Focal Point Friends of Old-Time Music Present: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys

Born in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains, springing to life with all the zest and zeal you’d expect from a 1940s-style Tennessee bluegrass band, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys have indeed rambled far from home, covering a lot of miles, touring throughout the United States and Europe. Their love of bluegrass — playing it, sharing it, growing it — has been the fuel for their remarkable journey through every corner of America and into the hearts of fans drawn to their hard-charging, true-blue sound. “We live what we play and sing about,” says bandleader C.J. Lewandowski. Indeed, the band has weathered their fair share of the highs and lows that bluegrass songs are known for (except for the murders, of course). They’ve been road-weary, longing for home. They’ve felt the heartbreak of band members leaving and embraced the joy of welcoming new ones. They’ve worked hard to see their dreams come true, playing on some of music’s most celebrated stages. Amid all their travels, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys have seen every nook and cranny of the country, met people from all walks of life, and kept a keen eye toward the truth, which rings out loud and clear in the songs they write. Lately, they’ve been chasing their dreams in a new configuration, one that expands the band’s age span and geographical roots. Guitarist John Gooding from California and fiddle player Max Silverstein from “the great bluegrass state of Maine,” as the band likes to say during onstage introductions, are the newest additions, both in their 20s. They join Lewandowski on mandolin, Jereme Brown on banjo, and Jasper Lorentzen on bass, relative elders in their 30s. Lewandowski describes this new chapter for the band as one of “expansion and growth.” There’s a new energy to the group onstage, with appreciative glances and the occasional good-natured laugh between them as they play. They’re listening to each other and responding. And audience members feel like part of the conversation. Come join that conversation.