Shivers rippling genre waters

Whiskey Shivers may sound like a condition or a new malady, but it's actually a bluegrass band from Austin, Texas, that has an increasing appeal to audiences fascinated with the group's lively sound.

"I think the band name did come from that moment, if you happen to be drinking whiskey, where you come to the realization that it's going to either get a whole lot better or a whole lot worse," says Whiskey Shivers banjo player James Booker, a member for five years.

The band was founded in 2009 by Bobby Fitzgerald, lead singer and fiddle player, who moved to Austin from upstate New York, home to its own vibrant bluegrass scene. The other members are James Gwyn on washboard, Andrew VanVooorhees on upright bass and Horti Hortillosa on guitar.

"When Bobby moved to Austin, he and Andrew found each other on Craigslist," Booker says. "Andrew had claimed he was really hot, the greatest bass player there, so Bobby figured he was an old guy, so he was surprised to see a 21-year-old when they met. And when I got there, I was really surprised to see how supportive the music community is in Austin."

Booker, who grew up in Germany and Washington state in a military family, first noticed bluegrass music when checking out his dad's diverse music collection. It included works by such artists as Flatt & Scruggs, Pure Prairie League, and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, all of which made strong impressions on the youngster, as did his experience in the second grade when he saw a bluegrass band with a member playing banjo.

"It looked so easy, I was mesmerized, watching the guy play, thinking maybe someday I would be able to do that."

As Booker and the others found their way to Austin, they soon began their march to bluegrass prominence in Texas, starting with the mind-blowing gig of opening for Ralph Stanley two years ago.

"When we had that opportunity, it took me 30 to 35 minutes to work up the courage to even say hello to him," Booker recalls. "He's like the last of the founding guys of bluegrass music and one of the most important guys to me, thanks to that voice of his."

Booker (who attended college at the University of the Ozarks in Clarksville) says Whiskey Shivers is comfortable performing originals and traditional music as the band continues to raise its profile. Typical sets include such well-known songs as "Shady Grove," "Rocky Top," "Cluck Old Hen," "Blue Moon of Kentucky" and "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms."

"We've made three albums, officially, and a fourth will be coming out in January," he says. "In 2014, we were on the road for eight months, playing in 38 states. In our first and second years, we were mainly playing in Austin. Our focus has been broadening out since then. Every couple of years we play the South by Southwest festival here. One time we played 17 or so shows in one week there, which was pretty brutal, especially after Bobby lost his voice about three shows into the week and we were having to improvise a lot and throw in a lot of instrumentals."

Style on 05/24/2016