Front Country

Posted on by WR

FRONT COUNTRY

  • From the San Francisco (CA) Bay area.
  • Formed in 2011 by Adam Roszkiewicz (mandolin), Jacob Groopman (guitar), Jordan Klein (banjo), Leif Karlstrom (fiddle), Melody Walker (lead vocals, guitar) and Zach Sharpe (bass). Jeremy Darrow (bass) replaced Sharpe when the group relocated to Nashville.
  • They began playing a monthly gig with friends in San Francisco’s Mission District.
  • Their name means “a natural area nearer to the roads and populated areas,” the opposite of the “back country.”
  • 2012, won the Rockygrass(Colorado) band competition.
  • 2013, released This Is Front Country album (no label).
  • 2013 won the Telluride (Colorado) band competition (became first band in history to win both Rockygrass and Telluride.)
  • 2013, lead singer Melody Walker won the Chris Austin Songwriting competition at Merlefest.
  • 2013, Roszkiewicz (mandolin) was nominated for a Grammy for his work with the Modern Mandolin Quartet on their album Americana.
  • 2014, released Sake of the Sound album (no label).
  • 2016, Melody Walker won the IBMA Momentum Award for Vocalist of the Year.
  • 2017, released Other Love Songs album (Organic).