Gin Mill Pickers

GIN MILL PICKERS (a nod to the retro-style music that we play)

Our Sound - Eric Ellis - lead guitar and harmonies; Randy Sarton - finger-style guitar and lead vocals. Both dabble in kazoo. The duo performs an eclectic range of material over numerous musical genres in their act. You can expect to hear songs by The Beatles, the Kinks, the Zombies, Bob Dylan, Hot Tuna, John Hiatt, The Allman Brothers, Lyle Lovett, the Kingston Trio, Jimmy Buffett, John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, Eric Clapton plus traditional folk and blues numbers as well as Gin Mill Pickers originals. “We have been told our repertoire is wide-ranging, different, interesting, and enjoyable. We love when we see audiences swaying to our sound, tapping their feet and smiling.”

Piedmont Blues - This term refers to a guitar-playing style featuring a syncopated finger-picking approach and distinctive ragtime-based rhythms. It was quite popular in the 1930’s. It’s Mississippi delta blues meets NY city ragtime. Even geographically, it is a forging of these two different areas, as it is sometimes referred to as Southeastern Blues, originating in the Carolinas and the eastern seaboard. Main proponents in the past include Reverend Gary Davis and Blind Blake. Its influence can be clearly heard in later works by Hot Tuna and many others.

We always arrive early to set up and soundcheck to ensure a great performance. We will always be professional and respectful of the theme of your event.

"Randy and I have a friendship that actually goes back almost 25 years and it's wonderful that we now find ourselves blending our musical styles into the Gin Mill Pickers" - Eric.

"While Randy excels at fingerstyle guitar technique with rag/folk roots, I'm more of a retro blues based flat picker. These two very different styles of playing seem to mesh together beautifully and I believe really define our sound." - Eric

“I am fortunate to be able to follow my passion for music - to play with a good buddy, travel, and entertain lots of folks. How satisfying.” - Randy

Cheers!
Eric Ellis & Randy Sarton
Gin Mill Pickers

Randy’s bio - Randy Sarton’s career in music began in his early teens playing guitar, saxophone, and vocals on the rock n roll club circuit throughout Chicagoland. Later in college, he discovered folk music and acoustic blues, performing in numerous coffeehouses, night clubs, concerts and festivals. His finger-picking style and vocals cover an eclectic range of music and have been noted for creating instant connections with his audience. He holds a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Notre Dame. In his professional career, Randy has also enjoyed his work as a college professor, entrepreneur, and ecotour guide. He is based out of Black Mountain, NC.

Eric’s bio - Eric has worked as lead guitarist for several national touring artists including ZZ's Best, Jim Morris & the Big Bamboo Band, and the Ronnie Morgan Band opening for dozens of Nashville headliners including Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Toby Keith, Diamond Rio, Rascal Flatts, and Little Big Town. Eric has been writing and performing his original music in venues across the country for several years and has produced two CD's of his own. Heavily influenced by the Texas blues styles of Johnny Winter, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Billy Gibbons, Eric honed his skills as a blues guitarist and became a sought after sideman. Eric is a native of Canada and holds a business degree from Loyola College. He is based out of Hendersonville, NC.

Gin Mill Pickers provide our own sound system and lighting. We can tailor our footprint from a small intimate gathering to a large festival stage. We only require nearby electrical outlets.