About

Paving a fresh new route of ‘Americana’ highway…

In 2008, Amanda Crumley pieced a group together  to bring her Bluegrass-inspired songs to life. Since then, the group has shape-shifted a bit, and as of 2011, has coalesced into a very stalwart group of musicians with incendiary musical chemistry. With a broad spectrum of musical backgrounds, the Bandits’ sound is a highly-conductive amalgam of styles. Bluegrass-inspired, Country-imbued, with flecks of Jazz and more than a little bit of Rock ‘n Roll, these songs and this band bursts with originality, raw emotion and poetry. Described as “soulful,” the Bandits perform regularly in Chicago and its close suburbs’ best music venues and festivals. The Bandits recently embarked on a successful tour of select Southern and Midwestern states, including Tennessee, North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
April 2011 saw the release of their long-anticipated debut album, “When Darkness Glows,” to wide acclaim, with ten original songs penned by Crumley and a beautiful cover of Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns.” Songs of heartbreak go hand in hand with the theme of finding light inside of the darkness itself; not ‘redemption’ necessarily, but even better: finding reward in the journey. Produced by Crumley, with help from renowned pedal steel player Greg Leisz (Brian Blade, Shawn Colvin), local Chicago giants John Rice and Brian Wilke, the music shimmers.  The album, which they had been trying to make for years, was funded by the generous donations of a handful of people, and one main benefactor.

With a now solid line-up of highest-caliber musicians including Rob Clearfield on piano, guitar, and banjo-mandolin (Information Superhighway, District 97), Jim Tashjian on guitars (Treehouse, District 97), and Pete Tashjian (Information Superhighway, Treehouse) the music has truly come into its own.  Sean Archer and Mariama Torruella lend their high-lonesome harmonies to complete a trio of singers that moves as a single organism.

Currently preparing to enter the studio to record their second album, Mandy & the Bandits are paving a fresh new route of ‘Americana’ highway.

 the Bandits are:

Amanda Crumley, lead vocals and song designer

Sean Archer, supporting vocals

Rob Clearfield, keyboard, guitar, banjo-mandolin, vocals

Jim  Tashjian, guitars, vocals

Pete  Tashjian, drums,

Mariama Torruella, supporting vocals

Charlie Kirchen, bass

Special Guests:  Nick Ascher, pedal steel, guitar  ////  Matt Ulery, bass