Biography

Fiddle + guitars + sweet harmonies + dive bar vibe — it all adds up to The Federales, a collaboration between six longtime friends and players based in Minneapolis. Since 2012, fans in the Twin Cities and beyond have lined up for this band’s infectious take on old-school country music. While their debut recording, Blues, Bourbon & Burritos, took a straight-ahead approach to Midwestern country sounds and songwriting, their upcoming album, Honkytonks & Hangovers, leans woozily across a wider swath of American styles — rooted in the present but never jilting the past. Come to a show and just try not to tap your feet. Try harder not to dance. A good time? Hey, that’s a given. The Federales are: James Gould (guitars, piano, vocals), Mark Larson (percussion), Benjamin Miller (guitars, harmonica, mandolin, vocals), Jay Scabich (fiddle, guitars), Andy Schuster (bass, vocals), Karl Wahoske (banjo, guitars, vocals).