bio
The Surly Trolls
Americana String Band
Justin Beals (banjo, guitar, vocals) hails from North Georgia. Over the years he's been involved in many different bands and has developed a lot of different styles along the way. He has a distinct style of flat picking guitar that he borrows from greats like Tony Rice, Doc Watson, and Norman Blake. He also plays Scruggs style 5 string banjo; a skill he picked up from the quarantine period of the pandemic. He is a key songwriter and singer in the band and most of his inspiration comes from growing up in rural North Georgia and relationships past and present.
Eddie Cortes (upright bass, vocals) is the upright bass player and songwriter for the Atlanta based Bluegrass Americana band, The Surly Trolls. Eddie blends traditional bluegrass roots with modern influences, drawing inspiration from artists like Billy Strings, The Dead South, and The Steeldrivers. His deep, resonant bass lines provide the backbone for the band's rich harmonies, while his poignant lyrics reflect the beauty and complexity of everyday life.
Anne O’Malley (Vocals), born and raised in Indiana, a California girl at heart has called Georgia her home for more than 20 years. Anne learned to sing before she could talk. Her parents had an extensive collection of original Broadway cast albums on vinyl – she memorized every melody and harmony line on The Sound of Music, West Side Story, A Chorus Line and countless others. Anne sang in school choir and musical theater and has performed with bands in Atlanta and San Francisco. She has a lifelong love of live music and camping music festivals. Anne’s talent for blending vocal harmonies adds a rich depth to The Surly Trolls' distinctive sound. ”
Dennis “db” Burns (mandolin, vocals), Atlanta based multi instrumentalist , is originally from Texas, with strong roots in both acoustic based and loud rock music. Nothing better than playing and singing around a campfire with my buds. Next favorite thing to do is playing on-stage with The Surly Trolls. Influenced by Texas singer-songwriters as well as by life experience and having spent considerable time in the Rocky Mountain West and in the Pacific Northwest.
