The Rock Hearts
Bio:
The Rock Hearts – New England’s Premier Modern Bluegrass Band
High-energy, high-harmony bluegrass that feels like Flatt & Scruggs just discovered Mumford & Sons.
Formed in 2013, The Rock Hearts are five veteran New England pickers who bring monster credentials and infectious joy to every stage: 40-year banjo legend Joe Deetz (Joe Val & the New England Bluegrass Boys, Sesame Street, Carol King), frontman Alex MacLeod (Northern Lights, Southern Rhode), tenor/mandolin wizard Billy Thibodeau (Kennebec Valley Boys, Bill Thibodeau Band), Berklee-trained fiddler Austin Scelzo (On the Trail, CT Bluegrass Association founder), and rock-solid bassist Rick Brodsky (Jonathan Edwards, Jeff Scroggins & Colorado).
They tear through hard-driving traditional bluegrass, heartfelt old country ballads, gospel quartets, and clever “bluegrass-ified” covers of modern songs you never expected to hear at 220 BPM — all anchored by those crystal-clear three- and four-part harmonies that make crowds stop drinking and start singing.
Genre / Style:
Modern Bluegrass • Traditional Bluegrass • Newgrass • High-Harmony Vocal • Progressive Acoustic
Ideal for:
Barn weddings • Brewery concert series • Summer festivals • Corporate hoedowns • Backyard parties • Country-club events
Little Known Fact:
Banjo player Joe Deetz once recorded “Garbage Man Blues” on Sesame Street — proof this band has been making people smile since Big Bird was in diapers.
Years Playing:
15+ years
