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PICK 3 is a group of acoustic "pickers" and singers rendering fresh interpretations of Bluegrass, Celtic, Western Swing, Country, and Blues Music. Using mandolin, harmonica, guitar, and stand-up bass combined with strong vocals, they weave through a diverse and entertaining program sharing a genuine warmth, enthusiasm, and sensitivity. Pick 3 is available as a trio or quartet with the addition of a banjo. A creative and upbeat ensemble, Tom Eaton & PICK 3 is sure to please.
Tom Eaton (guitar & vocals) of Gloucester, Massachusetts has brought his music to more than fifteen foreign countries, traveled through Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas performing and learning from the local musicians he met along the way. Tom studied music and voice at Colorado State University, and jazz with Chuck Wayne. He toured extensively with a variety of bluegrass bands from the Rocky Mountain region; first as a founding member of "Everybody And His Brother" and then went on to found "Generic Bluegrass". After moving east Tom played with two acoustic string bands in the New York tri-state area "Out To Lunch" for 20 years! ...Tom's extended family). Tom's prowess on the fretboard has brought him into a variety of performance venues including television, radio, festivals, concerts, and recording projects. Today besides playing his guitar, Tom owns and operates Diamond Cove Music serving the needs of like minded musicians.
Pat Conlon (mandolin, harmonica, & vocals) of West Gloucester, Massachusetts has been a performer on the local Cape Ann music scene for over thirty years. He has performed a wide variety of musical genres and styles including blues and rock with the local favorites, The Gumby Bros. and Megawatt Blues Crushers, swing music with Backyard Swing as well as bluegrass with Old Cold Tater, of which he was a founding member. Pat has been a featured guest performer with such local luminaries as Chick Marston and Ellen Ford, Daisy Nell and Capt. Stan, Fly Amero, and many others.
Ken Steiner (bass) has been playing upright bass for over forty years in the Boston area. In addition to playing with Pick3, Ken has been active in several genres, having performed with jazz artists Gray Sargent, Dave Whitney, Kenny Davern, blues artists Ron Levy, Bob Margolin, Lisa Marie, Barrett Anderson, Dave B & the HotShots, country acts Twilight Ranchers, Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs, as well as Gloucester favorites Ric St. Germain, Greg Tower, Linda Amero and Phil Doucet. Ken has also served as principal bassist for the Newton Symphony Orchestra.
Our basic lineup starting in 2012 is as a trio that is shown above, but from 2003 to 2012 Pick 3 often played as quartet and were very fortunate to work with two of the area’s finest musicians. Nick Aparo (bass) played with us since 1999. He plays classical, jazz, blues, and other styles with both big and small groups. His current musical activities include playing with the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and his own swing groups and chamber ensembles. Dana King is a local banjo wizard who started sitting in with Pick 3 beginning in 2002 and soon became a steady member of the band. Dana also toured and recorded as a member of Connecticut-based Traver Hollow and as a founding member he is still working with Massachusetts-based Old Cold Tater who has played throughout the United States, Canada, Virgin Islands and Japan. Starting in the fall of '02 we worked frequently with Nate Leath on fiddle. Nate is a joy to play with and he can be heard along with Nick and Dana on Pick 3’s second recording “Live At The Rhumbline”. Nate became busy with his studies and other music projects, and our working with Nate tapered off in 2003. We hopefully will have a chance to work Nick and Dana for many years to come.
Tom Eaton started PICK 3 in 1995. Over the years there have been many collaborations and a few changes among the core musicians, but always shared has been a mutual joy found in playing acoustic roots music. We hope you will come hear the band soon and even if you have only half the fun as the band, you are sure to have a good time. Contact Pick 3 at tomeaton@pick3.org.
We hope you will come hear the band soon and even if you have only half the fun as the band, you are sure to have a good time. Contact Pick 3 at tomeaton@pick3.org