The Cache Valley Drifters

An outgrowth of casual jam sessions, the Cache Valley Drifters sustain a contemporary approach to bluegrass and country sounds. After a long hiatus from 1979 through 1992, the ensemble has worked consistently to recover that lost period. Their sets blend bluegrass treatments of material by Paul Simon, Leon Russell, and Cream with songs from the late country folksinger Kate Wolf and older hill-country sources. The group’s connection to Wolf stems directly from its longest-tenured member, Bill Griffin, who performed in her backup band and produced her final recordings. Griffin had earlier contributed as a sideman to albums by Earl Robinson, Pete Seeger, and Odetta while also appearing in a series of national radio broadcasts with the late Burl Ives. Mike Mullins joined the Cache Valley Drifters in 1992, handling guitar, mandolin, and vocals; the brother of former banjoist Tim Mullins, who performed with the band between 1972 and 1973, Mike had been immersed in acoustic music since the 1980s as guitarist for the Phil Salazar Band. In 1990 he teamed with ex-Cache Valley Drifters member Cyrus Clarke to launch the Acousticats. Bassist and vocalist Wally Barnick, an original participant from 1975 to 1979, returned to the lineup after the group reformed. Early on, their polished vocal harmonies and instrumental command earned praise from bluegrass guitarist Dan Crary, whose endorsement helped them obtain their initial recording deal. The self-titled debut album appeared in 1978.