Delta String Band

The Delta String Band is an acoustic band from Greenville, Mississippi, playing music “the old school way.” The group consists of: Charles Sullivan, guitar and vocals; David Morgan, mandolin and vocals; and Cody Ruth, double bass, viol and vocals. They also feature fiddler Amanda Mayo-Saalwaechter and occasionally partner up with Delta performers Craig Adams and Mike Slaton. The rich, cultural heritage of the Mississippi Delta is known for producing talented musicians, and these players are no exception.

The Delta String Band is best described as an Americana band, playing a variety of styles, from folk and bluegrass to straight-up country. With influences like bluegrass great Ralph Stanley, folk master John Prine, pure country kings Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, and even genre-fusing groups like the Grateful Dead, the bands bring their own flavor to the music they play. “The old school way” to them, means playing music in its truest, purest, stripped-down form.

The band originally formed for the 2019 Belmont Plantation Bluegrass and BBQ Festival and have since made a name for themselves as regulars on the Delta festival circuit.  They have also found a niche as featured performers for organizational events such as the Delta Arts Alliance Night in the Arts and playing southern gospel music for area churches. Even though they are an acoustic act, their playing is passionate and high-energy, perfect for a myriad of places: intimate listening rooms, jubilant church sanctuaries, and even raucous outdoor festivals.

The band continues to develop as the three core members hone their craft and, on occasion, find others with whom to share the stage. They are making big strides–creating band merchandise, writing original songs, and searching for ways to best serve their music by developing their live sound.

Spurred on by the belief that music is food for the soul, the Delta String band is gearing up for future gigs, recordings, and expanding their network. The determined faces depicted in their band photo call to mind a past that is gritty but true, hardy and hearty. The Delta String Band’s music speaks to this–honoring the heart and soul of the music by playing it in its purest form.