013, reunited for a concert at the Freight and Salvage in San Francisco. Band members: Kathy Kallick (guitar), John Reischman (mandolin), Sally Van Meter (resophonic guitar), Annie Staninec (fiddle) and Trisha Gagnon (bass).