Matt Nafranowicz - steel guitar, accordian Jon Peik – bass Ben Wolf – drums Dan O'Brien - guitar and vocals Jon Vriesacker - fiddle Greg Smith - clarinet and tenor saxophone
Dan O’Brien moved to Madison, WI in the spring of 1997, and shortly thereafter founded bluegrass band the Nob Hill Boys with fellow Drifter Jon Peik. During his time in the band, Dan played alongside two former members of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, performed on Garrison Keillor’sA Prairie Home Companion, and the group received a number of awards - a Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award for Best Bluegrass Band and the Madison Area Music Awards for Best Bluegrass Band and Best Bluegrass Album. Jon and Dan have also played in the Lonesome Aces with Nob Hill Boy madolinist and 89.9FM WORT radio personality John Fabke. For several years Dan also hosted a popular Monday night open stage and jam session in Madison with Fabke. Dan’s first instrument is guitar, but he has also performed on string bass with Bill and Bobbie Malone, and Kevin Tubb and the Lonely Stars.
Ben Wolf is a life long drummer and busy studio musician currently living in the Madison area. He's recently recorded and toured with numerous folk, rock, and Americana groups including Corey Hart, Anna Vogelzang, Count this Penny, Evan Murdock, Nick Brown and more!
Jon Peik has been actively performing and recording with various bands in the Midwest since 1986; everything from blues and classic country to gospel and bluegrass, Jon is accomplished on guitar, mandolin, 5-string banjo and acoustic bass. Jon played mandolin, banjo, and keyboard for 8 years with The Pitneys, a gospel band from Rockford, IL, was a founding member of the Nob Hill Boys and Milwaukee’s Above the Town, and currently performs with Chicken Wire Empire. Jon teaches banjo, mandolin, guitar, and jam classes and also works as the music coordinator at his church.
Matt Nafranowicz grew up playing piano, and studied jazz at UW Stevens Point. In addition to the piano, Matt plays the accordian, Hammond organ and the pedal steel guitar. Matt has played and recorded with several Madison based bands in the past including Kevin Tubb and the Lonely Stars, Love High, and the Nafranaphonics. He also runs an upholstery shop in his spare time.