Lonesome Ace Stringband

"These are three powerful musicians playing and singing some powerful music" —Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

The Lonesome Ace Stringband is an old-time band with bluegrass chops that plays some righteous folk and country music. They show a depth of groove and sense of space not often heard in bluegrass today, a level of instrumental interplay and vocal blend uncommon in old-time music, and an engaging on-stage rapport.

Three Canadians lost in the weird and wonderful traditional country music of the American South, band members Chris Coole (banjo), John Showman (fiddle), and Max Heineman (bass) are all veterans of some of Canada's top roots music acts.

Instrumentation alone instantly sets LAS's sound apart: consisting of just fiddle, clawhammer banjo, and upright bass, the band moves freely between having a sound so powerful that it doesn't seem like it should be coming from a trio, to a lightness and delicacy that draws the listener in and refreshes the ear. All three are compelling lead singers, each with his own character and range. This allows for the vocal texture to shift depending on how the song needs to feel and what the song has to say. When those voices come together, the power of the harmonies is unshakable. It's clear to anyone who's heard LAS that they just don't sound like any other band.

The band has toured internationally, been engaged at some of the largest festivals in North America and Europe (including Merlefest, Rockygrass, Wintergrass, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival, Gooikorts, John Hartford Memorial), and recorded four albums. The latest album, "Modern Old-Time Sounds for the Bluegrass and Folksong Jamboree" (2019), showcases the band's musical range, interpretive skills, and instrumental and vocal chops.