Formed in the year 2000 in Livermore, California "The Chairs" are Tor Hougen, Eric Prust and his wife Donna. Most of their tunes typically use various combinations of the banjo, fiddle, guitar and bass. Every now and then you'll hear the mandolin and dobro as well. Tor usually sings lead and plays guitar, clawhammer banjo. mandolin and the juice harp. Eric Prust usually sings backup, and plays both bluegrass and clawhammer banjo, as well as the fiddle, guitar, dobro, mandolin and harmonica. Donna Prust plays the bass and also sings lead occasionally. The Prust's now live on a farm in Sequim, Washington and Tor continues to live and work in the San Francisco Bay Area.
We began by playing mostly bluegrass tunes, but at the moment enjoy playing a lot of old time or traditional tunes as well...and whatever else strikes our fancy!
Current recordings are done with ProTools LE, a digi 002 console and are ongoing.
I'd say we're mostly a recording band at the moment.
Besides a small circle of friends and occasional radio play, the only people to really hear our music has been the internet community.
Eric currently plays with locals in Port Angeles and Port Townsend at bars and cafes.
Traditional Doc Watson, Clarence Ashley, Tommy Jarrell, J.E. Mainer, Dock Boggs, Highwoods String Band, Uncle Dave Macon, Fiddlin' John Carson, Benton Flippen, Eck Robertson, Charlie Poole, New Lost City Ramblers, G.B. Grayson, Gid Tanner, Riley Puckett, Clyde Davenport, Hobart Smith, pretty much anything recorded by Alan Lomax, Harry Smith & Cecil Sharp and all the Field Recorders' Collective CD's.
In Washington and California, we use Pro Tools LE and a Digi 002.
Have fun!
Tor