Les Beavan
Although born in the 1940s, Les bought his first banjo at age 16 and remains the tallest man in the band. He broke his front tooth while racing through a U.S. Naval submarine, guitar in hand, in an attempt to impress local French girls with his bluegrass repertoire. Despite this injury, he was not awarded a Purple Heart. Les is the father of Nat and Sarah, both of whom dislike bluegrass, and the husband of Allison who likes it so much that she gave him the Huber flathead tone ring for his 1999 Gibson, Scruggs Standard.
Steve Finch
Having sung commercials with his twin brother for Hasbro Toy Company at the age of ten and then playing valve trombone at the 1964 New York World's Fair and Expo '67, it was inevitable that bluegrass would eventually take over Steve's life. Steve spent several years on the west coast where he met his lovely wife, Nancy. Together they played and sang gospel music in a folk/country style. In 1981 they moved East and continued performing and were blessed with the birth of their son, Jesse. It wasn't until 1985 that Steve was introduced to bluegrass music and flatpicking guitar by his friend and future CrabGrass mandolin player, Chris Miner. From there he began playing at a weekly acoustic jam known as the Thursday Night Chefs, where he eventually met the rest of the band. Steve sings tenor harmony and plays rhythm and lead guitar.
Dan Fortier
Dan began playing guitar while still in high school in New Bedford, MA, first studying with Tony Pacheco, a well-respected jazz guitarist and teacher who had studied and played with Django Reinhardt in Europe after WW II. Dan's initial styles of interest were rock and roll, folk, urban and country blues. After buying a Martin D-28 in 1975, Dan became interested in the guitar styles of Doc Watson, Norman Blake, Dan Crary, and Tony Rice. Although he continued to play in various bands and to experiment with different music styles, by the mid-to-late 1980s he became committed to flatpicking guitar and bluegrass music. When not playing bluegrass, Dan keeps the beat on the streets of Providence as a gumshoe, helping to represent those accused of serious crimes. Dan is married to his sweetheart, Pam, and they have a lovely daughter, Margaux.
Steve Healey
Steve was exposed to country music at a very early age, and he grew to appreciate the likes of Hank Williams, Hank Snow and Jim Reeves. It wasn’t until his teenage years, however, that he began to learn bluegrass bass at local jams with his dad. While away at college, Steve taught himself to play the guitar and studied the styles of James Taylor and other artists popular at the time. In the mid-1990s, bluegrass music enjoyed a local resurgence, and with the encouragement and full support of his wife Lynn, Steve began honing his skills, playing upright bass and singing lead with local bands. In 2002, he formed the band “Mahogany Ridge.” Playing at assorted festivals and jams, Steve had the opportunity to meet and play with some of the finest musicians in the business. He joined CrabGrass in 2006 and it has been a great ride ever since. When not playing with the band, Steve is a financial advisor and has three children—Madeleine, Robert and William.
Chris Miner
Chris, the oldest and, by his own admission, most mature member of the band, grew up outside of Chicago where daddy played piano while mama burned the vegetables. He started singing at birth and not long after was infected by the Bluegrass Bug (Flatt and Scruggs strain). Over the years, he taught himself to play guitar, bass and mandolin well enough to strum, thump and pick his way through several different acoustic bands. Soon after washing ashore on lower Cape Cod in 1972, he met and married Paula, the love of his life. Together they produced and raised two beautiful daughters, Casey and Abby, who, to the amazement of their friends, actually like bluegrass music. Despite the overwhelming popularity of the band, Chris has not given up his day job. In his spare time he likes to mow.
