Put a guitar in his hands and a microphone near his mouth and then watch public relations maven-by-day Saul Rosenthal turn into Shalom Feivel, the band’s frumless leader.

Gail deVore is NOT a violinist and she’s not shy about telling you the origin of the fiddle she plays at the Walnut Valley Festival. She grew up too close to Oklahoma and has the accent to prove it.

Manny Ladis took up the mandolin after many years of getting frustrated with the violin. He is our resident dry-wit and now plants all of that violin frustration on his Breedlove Mandolin which he plays though his new amplifier.

Sandy Reay took up playing bass because she wanted to hang around with a tall blonde. She agreed to play with Rocky Mountain Jewgrass on the one condition: that they let her tell jokes. She brings comic relief (and "Blondie") to rehearsals and gigs. Sometimes she remembers to bring her Dobro, too.

Ben Cohen plays every instrument he’s ever made – from upright basses to lutes to steel drums (which he insists are not called kettle drums). One of these days, if we buy him a truck, he will find a way to incorporate all his instruments into our repertoire.

• group photo by Sandy Cohen
• photo of Gail by Manny Ladis
• remaining photos on this page by Gail deVore