While you’re here, we ask that you please take a moment to check out some of the brief information below regarding Southwood. They are a great band to have on our site, and we are proud to have them listed!
Southwood is a group of veteran musicians with an abiding passion for classic country music. While their focus is on the classic sounds of Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and others from the ’70s and ’80s, Southwood also throws in some more recent country hits.
The band consists of singers Bill Travers and Laura Moe, guitarist Don Kaste, upright bassist Tom Erickson, master of the steel guitar Kevin Mincke and drummer Tim Mohrlant. Bill formed the band in early 2011 after meeting Don, Tom and Tim at a music jam in northwestern Wisconsin. It didn’t take long for Bill to realize that his friend Laura could add her unique vocal talents, and with the addition of steel guitar, the Southwood sound was established.
When singer-guitarist Bill Travers isn’t performing with Southwood, he puts in time playing in the Twin Cities area with the popular Travelin’ Moburys (along with Laura Moe) and a classic rock group, The Rusty Nails. With a musical career that spans several decades, he’s been twice nominated Best Country Vocalist at the Minnesota Music Awards.
In addition to being a lead vocalist, Laura Moe adds harmonies with her shimmering five octaves, and for good measure she also plays guitar. Performing as a duo, Laura and Bill are regulars at Midwest Country Theater in Sandstone, MN.
Lead guitarist Don Kaste has played in groups from Texas to Minnesota. In the 60’s with his local band The Corvets, he opened for, among other greats, Conway Twitty, The Everly Brothers, Del Shannon and Tommy Roe. In addition to guitar, Don adds his keyboard skills when needed, and is also a talented bass guitarist. Tom Erickson started out playing electric bass in his teens and has been playing blues, country, jazz, bluegrass, even traditional Irish Folk for close to 5 decades. In addition to Southwood, Tom regularly plays with a popular group, Acoustic Overdrive. Ten years ago, Tom switched from electric bass to the acoustic upright and has mastered it like nobody else you’ve ever heard. Tom also lends his vocal talent, whether it is singing lead or chiming in on harmony.
Kevin Mincke plays pedal steel guitar and does some lead and harmony vocals. In addition, you can often hear him playing along on accordion, mandolin, harmonica and Dobro. Playing since high school, Kevin has played all styles of music and in the the late 70’s, was part of the musical productions ‘Always … Patsy Cline’ and ‘Southern Gospel Jubilee’.
Drummer Tim Mohrlant has also been playing for over 5 decades, playing everything from polkas and waltzes, surf, rock-n-roll and now country. Tim currently plays with a local rock-n-roll/surf band, The Surfcats and with a local German band, The Liechtenstein Nein.
These accomplished musicians are fast on their way to becoming a Twin Cities favorite, performing in the Twin Cities area as well as throughout the Upper Midwest.