Don Stiernberg and Jerry Wicentowski - Sugar Maple Concert Series

Sugar Maple Concert Series Featuring Don Stiernberg and Jerry Wicentowski

Don Stiernberg and Jerry Wicentowski have played and performed together on various projects over the course of four decades. For the last three years we have been members of the five-piece 'Third Coast Bluegrass.' A recent January tour found the band performing at one of our favorite spots- the White Gull Inn in Fish Creek, WI.

It was there that the idea jelled of turning the clock back to the brother duet teams of the early and mid-century 1900's. We are both enchanted by the free-ranging vocal parts by such musical heroes as the Monroe Brothers, the Delmore Brothers, the Blue Sky Boys, and the Louvin Brothers, all of whom sang and accompanied themselves on guitar and mandolin (or tenor guitar). We also cherry pick our favorite numbers introduced by the first generation bluegrass artists. Adding spice are selections from Don's swing and jazz on the mandolin and Jerry's interpretations of the vocal stylings of Mac Wiseman.

Don Stiernberg
Don Stiernberg recently began his fifth decade as a working musician. Along the way he has been involved in many musical activities: performing, writing, recording, producing, and teaching, but is best known for his mandolin playing. Born and still based in Chicago, the mandolin found Don as he grew up “out in the woods” in the nearly-rural suburb of Wauconda, IL. A desire to make music with his banjo and guitar playing brother led Don to appropriate a mandolin that had been given to him. Things came into focus both mandolin and life-wise when his parents sent Don to study with Jethro Burns, famous comedian (Homer and Jethro) and the greatest mandolinist of his time. From the very first lesson, Burns was more than a teacher. He was role model, hero, mentor, and friend, and Stiernberg was hooked and hooked bad on the mandolin. His earliest professional experience was in a bluegrass band with his brother (The Morgan Bros.) and a bit later in The Jethro Burns Quartet.

Jerry Wicentowski
As a teenager growing up in New York City, Jerry was inspired to sing bluegrass music by the performances of first-generation artists. His high clear voice carries on the tradition of the pioneers in bluegrass, but he is far from a pale imitation or carbon copy of those early greats. Jerry's performances here have uniqueness, depth of feeling, and most important, respect and reverence for the music.

He revisited the material of one of his early heroes in his most recent CD tribute to Mac Wiseman entitled 'Thanks, Mac!'. Mac himself praised Jerry’s work saying, “Jerry, I’m very flattered by your interpretation of my material and I think it’s a wonderful piece of work! I heartily endorse it, and I’m very pleased that you’re carrying on my legacy.”

Host or Publisher Four Lakes Traditional Music Collective