Notorious local bluegrass band the Railway Gamblers will perform with the energetic Mark Lavengood Bluegrass Band in May at Martyrs'.

Railway Gamblers is a four-piece Americana group that originated on the Southside of Chicago. The band consists of primary songwriter, Brendan Folliard, as well as Matt Fricks, Joe Sexton, and Sean Wilmsen. Having extensively played at a number of Chicago’s famous independent venues and having booked shows alongside a number of notable acts (Tom Hamilton’s American Babies, Head For The Hills), Railway Gamblers have been very active in the music scene, composing original material with storytelling lyrics, a vibrant folk rock sound, and a warm country twang that provides listeners with a fresh take on the classic Americana music genre.  In April of 2015, the group recorded their debut album, Heart Of The Sun, at Kingsize Sound Labs with Mike Hagler (engineer on Wilco’s ‘Summerteeth’ and mastering engineer on My Morning Jacket’s ‘At Dawn’). Two singles from the album were released in June 2015: “Fade Away” and, “Diamond Road.” Heart of the Sun was officially released on July 10, 2015 in CD format and on a number of digital outlets (iTunes, Spotify, Amazon). The album received very positive reviews and the full recording, as well as individual tracks, was covered on several media outlets, including The Barn Presents and Indie Obsessive (a blog contributor to ‘Hype Machine’).  The musical success of Railway Gamblers has prompted festival appearances in Battle Creek, MI and at the 11th Annual Rossaroo Music Festival in Watseka, IL. “Fade Away” received attention as the group’s first single and was played on the nationally recognized radio station, 93.1 WXRT. The Railway Gamblers will head back to Kingsize in November of 2015 to record their second album, Shadow of the Moon, set for release in Early 2016.   Anyone that has witnessed Lavengood perform will attest to these three key attributes: his big heart, wild energy on stage, and the aptitude on the many instruments that he plays. Having released 2 LPs and a 7 inch vinyl under his own name in conjunction with 2 LPs, an EP, and an album on the way with International touring act, Lindsay Lou & the Flatbellys, Mark Lavengood is no stranger to the hustle of the music industry. He is currently planning his third full length album, “We’ve Come Along,” to be released in May with Earthwork Music.