Name: 33 String Drive
Address: 79 Pine Street, Ashland, Oregon, 97520, US
Telephone: 541-488-0178

About 33 String Drive

33 String Drive is a six-piece Bluegrass/Americana band from Southern Oregon that includes fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, Dobro and upright bass. The band was voted Best Bluegrass Band in the area by Sneak Preview magazine in 2024. Members include some of the most seasoned players in the area including Bob Evoniuk on Dobro and Jeffery Jones on mandolin, both founding members of Foxfire, Siskiyou Summit of course, 33 SD. On banjo is Rick Nelson also a founding member of Siskiyou Summit and of the Rogue Valley Bluegrass Boys. On fiddle is the amazing, Jessie Watson who will delight you with her Bluegrass style on fiddle and harmony singing. On the upright bass is Holly Hurley who has a voice that will give you chills. And finally, on guitar is Robert Keane, who's a well-known fixture in the Bay Area Bluegrass music scene. Robert's guitar playing and singing adds the Drive in the 33 Strings arrangements.

33 String Drive’s vocal harmony singing is second to none! This is no “jam band!” This is a professional group that focuses on tight vocal harmonies, intricate instrumental arrangements and most of all entertainment! In any set you may hear a mix of great original songs or arrangements of songs by Dolly Parton, The Beatles, The Waterboys, Tom Petty, Postal Service, Trisha Yearwood, Olivia Newton John, Linda Ronstatd, The Supremes or Bill Monroe. You just never know - but you will always be entertained!

33 String Drive is available for festivals, wineries, concerts, weddings, and private parties. Please call 541-488-0178 or email us by clicking on Let's Chat!

Jessie Watson

Jessie Watson grew up in Santa Fe, NM. She started playing violin at age 5, studying both classical violin and Scottish fiddle. She studied intensively through her teens, playing as first chair and concert soloist in the Santa Fe Youth Symphony, as well as fiddling for Scottish Country Dances and Celtic festivals and attending Alasdair Fraser’s Scottish Fiddle Camp annually. Jessie moved to Ashland in 2000 to attend Southern Oregon University. At the time her passions were Spanish, Salsa dancing, and travel and though she did get a minor in music from SOU (along with a BA in Spanish language and literature), her joy for playing the violin had long since dwindled and she eventually quit completely. Fifteen years later, Jessie’s daughter insisted on learning to play the fiddle and started taking lessons with Duane Whitcomb at Creekside Strings. One thing led to another and soon Jessie had rediscovered fiddle music. Fast forward to the present and Jessie now lives and breathes music. She is an instructor for Creekside Strings, and teaches fiddle 5 days a week to children, teens, and adults, and co-teaches two weeks of fiddle camp in Lithia Park every summer. Jessie started playing bluegrass fiddle in 2016 with the band Waking Hazel, and in 2022 became a founding member of the Rosalees, an all-female bluegrass band. She joined 33 String Drive in January of 2024 and is excited to see how the band will help her bluegrass fiddling flourish.

Holly Hurley

Crooning bass player!

Holly was raised in Newberg, OR, in a musical family who supported music of all kinds. She grew up dabbling on a variety of Instruments including guitar, saxophone, mandolin, banjo and piano, and she grew up participating in school jazz bands and musical projects. Both of Holly’s parents are accomplished musicians for singing and songwriting, with a love specifically for country/bluegrass music.

Holly moved to the Rogue Valley in 2014 and in 2016 began playing upright bass. After attending community jams she played a short stint with Mixed Bag until joining the fierce talent of 33 String Drive. Holly is also currently a collaborator with local, all female bluegrass group, The Rosa Lees.

Jeffery Jones

Chop-master

Jeffery Jones, mandolin and vocals - Jeffery became a fixture in Pacific Northwest Bluegrass music soon after he arrived from upstate New York in 1979. He was a founding member of Fresh Cut Grass in Bend. As soon as he moved to Southern Oregon in 1984, became a founding member of progressive Bluegrass band, Foxfire along with Bob Evoniuk, Glenn Freese, Larry Bulaich and Leonard Sutton. Foxfire, known for their entertaining stage shows, toured the Northwest and eventually the U.S. and recorded four CDs.
After twelve years, Foxfire disbanded and Jeffery became a founding member of the band Siskiyou Summit. Siskiyou Summit was a mainstay of Northwest music scene performing at countless festivals and concert venues. For 17 years, Siskiyou Summit produced popular shows including, the music of “O Brother, Where Art Thou.” The band also recorded two CDs.
Jeffery and his son, Julian, began performing as a duet called Generation Jones as soon as Julian had a couple of sets of fiddle tunes under his belt. Generation Jones performed locally at galleries, pubs, wineries, festivals and parties for decades.
A prolific song-writer, in 2016 Jeffery recorded a solo CD “Way Beyond the Blue” which included twelve original songs. In 2018, Jeffery recorded his second solo CD “Wash My Body Down” that included ten original songs and later that year recorded a six-song EP of his original music with his band 33 String Drive.

Bob Evoniuk

Dobro genius

Bob Evoniuk grew up around the bluegrass hotbed of Northern Virginia near Washington DC at a time when many young musicians were discovering and immersing themselves in American roots music, bridging the gap between traditional and progressive forms of the bluegrass genre. As part of a burgeoning younger audience of fans influenced by the likes of Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, Peter Rowan and others, Bob’s interest quickly began to focus on the Dobro.

Bob‘s signature style of Dobro playing continued to develop when, in 1984, he co-founded the contemporary West Coast bluegrass band, Foxfire. The band enjoyed a 12-year stint, extensive touring and recorded five albums. More recently, a decade of performing with the Southern Oregon bluegrass band Siskiyou Summit, with whom he recorded two additional albums, was accompanied by side-projects with Borderline, One Horse Shy, LEFT and many other singer-songwriter collaborations. Being a member of 33 String Drive has re-united Bob with former bandmates from both Foxfire and Siskiyou Summit.

Mr. Banjo - Rick Nelson

Rick Nelson, aka: The Singing Brakeman or Mr. Banjo, was born and raised in Medford, Oregon. Rick joined first Bluegrass band while still in high school. In the Rogue Valley Bluegrass Boys, he played upright bass with his dad, Joe Nelson on mandolin, Ted Grant on banjo, and John Bevins on guitar. When John passed away, Rick switched to guitar until the end of that band in 1984. Rick played bass with the Rogue Valley band Alive & Pickin for two years. A versitle musician, Rick started playing the banjo and was quick to master the instrument, practicing every chance he could get - much to his wife’s chagrin. In 1986, the second version of Rogue Valley Bluegrass Boys was formed with Rick playing banjo. When Siskiyou Summit Bluegrass band was formed in 1999, Rick was tapped as its banjo player. His banjo playing was integral in the band’s sound and he wrote and recorded many of its songs. Rick’s banjo playing puts the DRIVE into 33 String Drive. Rick owned Nelson’s Brake and Alignment shop for 31 years, and retired in 2022. Thus the nickname, Singing Brakeman. In his spare time, Rick has seven children with his wife Candy, and still lives in Medford.

Robert Keane

Robert Keane is the latest member of our band and brings with him many years of musical experience. A native of Appleton, Wisconsin, he got his first guitar at age 12. The Kingston Trio, Harry Belafonte, Mose Allison and Bob Dylan informed his early playing years. In high school he discovered the music of Doc Watson, Flatt and Scruggs and Bill Monroe.

At 19 he joined “Union Hill” bluegrass band playing mandolin and honing the tenor, lead vocals and harmonies he has come to be known for.

Robert moved to San Francisco in 1977 and became a regular at Paul’s Saloon’s “Monday Night Bluegrass Jam”. Paul’s was the center of the burgeoning Bay Area bluegrass scene - Butch Waller, Laurie Lewis, Kathy Kallick, Ed Neff, etc. Robert has been fortunate to play guitar and mandolin (and sing!) with numerous bands in the Bay Area and California’s Central Coast and is excited to now explore Ashland both musically and personally.

Concert at Dos Mariposas Vineyard and Lavender Farm
Sat, Mar 15
Medford
Mar 15, 2025, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Medford, 3976 Bellinger Ln, Medford, OR 97501, USA
Mar 15, 2025, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Medford, 3976 Bellinger Ln, Medford, OR 97501, USA
What a great place! Mark and his staff will take care of you while serving great wine, ciders and beer plus delicious small plates. And, you'll get to hear some great music by us! . Because there is limited seating, we have to charge a $10 cover charge. Thanks for understanding!
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Concert at RoxyAnne Winery
Fri, May 16
Medford
May 16, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Medford, 3283 Hillcrest Rd, Medford, OR 97504, USA
May 16, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Medford, 3283 Hillcrest Rd, Medford, OR 97504, USA
We invite you to join us for an evening of Bluegrass music, wine and fun at RoxyAnne Winery! Reservations are recommended. 541.776.2315
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Plaisance Ranch Wine Down featuring 33 String Drive
Fri, May 23
Williams
May 23, 2025, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Williams, 16955 Water Gap Rd, Williams, OR 97544, USA
May 23, 2025, 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Williams, 16955 Water Gap Rd, Williams, OR 97544, USA
Now this is going to be a great party! Plaisance Ranch wines, BBQ, and music by 33 String Drive! https://www.plaisanceranch.com
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33 String Drive Concert at Dunbar Farm
Sat, May 31
Medford
May 31, 2025, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Medford, 2881 Hillcrest Rd, Medford, OR 97504, USA
May 31, 2025, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Medford, 2881 Hillcrest Rd, Medford, OR 97504, USA
Looking forward to performing at Dunbar Farms again! Great wine and the Best pizza hand-made in the wood fired oven. Of course there will be some of the best Bluegrass music around.
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33 String Drive reelin' in the years

33 String Drive has been fortunate to have some of the most talented musicians perform with us at some fun gigs throughout the years. Here's photos of some of them.

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Can't Buy Me Love

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33 String Drive reelin' in the years

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