“Oh gosh. I don’t think I should answer that.” So said dobro player Andy Hall when asked which member of his band, The Infamous Stringdusters, has the strongest claim to infamy. While Hall was mum on disclosing any of the bawdier tales from the band’s closet, bluegrass fans across the country have been less than tightlipped in discussing the Stringdusters’ monster talent. Brought together by chance in Boston, where Hall ended up in a recording session with guitarist Chris Eldridge, son of the Seldom Scene’s Ben Eldridge, and banjo player Chris Pandolfi, a former student of Tony Trischka, the three soon found themselves in Nashville, where they added fiddle player Jeremy Garrett and mandolinist Jesse Cobb. Lacking a bass player, the band soon stumbled upon Travis Book, who had recently moved to Music City after many years in the Colorado bluegrass scene. Last year proved to be fruitful for the band, with fans pushing a word of mouth campaign that spread the Stringdusters’ buzz far and wide. “Fan reaction is way more positive than we could have ever hoped," said Hall. "We have had an amazing response in the last year while touring with no record." The band can only expect even bigger things in 2007 after the February release of their debut album, “Fork in the Road.”

Produced by Tim Stafford (of Blue Highway fame), the album reinforces the group’s reputation as one of the slickest young picking outfits on the bluegrass scene. Tightly arranged instrumentals like “40 West” and “No Resolution” prove that no member of the band is afraid to step up and take the lead, while vocal harmonies drive “Starry Night” and the band’s cover of John Mayer’s “3x5.” The Infamous Stringdusters are poised to enjoy an extremely bright future, and Hall noted that the band feels the obligation to take that very seriously. “There’s so much enthusiasm for acoustic music, especially among young fans," he said. "The future is really looking good, and we feel a big responsibility to ensure traditional music’s integrity.” The Infamous Stringdusters play at the Gravity Lounge in Charlottesville, Va., on April 19 and at Merlefest in Wilkesboro, N.C., between April 27-29. -David Stallard


Track 2 - Fork In The Road


Track 5 - 40 West