Catch The Runaway Train Bluegrass Band

At last weekend's Wintergrass bluegrass music festival in Bellevue, I discovered a popular band called Runaway Train, which features the talents of some of our local musicians.

With an emphasis on strong harmonized vocals and a traditional style, this train is steaming toward an exciting future.

Kent Powell, the band's acoustic bass player and a vocalist, lived close to University Place as far back as the 1960s but officially moved here about 24 years ago. He performed on banjo at that time.

"I started playing banjo in 1977 and played in various bands in the area for about 32 years," Powell said. One of the most popular was called Crossfire.

Runaway Train also includes guitar player and vocalist Greg Linder from Union, mandolin player and vocalist Nolan Elwell from Sumner, and banjoist Luke Dewhirst from Gig Harbor. Dewhirst, now 17, started playing banjo as a boy in the Dewhirst family band, called Dewgrass. The Rockygrass festival awarded him top honors as their champion banjo player in 2009, and since the age of 11 he has been sponsored by OME Banjos. Dewhirst also plays in the Bluegrass Regulators.

According to Powell, "This is really a family kind of music and that's why there are so many young pickers."

He called Dewhirst "a phenomenal player," emphasizing that Runaway Train is fortunate to have him.

Linder said, "Having played Wintergrass this year, we've had a lot of positive response. We're at the top of our game."

He also co-produces the Bluegrass From the Forest festival in Shelton, scheduled this year for May 13 to 15.

Be sure to check the band's schedule on the Runaway Train website. In addition to hosting Bluegrass From the Forest, this band will appear at the prestigious Darrington Bluegrass Festival.  For an overview of bluegrass events see the website of the Washington Bluegrass Association.