Opposable Thumbs

Coffeehouse & gallery open at 6:00pm. Cash bar for wine & beer.
Performance at 7:00pm

Opposable Thumbs is a four-piece string band that performs originals and progressive string band music. This band first performed in the 90’s. After about 20 years, they started meeting weekly, reviving past repertoire, and adding some new material. With original members Wayne Beezley; mandolin and octave mandolin, Rick Sampson; banjo, guitar and mandolin, Betsy Neil; fiddle, they added a new bass player, Larry Dalton, and continued honing their skills.

Wayne Beezley, landed in Winona after performing with the notable Bluegrass band, Monroe Doctrine, which was based in Colorado. Wayne’s time with Monroe Doctrine took him to major festivals, college campuses, and other popular venues across the country. This band was cutting edge Progressive Bluegrass and influenced many young musicians, bringing this style of bluegrass music to the Midwest in the ‘70’s. He currently performs locally with The Bus Boys and String Ties.

Since 1977, Rick Sampson has been delighting audiences with his innovative banjo playing with a variety of bands including The Riverbenders, Traveling Kind, and Suite Grass. He has worked with a variety of bands including a Scottish Rock group, Peter Ostroushko, Kate Mackenzie, Chris Silver, Brian Wicklund, and jazz violinist Randy Sabien, to name a few. He placed second at the Telluride festival in the banjo competition two years in a row. Also, after attending the Red Wing Technical College, he started making banjo bridges that are sold internationally and used by prominent musicians worldwide. He has crafted and sold wooden flutes and flat picks as well.

Betsy Neil began learning music on violin and piano as a child. As a young adult she continued to perform in symphonies, string quartets and theater pits, but soon became interested in swinging her bow in a different direction. In the mid-seventies she developed a strong interest in fiddling and studied a variety of styles including Bluegrass, Appalachian old time, Swing, Celtic, and Cajun. She has performed in numerous string bands, the most notable being, The Buffalo Gals. Currently she performs with the Twin Cities based Cajun band, Roux La La and Winona Symphony, as well as anything else that calls for a violin or fiddle.

Rich Casey, first performed with Opposable Thumbs about 20 years ago. Rich is a musical man about town who, in addition to providing a solid musical foundation to the High 48s’ hard‐driving bluegrass sound, keeps a busy performance schedule lending his doghouse skills to a wide range of musical situations.

Host or Publisher Winona Arts Center