Being the President of SWBMAI, I am embarrassed to say that I saw Monroe Crossing for the first time this past weekend at the Portage Center for the Performing Arts. Can I use the excuse that I have only lived in the Midwest for a short while? They put on a fantastic show. Not only did they display excellent musicianship, they kept the audience captivated with interaction, stories and jokes.

Monroe Crossing played a nice mix of original tunes, traditional bluegrass and gospel numbers. The show was so entertaining that the two children sitting in the front row were bobbing their heads along with the band until they finished the final set which was way past their bedtimes. Fiddler player Lisa Fuglie wowed the audience with her phenomenal voice, and 25-year old Benji Flaming impressed with his excellent banjo rolls. The guitar, banjo and bass player mesmerized the audience with their instrumental talent and their fancy shoes. The band sang beautiful leads and harmonies throughout the entire show.

Monroe Crossing is from Minneapolis and is a SWBMAI member band. They are next scheduled to play in Wisconsin in Appleton on March 8th.