In this episode of 'Exposition: An Arts and Culture Podcast', we speak with Bluegrass musicians Mark Stoffel and Shad Cobb. They preview their performance at Old Town Cape's 'Tunes at Twilight', at Ivers Square Gazebo, in Downtown Cape Girardeau. The show is on Friday, June 5th, at 7 p.m.
Mark, originally from Germany, shares how he was introduced to Bluegrass music in the United States and later formed a group, Shady Mix. It was founded in 1989 in Carbondale, Illinois, USA, when one evening, German native Mark Stoffel and musical partner Wil Maring received a call that a music club on the shores of the Mississippi River in nearby Missouri needed someone to play regularly.
The original 'Shady Mixers', in addition to Wil and Mark, included Kelley Sims on lead guitar and vocals and Geoff Maring on standup bass. Doug Knecht came from Peoria, Illinois, to play banjo at many of the shows.
A note on Bear Family Records' website says, "from humble beginnings as the house bluegrass band of Port Cape, 'Shady Mix' moved on to perform at regional music festivals and on local radio and television stations, soon becoming one of the most well-known bluegrass groups in their area".
Their first CD, "Made in the Shade", was released in late 1991 with the original members. In 1992, Shady Mix toured Europe for the first time to play before enthusiastic audiences.
