The Ramblin' Letters
Formed in 2008,The Ramblin’ Letters have become one of New Orleans’ most popular bluegrass bands. The Ramblin’ Letters are Michael Millet on guitar & lead vocals, John Norwood on dobro and mandolin, John Depriest on banjo, Harry Hardin on fiddle, & Will Jordan on upright bass. They play traditional & gospel bluegrass in the old time style. The Ramblin’ Letters take their name from the song, “I Don’t Want Your Ramblin’ Letters,” by one of their greatest influences, the Stanley Brothers.
The Ramblin’ Letters have been getting a lot of attention with their song relating to the BP oil spill, Sportsman’s Paradise (AKA Paradise Lost), a parody of the John Prine’s song Paradise. After a live WWOZ performance in May, they were asked to perform the song live on the BBC to an estimated 193 million listeners. The recording of the Sportsman’s Paradise has been getting regular airplay on WWOZ & WTUL, and a video for the song is in the works.
The Ramblin' Letters play a lot in and around the New Orleans area, with regular gigs on Frenchmen, the French Quarter, Uptown, on the Northshore, and in Mississippi. They are gaining a reputation for their talented instrumentation, rich vocal harmonies, and marathon sets.
***Read why local author Ian McNulty is bloggin' about the Ramblin' Letters http://www.myneworleans.com/Blogs/After-Hours/August-2010/Telling-Post-Katrina-Bluegrass-Tales-with-the-Ramblin-rsquo-Letters/
Bios:
Michael Millet has been playing & writing music for over 20 years. He has released two solo cd’s, Rooted and Hard Times on the Bayou, and regularly plays at farmers markets and coffeehouses in New Orleans and the surrounding areas. He has performed at the Abita Springs Opry and has recorded with Gina Forsyth & Pat Flory. In 2009 he recorded an educational children's CD for Growing up Fit Together, a Louisiana school program which combats childhood obesity in 1st-3rd graders. He is also a physical therapist.
John Norwood has been playing bluegrass since going to Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He was part of the Northern California bluegrass scene while living in San Francisco in the 1990’s, sharing the stage with the likes of David Grisman and Jerry Douglas. He has recorded with the By & By String Band & appeared on Hard Times on the Bayou. He is also a robotics expert.
John Depriest studied music at Belmont University in Nashville. A talented songwriter, John was a member of the Nashville based bluegrass/roots band Angus White and is a founding member of the New Orleans grass punk band Bacon. Originally from Mississippi, he has also graced the stage of the MSBA. John is attending Tulane University in pursuit of a PhD in neuro-linguistics.
Harry Hardin has been playing fiddle since the ripe old age of 5. A classically trained violinist, Harry has played & recorded with many New Orleans artists, such as Theresa Anderson and Johnny Sketch, and is a member of the Tanglers bluegrass band. He is also a music professor at Country Day High School in Old Metairie.
Will Jordan studied music focusing on the electric bass at UNC-Wilmington before coming to New Orleans to join John Depriest to form Bacon. A relative newcomer to the New Orleans music scene, Will has already shared the stage with the likes of Gina Forsyth & Zen Crook. He also plays electric bass with the funk band Jeremy Phipps & the Outsiders.