Tony Rook
Guitar, Banjo & Vocals
Tony was 12 years old when he first picked up a guitar. But it was well before that that the North Carolina native decided he wanted to perform.
Like millions of others, he was mesmerized by The Beatles’ “Ed Sullivan Show” debut, realizing then and there that music was going to be part of his life.
His parents were early musical influences. Dad, Carl, played guitar, and mother, Jean, played the piano during their church’s Sunday School services. But it was his uncle, Bill Meacham, who really turned him on to bluegrass. A Baptist preacher and mandolin picker who played professionally in the eastern North Carolina communities he served, Meacham willingly shared his tapes of his performances with the young musician and mentored the budding musician.
The lyrical mandolin sounds and bluegrass beats lured the then teen, who by then was gaining an interest in rock ‘n’ roll. And while Tony joined several rock bands, he never lost that early appreciation for that “high, lonesome sound.”
By his early 20s, Tony was performing professionally as part of the folk duo, Riggs & Rook. When the partnership dissolved, Tony’s longtime love of bluegrass music drove him toward the banjo. By the early 80s, he was studying the five string with Bobby Hicks, Ricky Skaggs’ longtime fiddle player.
Before long, the singer/songwriter was playing with several bands in the North Carolina area, most notably The Eno Ramblers, and then Rook and Wood, who in 2000 released the CD, “Labor of Love,” containing 14 original tunes.
Songwriting remains a focus for Tony, whose contemporary bluegrass compositions are largely based on personal experiences.
While Tony’s musical influences include Tony Rice, Bryan Sutton, Earl Scruggs, Tony Trischka and Bela Fleck, he attributes his unique style to a lifetime of musical exploration and interest in a variety of musical genres.
In 2006, Tony was transferred to Minnesota, but quickly jumped into its bluegrass scene. He currently plays guitar, and sings lead and tenor with the Tony Rook Band.
His first solo project, “The Road Back Home” was released in early 2016, and his newest album, “Reflections", was released in October 2018.
Graham Sones
Five-String Banjo & Vocals
For Graham Sones it was less about the pies and more about the sound of the banjo played by the guy with the red striped shirt and straw hat at Shakey's Pizza.
The emotional connection was immediate; the physical connection came later. When his dad, Don Sones, received a banjo one year for his birthday, then 12-year-old Graham told himself that was the instrument for him. Within days he borrowed an uncle’s old-time, open-back banjo and spent months practicing for a Thanksgiving concert for family.
A year or so later he and his dad visited Grant’s Early Bird Bluegrass Festival in Hugo, Oklahoma, catching acts like The Dillards, The Osborne Brothers, The Stanley Brothers, Larry Stephenson, and Jim & Jesse. He was mesmerized.
In his hometown of Rochester, Minnesota, Graham connected with local musician and music shop owner, Bob Loy. Loy mentored the young picker, set up lessons, took him to area festivals and helped him find players for his bands throughout high school.
He hadn't played much other than practice throughout college, but that changed in the early 90s when he met Alan Munde at a workshop. Alan recommended that he start playing in bands to make things happen. And happen it did.
Graham, who has played with Dick Kimmel & Co. and Monroe Crossing, brings a driving banjo to the quartet. He’s extremely versatile and can easily shift from melodic fiddle tunes to a straight-ahead Scruggs style.
Like his band mates, Graham finds bluegrass an "honest" style of music. "It’s a raw exhibition of talent. You’re playing your instrument and it’s total skill."
Terry Johnson
Upright Bass & Vocals
There were 13 years of piano lessons and countless performances in his hometown church, but Terry never forgot his desire to be like his dad. But unlike most boys, Terry’s father, Everette Johnson, played electric bass for years in southwest Minnesota country bands and at area retirement homes.
His Dad taught him to play the bass and accordion when he was 10. And in his teens Terry played solo acts for the residents at local retirement homes.
In his parents’ Balaton, Minnesota, basement, Terry practiced the bass with records, playing songs over and over until he’d mastered them.
Terry moved to the Twin Cities in 1984 to focus on family, school and a job. He didn’t pick up the bass again until 2003, picking for fun with his in-laws. Three years later, he attended his first bluegrass festival and sat in on one of bassist David Tousley’s workshops. It was love.
Within a month, Terry had bought his first upright bass. He’s been playing ever since. As its bassist, he’s TRB’s backbone. And there’s no one better than Terry at keeping that solid beat. His tenor vocals are a highlight.
For Terry, there’s nothing about bluegrass that doesn’t ring true. "I just love the sound," he said. "The drive, the harmonies are fantastic. The instruments tell a story. You can hear it."
Terry joined Dick Kimmel & Co. in 2012, and became a founding member of TRB in 2016.
Derek Birkeland
Mandolin, Fiddle & Guitar
Like many artists, 22-year old Derek Birkeland was exposed to an instrument at a young age. At just six years old, the young musician was turned on to the classical violin after watching his friend play. After 10 years of classical training – and many renditions of Beethoven and Bach - the Duluth-native ventured back to his bluegrass roots and translated his music into the oftentimes ornamental and improvisatory style of fiddle playing. Today, Birkeland plays mandolin, fiddle and guitar.
He describes his musical style as “non-traditional.” Birkeland plays what he likes, to put it simply, and what he likes is an amalgamation of the various styles of music he grew up with. There’s bluegrass, but there’s also country, rock, and of course, classical music. He finds inspiration in the likes of Sam Bush, Ricky Skaggs, and Doc Watson.
Though he is just 22, Birkeland has already been featured on several CD’s and performs with distinguished bands such as The Road Kill Boys, The Silver River Band, Porcupine Creek and Bill and Kate Isles Band. In 2020, he joined the Tony Rook Band on fiddle and mandolin.
In his free time, Birkeland also likes to stay busy outdoors – fishing, hunting and camping are an integral part of his repertoire.
But music will always remain an important piece of his puzzle.
Tom Schaefer
Fiddle
Not many would decide to pick up a new instrument as they begin their journey to becoming a doctor.
As Tom Schaefer entered medical school at the University of South Dakota, he decided he wanted to learn to play the fiddle. Growing up, the piano was where his heart and soul lay – but when he bought his first fiddle from a second-hand shop in Vermillion, everything clicked. The pianist didn’t have any formal instruction, but with a few years of transferrable music experience – and a whole lot of hard work – he was able to make the instrument sound good.
So good, that just three years after learning, he won first place at the 1978 South Dakota Fiddle Contest. After his win, he was quickly scooped up by the Rocky Mountain Oysters, an up-and-coming name in the Upper Midwest music scene.
The Oysters played it all – classical, bluegrass, folk, pop, and even the international flavorings of Celtic. Schaefer’s musical style stems from the budding, dynamic music scene that inspired the sounds of the Rocky Mountain Oysters during the late 70’s and early 80’s.
In 1979, Schaefer graduated from medical school and began his practice as an anesthesiologist. His musical career was largely directed by the location of his work; the fiddler hopped around the Midwest and even landed a brief stint in Nashville. His love for music never waned – in 1991 he hit the stage at We Fest in Detroit Lakes backing up hall of fame legend Hank Thompson.
That’s not the only musical honor Tom has received. Besides the many accolades he’s earned from peers and fans, Owen Dejong of South Dakota Public Broadcasting practically sings his praises. “He’s got a great bow arm with a delicate touch and a firm grasp of music,” says the long-time Radio Program Director.
The now-retired anesthesiologist – who currently resides in Minneapolis – attributes much of his musical success to his practice in medicine. “Music has given me the sensation of tension and release. I think music and medicine benefit each other, at least for me they have. I like using both sides of my brain.”