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Miles Over Mountains
Sean Shiel - Mandolin
Caleb Peters - Acoustic Guitar
Pete Smith - Banjo
Phil Hoffman - Upright Bass
Previous Members:
AJ Knaack - Banjo (2014-2018)
Steve Hansen - Upright Bass (2014-2016)
Shawn Drake - Fiddle (2021-2022)
In Loving Memory of our brother, Shawn David Drake 10/20/1981 - 6/28/2022
Sean Shiel - Mandolin
Caleb Peters - Acoustic Guitar
Pete Smith - Banjo
Phil Hoffman - Upright Bass
Previous Members:
AJ Knaack - Banjo (2014-2018)
Steve Hansen - Upright Bass (2014-2016)
Shawn Drake - Fiddle (2021-2022)
In Loving Memory of our brother, Shawn David Drake 10/20/1981 - 6/28/2022
~ BIO ~
Hailing from McHenry, Illinois, a small town on the outskirts of Chicago, Miles Over Mountains is a familial unit of like minded midwestern musicians. For the past 10 years, the group has been forging their own progressive acoustic sound, rooted in bluegrass, but shaped around original songs, reinterpretations of their favorite writers, and layered instrumental prowess. Known best for their live show energy and deep connection with their audience, the band brings that rare combination of music you can’t help but dance to, and emotive ballads that will have you suddenly questioning the meaning of life. “Our live offerings are meant to drive the vehicle in a sense, gas the tank as it were. But the intent is for that dynamic to shift in the same way as one's inner thoughts and emotions; Ups and downs, failures and successes, desire and fulfillment, darkness and light.” says mandolinist and founding member Sean Shiel.
The quartet, made up of Phil Hoffman (upright bass), Caleb Peters (guitar), Sean Shiel (mandolin) & Pete Smith (banjo), originally came together through the midwestern bluegrass scene, and a love of similar musical intentions. “Something all the band members have connected over is an interest in many contemporary styles of music outside of bluegrass; country, rock and roll, punk rock, and even some classical music. I think that shared interest comes out in our playing and song crafting styles,” they explain. The band credits their regional community with the ability to envision a future for themselves in professional music. “We've always been working alongside and with our fellow musical counterparts/colleagues on shared bills, festivals and have gotten to watch them grow. Having the chance to interact with so many great bands doing the same thing as us has given us the opportunity to learn by example and set goals, while at the same time, the vision to define our own identity along the way.”
On “Burn the Ships,” the band’s latest album, Miles Over Mountains sees their growth from a group of dreamers striving for something, to a band that is now in the midst of living their dreams. “When we make a new record, each time it's through a lens that's older, more experienced, road-tested, and hopefully wiser than that of the record before it” they explain. “Burn the Ships” also features newer members Pete Smith (banjo) and Shawn Drake (fiddle). Both Drake and Smith joined the band in spring of 2021 and the five-piece toured hard, road-testing all the new material for about a half a year before taking it into the studio. “At the time, having these new players in the mix had opened up a realm of possibilities for the band and pushed our songwriting arrangements to a stronger level.” explains the band. They also pushed themselves to do more live tracking, to create a live organic energy reminiscent of their 2015 album "Five Star Heartbreaker".
Most recently, the band has faced their toughest test yet, with the tragic loss of fiddle player Shawn Drake in 2022. As Miles over Mountains continues to tour and record, they take comfort in their own commitment to working with and through change. “The best this band has ever sounded in our eyes was with a quintet, and we hope that sometime in the future we'll have that 5 piece band magic again. But whatever incarnations the future holds, the band will continue to grow and be unabashedly itself.” they say. The group of close-knit friends have burned the proverbial ships, and they won’t be turning back anytime soon.
~ LINKS ~
http://www.milesovermountains.com
http://www.facebook.com/milesovermountainsband
http://www.twitter.com/milesOmountains
http://www.instagram.com/milesovermountains
https://www.reverbnation.com/milesovermountains
Youtube Channel
~ EMAIL ~
[email protected]
~ NEWS ARTICLES ~
CBS Chicago: Best Of Chicago Best Up-And-Coming Chicago Bands To Check Out In 2016
AXS: Get to know a Chicago band: Interview with Sean Shiel of Miles Over Mountains
NW Herald: Weekend picks: Catch Miles Over Mountains in McHenry, Batavia
Miles Over Mountains Artist Direct FM 100.5 Feb 2nd 2016
Notable Events:
Fresh Grass Music Festival (MA) - Band Comp. Finalist
Blue Ox Music Festival (WI)
Mile Of Music Festival (WI)
Shoe Fest Music Festival (IL)
Frankfort Bluegrass Festival (IL)
Pickin' on Picnic (MO)
Hillberry The Harvest Moon Festival (AR)
Summer Stomp (IL)
John Hartford Memorial Festival (IN)
Revival Fest (MN)
Moondance Bluegrass Festival (WI)
Ozark Mountain Music Festival (AR)
Byrd Fest (AR)
UllrGrass Festival (CO)
Big Wu Family Reunion (MN)
Down On The Farm (IL)
People Fest/ Bonfire Festival (WI)
Jam For Jam (WI)
Direct Support of:
Molly Tuttle
Town Mountain
Kitchen Dwellers
Hot Buttered Rum
Pert Near Sandstone
Henhouse Prowlers
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Danny Barnes
The Last Revel
Cornmeal
The Wooks
~STUDIO ALBUMS~
