Josh Hoag
Upright and electric bass Josh Hoag, a native of Dayton, OH, discovered his true calling in life in 1991 after a brief flirtation with the electric guitar. After spending his formative years playing rock like everybody else, he discovered jazz and classical music, which led to a Bachelor of Music in Performance degree at Miami University under esteemed double bass instructor Stephen Ullery.
Proficient and experienced in nearly all 20th-century American musical styles, including Rock, Jazz, Blues, R&B, Bluegrass, Country & Western, and Rockabilly, Hoag has found his musical home destroying his hands and breaking bass bridges in Austin.
After years of touring the world with the Asylum Street Spankers, King of Nerdabilly’s Crazy Joe & his Mad River Outlaws and Bluegrass Legend Frank Wakefield, he’s settled back into Austin playing and teaching music.
Slapping his way back into the Austin music scene, Hoag has recently been seen on stage with Two High String Band, Combo Mahalo, the Sieker Band, Sick’s Pack, Korey Simeone, Wil Cope, Aubrey Slackey, Elana James, the Jazz Pharaohs, Aunt Ruby’s Sweet Jazz Babies, Giant Three, Uptown Swingers, Jo’s House Band, T Jarrod Bonta trio, Leo Rondeau, Joe Cordi, Ruby Jane and anybody else that needs a bass.
Hoag has performed on stage with Petty Booka, Ralph Carney, Mad Tea Party, Resse Gray, Frank Wakefield, Brennen Leigh, Jane Bond, Billy Bright, Elana James, Alan Munde, David Long, Rolf Sieker, Guy Forsyth, Erik Hokkanen, Olivier Giraud, Jim Stringer, JD Pendley, Dave Biller, Stanley Smith, and Jon Doyle.
Some of the festivals that Hoag has played include Wakarusa, Austin City Limits, SXSW, Merlefest, Rawa Blues (Poland), Riverhawk, Tour de Fat, Twin Cities Ribfest, Appalachian Uprising, Viva Las Vegas 7 & 8, Las Vegas Rockaround, Montgomery County Bluegrass Festival, and Central Ohio Bluegrass Festival.
“Josh puts a hurtin’ on that bass, he gets nasty with that thing!†- Frank Wakefield
“A much-sought-after sideman.†- Dayton Daily News
"A stand-up bass that seems to talk to you at times." -Asylum Street Spanker fan
"Musical virtuosity" –Variety
"Genial gang of shit-hot players" -Village Voice