The Greystone Ramblers

The Greystone Ramblers were formed at the Greystone Manor home of Albert Hoopes in the Winter of 1985. The goal was to play for the Old Fiddlers Picnic in Hibernia Park, northwest of Philadelphia.

Over the years, a variety of talented multi-instrumentalists (and instruments) have participated in the Ramblers' energetic rendering of American and Celtic folk music.

The Ramblers have played at events in the Philadelphia and West Chester, Pennsylvania, area such as the Old Fiddlers' Picnic, Turks Head Music Festival, Spring Gulch Folk Festival, Tall Cedars, The Carriage Event of Goshen, West Chester Christmas Revels, and a host of other community concerts, parades, and festivals.

The band lost its founder on Saint Patrick's Day, 1995, when Al Hoopes passed away. However, his band-mates honor his spirit and celebrate his joy in all types of folk music by continuing to perform an array of styles on a wide range of instruments.

Original member Terry McGrath plays hammered dulcimer, jaws harp, harmonicas, ocarina, washtub bass, and The Jug. Jon Davis, who joined the group in 1986, plays fiddle, mandolin, whistle, guitar, and ocarina. Fred Frayer has played banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and guitar with the Ramblers since 1987. Richard Gordon is the most recent member, playing guitar, bass, and mandolin with the Ramblers since September 1996. 1987. Bill Bowes is another member who's been with us from the beginning. Bill is our bassman and autoharp player as well as providing fine vocals for our happy band. An active member for 10 years, Jon's wife, Marguerite Davis, often joins in on the harp,whistle, bones, or bodhran, and other members and guests from the band's past sometimes join the fun!

What sets The Greystone Ramblers apart from all the other folk/celtic/contra dance/old-time/bluegrass/jug bands you may have heard? The Ramblers are an extended musical family, bringing together the variety of the members' backgrounds and musical accomplishments into each piece they play or sing.

Indeed, no song is too outlandish to try, no tune is too traditional to play, and no instrument is too unusual to include--that's the way the Greystone Rambles!

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