The Courthouse Ramblers began playing bluegrass music together in 1998. Keith Hayes and Randy Lent worked together in the Monterey County Assessor’s Office, and wanted to start a bluegrass band. Keith decided to learn bass and Randy the mandolin. They recruited John, who was learning the banjo, through an online fetcher. They recruited guitarist Darryl after noticing him walking home from the class he taught with his guitar, and met fiddler Pete at a concert. Lately they’ve been joined by Dan, also on fiddle.
Why the Courthouse Ramblers? Well, Randy and Keith’s old boss let us practice in their office after hours in the county courthouse building. We thought that was generous of him!
After playing a few coffee houses in Salinas, the Ramblers were looking for a convenient practice place where they could meet on weekends, and asked Phil if the could play for his lunch crowd at his Snack Shack in Moss Landing. That led to a regular gig playing for his dinner crowd on the second and fourth Monday nights. Phil now has music most weeknights, with other local bands filling out the schedule.
The Ramblers have played weddings and parties from Marin County to Big Sur, and have been regulars at the Northern California Bluegrass Society’s Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival east of Hollister in the summer.