The Pines

Hailing from Minneapolis, the Pines blend the lean acoustic textures and narrative depth of folk traditions with the restless energy and breadth of rock. David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey launched the group in 2002 after crossing paths in Tucson, Arizona, though both had grown up in Iowa. Their shared affinity for classic folk and blues informed the partnership, and Benson’s father, Bo Ramsey, brought additional pedigree as a guitarist, songwriter, and producer renowned for his work alongside Greg Brown, Joan Baez, and Lucinda Williams. Following a short return to Iowa, the pair relocated to Minneapolis and began performing as a duo; Benson’s brother Alex Ramsey soon joined on piano. Their self-titled debut appeared in 2004 on the local imprint Trailer Records, produced by Bo Ramsey with contributions from several musical associates, and it carried an energetic folk-rock character that gradually gave way to a more restrained aesthetic.

The band moved to Red House Records in 2007, where the measured, introspective tone of Sparrows in the Bell, again produced by Bo Ramsey, came into sharper focus. By then the Pines had expanded into a full ensemble featuring Michael Rossetto on banjo, Chris Morrissey on bass, and J.T. Bates on drums. Both that album and the 2009 follow-up Tremolo drew strong notices, and the group maintained a steady touring schedule that sometimes featured Huckfelt and Ramsey as a duo and sometimes deployed a larger lineup that eventually grew to a septet with the addition of guitarist Jacob Hanson. James Buckley later assumed bass duties after Morrissey’s departure. In 2011 the Pines accompanied Mason Jennings on a twenty-five-date U.S. tour, serving simultaneously as his opening act and his backing band. Dark So Gold, their fourth album, surfaced in early 2012 and was supported by an extensive North American run. Above the Prairie arrived in January 2016 and included guest appearances by Ryan Young of Trampled by Turtles as well as the Native American musician, poet, and activist John Trudell.