About Us
The Monroe Street Band L to R Drew, Gordon, Jane, Mike
Band information is included for the Monroe Street Band, the Greasy String Band, Irish sessions, contra dances, and the musical performances that involve the Scott family. Videos of performances on YouTube are listed under Gordon and Jane Scott. Information on local and statewide festivals such as the Southern Music Rising Festival, Florida Fiddlers Association, and Florida Folk Festival can be found by Googling these events.
MONROE STREET BAND
The multi-instrumentalists Jane and Gordon Scott form the nucleus of the Bluegrass band the Monroe Street Band. The band is an outgrowth of their music business Gordon’s String Music and has always had students or music associates as a part of the band. Jane is a former public school music teacher who found the traditional fiddling styles of Irish, old-time, and Bluegrass compelling. She formerly taught the Irish Ensemble at FSU for seven years and currently teaches private fiddle, piano, beginning mandolin, and beginning guitar lessons through the music store in Tallahassee. Gordon began playing Bluegrass music in Kentucky playing with J.D. Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys in Lexington, KY. When Gordon came to Tallahassee in the ‘70’s he formed a band with friends called the Big Bend Ramblers that played local festivals in Florida and Georgia for over twenty-five years. He teaches about anything with strings at Gordon’s String Music and plays harmonica and the Irish button accordion as well.
Mike Snelling who played bass with the Monroe Street Band since its inception as well as playing other musical engagements with Jane and Gordon over the years is deceased. Jane Scott plays fiddle and sings back-up vocals with Gordon Scott singing the lead and playing mandolin with the band. The couple formerly hosted an Irish session the fourth sunday of each month at Finnegan’s Wake which is currently closed. They hope to reschedule and continue regular Irish sessions at a different venue sometime in 2021.
Greasy String Band
The Scotts also play in an old-time band called the Greasy String Band that plays for contra dances around the state. Jane and Gordon won the band contest as the Backdoor Lost Band at the Florida Fiddlers Convention in 2010 with Roger Eudy on guitar. Gordon Scott won 2nd place in the Florida Banjo contest for 2011 & 2012. Jane Scott won 2nd place in the Old-time Division of the Florida State Fiddle Contest in 2012. The Greasy String Band plays for contra dances several times a year at the Senior Citizens Center on North Monroe Street in Tallahassee, Fl. The Scotts next dance is Friday, Jan. 27, 2023 7:30-10:30 pm and will play with band members Brian Hill (guitar), Jennifer Hill (bass), and Katy Hill (fiddle).
2019 Florida Folk Heritage Award
Jane Scott was awarded the 2019 Florida Folk Heritage award for her work with Irish traditional fiddling as well as for old-time fiddling. Jane and Gordon Scott started hosting Tallahassee's Irish Sessions in 1992 at The Warehouse. Since then the session grew to be two sessions monthly, a weekly private house session, plus the forming of numerous local Irish trad bands. Jane taught the Irish Ensemble in Florida State University's Music of the Americas program from 2000-2007. She and Gordon have traveled to Ireland many times and studied Irish music at the Willie Clancy Summer School in Ireland and at Elkins, WV with numerous Irish musicians such as Paddy Glackin, Tommy Peoples, James Kelly, Mick Moloney, and Matt Cranitch (Boston College summer workshop). Jane and Gordon formed an Irish band called Na Seamroga and play for special occasions. Jane currently teaches Irish and old-time fiddling at Gordon's String Music.