The Red Haired Strangers have been playing together for over 15 years, forging original music that contains hints of country and delta blues influences. Along the way, they've expanded to include not only guitar and harmonica, but also fiddle, bass, drums, dobro and pedal steel guitar. Their music consists of original words set to driving melodies complete with evocative images of wandering, trains, sin and love lost. Ryan first picked up a harmonica when at the age of 16, when he fortunately swapped tapes with his brother and heard Sonny Boy Williamson on the first cut of the Blues Volume 1. John has been playing electric bass ever since a successful bribe led him to try out for the 8th grade basketball team. Joe Gumpper has been playing the violin since he was in sixth grade. When his teacher started teaching him the Bach E major violin concerto in high school, he knew he would make a life with music. Rick "Have Steel Will Travel" Morse has been playing music in bands since he was a teenager after hearing the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. Starting out as "just another guitar player" in a series of bands in high school and college, he took up the pedal steel guitar after hearing Rusty Young of Poco in concert. Chris Scharl began his musical training as a classical percussionist in fifth grade and was named to the NYSSMA sponsored "Area" All State Concerts during his sophomore, junior and senior years of high school. Chris was also a member of ESYO's Percussion Ensemble and received further instruction from Richard Albagli.