The Blue Rags

Reviving Ragtime: Blend Blues, Jazz, and Country

Fusing vintage influences ranging from ragtime to bluegrass to swing -- and topping it all off with a healthy dose of punk attitude -- the Blue Rags were formed in Statesville, NC in 1990 by singer/guitarist Scott Sharpe and singer/pianist Jake Hollifield, a pair of local art students. Stand-up bassist Bill Reynolds signed on a year later, and at his suggestion the group enlisted drummer Mike Rhodes; the 1996 addition of guitarist Aaron "Woody" Wood completed the Blue Rags' line-up, and the band's boogie-woogie punk sound earned a major cult following throughout the south thanks to a relentless touring schedule and openign dates for the like-minded Southern Culture on the Skids and Squirrel Nut Zippers. Upon signing to Sub Pop, the Blue Rags released their 1997 debut LP Rag N Roll; Eat at Joe's followed two years later. The group informally disbanded in 2000.~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi