Hooverville Rounders

The Hooverville Rounders are an acoustic band drawing from diverse influences, including bluegrass, folk, gospel, country, rock, blues, honky-tonk, Tex-Mex, Cajun, and “whatever else they're feelin' at the time”. Although everyone in the band now has a career outside of music, the desire to play and the love of music is the bond that keeps them performing. “I guess the first impulse is to call us a bluegrass band”, says banjo player and vocalist Steve Austin. “While we certainly draw a lot from that genre, we’re influenced by a little bit of everything. I guess we’d fall into what’s now called ‘Americana’, which is a broad-brush term generally applied to musicians lacking fashion sense and choreography. If Bakersfield had a delta, and that delta had a sound, it might sound something like the Hooverville Rounders”. Guitarist Dave Currall calls it "Blues-Grazz" (well…that’s Dave for ya).
Friends since the eighth grade, Steve Austin and guitarist Dave Currall played together in a variety of country and rock bands in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, including “Saddle Tramp”, “Deuces Wild”, and “Wingus Holler”. After pursuing numerous musical projects individually and with other bands over the years, Steve and Dave joined forces with mandolin player “Dust Bowl” Dave Ryan to form the Hooverville Rounders in 2005. With the addition of bassist Dave “The Groover” Grover, the lineup was complete.
Originally a guitarist, Steve Austin received his first banjo as a Christmas present from then-girlfriend, Cindy (who went on to marry him, despite the fact that he actually insists on playing the darned thing!) He cites among his influences such legendary banjo pickers as Earl Scruggs, Bela Fleck, and Doug Dillard, and actually owns a banjo head bearing the autographs of his three heroes.
Guitar virtuoso Dave Currall’s playing draws from such diverse influences as Johnny Winter, Richard Betts, Doc Watson, and Robert Johnson, and he’s established a reputation as one of the area’s top guitarists.
Mandolin player “Dust Bowl” Dave Ryan has played Bluegrass, Folk, and Celtic music at festivals, nightclubs, coffee houses, and farmers’ markets in and around Southern California. His playing is a combination of contemporary and traditional mandolin, and his influences include Sam Bush, David Grisman, and Bill Monroe.
Holding it all together is rock-solid bassist Dave “The Groover” Grover. Groover has a degree in music, and has toured and recorded with such luminaries as Elvin Bishop, Mickey Thomas, Rufus, and Chaka Khan. “We’re still wondering what somebody with Groover’s credentials is doing playing with us -- we suspect the witness protection program may have driven him underground -- but we’re sure glad to have him in the band”, says Steve, “Actually, I’m honored to be playing with all of these guys. Not only are they a lot of fun to be around, they’re really good players. It’s a lot of fun to play with musicians of their caliber”.
Since their formation, the band has built a loyal following through appearances at festivals, nightclubs, coffee houses, and private parties throughout southern and central California.
In addition to being added to the play lists of several college and Internet radio stations, the Hooverville Rounders have appeared on the MTV series, “Date My Mom”, in which they're featured playing an instrumental version of “My Old Kentucky Home”. Fans of the popular HBO series, “Entourage”, may recognize the Rounders’ Steve Austin and Dave Currall as members of the bluegrass band playing in the final scene of episode 509, “Pie”. (Also featured in the scene are Tehachapi resident John Kamplain on bass and Rob “Iceman” Posey of Bakersfield on mandolin.) The song, “Cindy”, from their CD, “Good Time Music for the New Depression”, is featured in the soundtrack from the episode. The Rounders have also appeared at shows with the likes of Roy Clark, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Cherryholmes, Rosie Flores, John Corbett, and the Dillards. Their interpretation of “Lost Weekend” is featured on the recently released tribute CD, “Goldmine- The Songs of Buddy Blue”.