“The Stringsmiths” coming to Colfax July 22
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — After so many years of inactivity, the Colfax Municipal Building Auditorium appears to be making up for lost time.
The next event at the auditorium, sponsored by the Colfax Municipal Building Restoration Group, will be The Stringsmiths (playing “Hand-forged Bluegrass”) at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 22.
According to the band’s website, “The Stringsmiths is a hard-driving, traditional bluegrass band from Northwest Wisconsin. Founded in 2010, we are a group of friends and musicians who share a passion for traditional bluegrass music. Influenced by greats such as Bill Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, The Stanley Brothers, Jimmy Martin, Del McCoury, James King and many others, we have developed a sound and style we hope will entertain folks and help keep traditional bluegrass alive and well.”
Troy Knutson, event coordinator for the Colfax Municipal Building Restoration Group, has been working hard to schedule different events for the auditorium.
“I am always looking for new and different acts or events to have at the building. Not everyone likes bluegrass music but on the same hand not everyone likes country music. So I like to switch it up and try to please everyone,” he said.
The band members include Chris Landstrom (banjo, guitar, baritone and bass vocals), who also has an interest in songwriting and has three songs recorded on The Stringsmiths’ first album, “Standing in the Circle” — as well as Barb Landstrom (upright bass, lead and harmony vocals), who started playing bass when the band needed a bass player.
In addition, the band includes Nate Elmer (mandolin, guitar, lead and tenor vocals). Nate’s father sang “high lonesome tenor” in a gospel quartet during the 1950s and 1960s. He credits his father for the desire to learn to play and sing.
The fourth member of the band is Dr. Mary Pimplett (upright bass, lead and harmony vocals). Dr. Pimplett is a native of Virginia and is a chiropractor in northwestern Wisconsin.
The fifth member of the band is Randy Hanson on the fiddle. He is a self-taught fiddler who started to learn when he was 13 and picked up his grandfather’s fiddle.
“We have yet to come up with a fiddle tune that Randy doesn’t know,” the website notes.
“The Stringsmiths are from Cumberland, and I like to support local talent. My hope is that with the more different kinds of events we have, the more people will have the opportunity to stop in and see our wonderful little theater and building,” Knutson said.
“I also try to book events that the whole family can come and see together. I don’t think we do enough things as whole families anymore,” he said.
The Stringsmiths will be playing from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 22. The doors of the municipal building will open at 1 p.m.
In addition to CMBRG, the event is co-sponsored by the Colfax Commercial Club, which will be providing concessions and beverages, including beer and wine.
Profits from the Colfax Commercial Club concessions at The Stringsmiths will be donated toward the Vietnam Veterans Memorial dedication on August 30 at 11 a.m. at Tom Prince Memorial Park.
All area Vietnam veterans are invited to the dedication along will all members of the public. Lunch will follow.
Admission to The Stringsmiths is $8, and proceeds from the concert will go toward the project to put an elevator in the Colfax Municipal Building.
The initial estimate for an addition onto the back of the municipal building for the elevator and bathrooms for each floor is $600,000.
Since the auditorium is a venue intended to serve the general public, and because the municipal building also houses the public library and the village clerk-treasurer’s office, the restoration group is hoping to apply for grants to help pay for part of the project.
