Farnum Family Americana Band from Galena, MO

About the Farnum Family The Farnum Family from Galena, Missouri, consists of six children with dad & mom, all performing family-friendly folk music. Their diverse blend of music is styled in an acoustic string-band style gleaned from bluegrass, gospel, Irish, old-time standards, cowboy & western, plus homespun humor. Instrumentation consists of 5-string banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and upright bass, supported by piano, penny whistle, resophonic guitar and occasional Bodhran & cello. Their energetic & entertaining presentations – be it for theater concert, church congregation, music festival, RV Park, school assembly, or special family occasion – is guaranteed suitable for all ages. Band Members include… Dad (aka Norm) - 5-string banjo, lead & harmony vocals, w/over 40 years stage experience. Originally from California, he performed for 5 seasons at Silver Dollar City, 3 at The Roy Clark Theatre and 7 aboard the Lake Queen paddle wheeler (accompanied by his wife, Trish). 1st Place Banjo contest winner at 2014 Grand Lakes Festival. Mom (aka Trish) - Piano, penny-whistle, lead & harmony vocals. She grew up playing music in church, for recitals, school concerts, and 4-H programs. In 1987 on ragtime piano for Vaudeville Show at Shepherd of the Hills, w/Norm on Lake Queen cruises. Married in 1988, and performed as a duet until... July 2003, two oldest sons, Daniel & Benjamin, began music lessons. Soon they were singing w/Dad & Mom, and part of the family band. Younger sister, Hannah, followed on the fiddle... Daniel, at 25 (and still at home), does a great job on the upright bass & lead vocals. A fan of Josh Groban, Tim O'Brien, Marty Robbins, the Bar-J Wranglers & Sons of the Pioneers, his rich baritone voice is featured on many songs. He placed 1st in the Cowboy Singing Contest at the Trail's End Festival in Sedalia. Daniel is also our "Regency Dance" caller & instructor, always available for the occasional English Country Dance, Virginia Reel, Patty Cake Polka & much more. Benjamin, at 22, plays guitar & mandolin, sings lead & harmony, and adds his humor to some comedy skits w/his older brother. His skills are exceptional playing bluegrass, Irish or Texas Swing. He took 1st Place on the mandolin at the 2015 Grand Lakes Festival. Hannah, 20 years old, handles much of the instrumental leads for the family band. With a confident style playing bluegrass, gospel, Irish or Texas swing, she also sings sweet gospel & bluegrass songs - both lead and harmony. Hannah took fiddle lessons from World Champion fiddle player Ricky Boen, formerly w/the Sons of the Pioneers. In her own right, she is also an award-winning fiddler placing well in numerous regional contests - including Branson, the Grand Lakes American Heritage Music Festival in Grove, Oklahoma, and taking 3rd in the 2012 Walnut Valley National Old Time Fiddle Championship in Winfield, Kansas! Nathaniel, 18 years old, joined the group in August of 2006. He puts his soul into his singing and plays resophonic guitar, often adding Irish percussion on the Bodhran. Maggie, at 13, also plays the fiddle, often joining her sister on twin fiddle tunes, and sings beautiful lead & harmony. Additionally, she plays the upright bass and adds cello accents to the band. Matthew, at 12, is learning to play the mandolin, is featured singing many of the novelty gospel & cowboy songs. An award-winning family band, since forming in 2004 they have played venues in 20 states: Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming and many times in their home state of Missouri. Besides their many church dates, they enjoy performing for every other family oriented venue imaginable! They were first invited to play at Silver Dollar City's (Branson, Missouri) Bluegrass & BBQ Festival and Southern Gospel Picnic in 2006, and have been invited back every year since for similar festivals. They have also enjoyed 3 concert appearances at the Ozark Folk Center in Mountain View, Arkansas. By a special recommendation, the entire family was awarded a scholarship to attend the O'Flaherty Irish Music Retreat in Midlothian, Texas in 2009 and 2011. They've traveled to the Rio Grande Valley from 2012 thru 2017 entertaining Winter Texans. Their next big event coming this fall: first-time performing for the National Crafts and Cowboy Festival at Silver Dollar City, and for seven weeks! A favorite scripture reference which embodies their musical performances and ministry is Colossians 3:16: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Please contact the Farnum Family via GigMasters to book your next special event!