Delta String Band

The Delta String Band is an acoustic band playing music “the old school way.” Hailing from Greenville, Mississippi, the group consists of: Charles Sullivan, guitar and vocals; Jacob “Spike” Brown, banjo and vocals; David Morgan, mandolin; Cody Ruth, bass and vocals; and occasional members Jeffrey Tonos, guitar; and Ferd Moyse, fiddle. 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. They play 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, they 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. As their sepia-toned band photo suggests, their sound is raw and rootsy.

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. Despite being 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 four core members hone their craft and find others to share the stage with them on occasion. 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 the “old-timey” 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.