The Band
Adam Leavitt
My interest in the banjo began 6 years ago when I was 13. My brother and sister had put together a banjo to teach themselves how to play. When they were not around, I would play with it. It wasn't long before I put together my own banjo. Other instruments that I play are guitar and mandolin . My family has lived in the Lewis-Clark Valley since 1995. After being home-schooled, I graduated in 2009. When not playing music, I enjoy hunting, playing volleyball and ultimate Frisbee.
Dave Herzog
As a boy growing up on the Camas Prairie, I was always interested in music and began to learn the guitar at age 14. In my high school years some of my buddies and I started our first band. I was hooked on music for life... I went on to play drums where I beat the skins to Country, 50s, 60s and 70s music for nearly two decades with 4 unique groups. At that time in my life I made some changes and quit the pub scene and came to know the Lord. A few years ago while visiting my daughter in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, I stepped into a music store and picked up a mandolin. I told my wife "I think I would like to learn to play this thing". That day I did put it down, but the next Christmas my wife surprised me with my first mandolin. I haven't put it down since. Bluegrass has become a part of my life. Bluegrass Festivals and jams are hard to pass up. I'm happy to be a part of NW Higher Ground, making bluegrass and gospel music with a super group of guys and gals.
Kristi Stephens
When I was about 7 years old my dad took up playing the banjo and bluegrass became a part of my life. I attribute much of my appreciation of Bluegrass music to my dad, Glen Stephens, and his band leader Andy Pawlanko. Although I enjoyed traveling to festivals with my family I did not pick up playing an instrument until high school when some kids at my school announced that they were forming a Bluegrass band.
I approached my dad about the bass that my brother had abandoned when he moved away from home. I was a dancer and loved the rhythm of tap and thought bass was my instrument. With my knowledge of the music and some help from a cheat sheet my brother had left behind, I began playing and surprised even myself with the number of songs I remembered from childhood. After high school I was lead in other directions and didn’t touch the bass for years. Then I met my husband Randy Berg. While visiting my parents he spotted the bass and asked whose it was. I said "I used to play it". He encouraged me to pick it up again. So we began going to music events where we could play. Off and on I have played with local groups and bands, but most of all I enjoy going to festivals and playing music with my family including my daughter Morgan.
Morgan Berg
In my family, music is a common language for us. I started playing fiddle when I was eight years old after deciding to play a violin like my older sister had. After a few years of lessons, my family started traveling to music festivals, where I learned to play songs and music by ear. Soon after that I started playing in bluegrass and gospel bands with my family. After moving to Northern Idaho, I was in a few more bands and finally found myself playing with my friends and my stepmom, Kristi Stephens in NW Higher Ground.
Scott Lombard
Coming from a musical family, I learned to play the guitar when I was 11 years old. By the time I was 16, I was playing bass guitar in a country band with my father Gene Lombard. For nearly 20 years we were known as Midline Express or Country Gentlemen. The next 5 years my dad and I played Gospel music as By His Grace with my brother Tim and good friend Ray Miller. We retired in 2000 when band members moved out of the area.
My interest in Bluegrass was sparked after watching the movie O Brother Where Art Thou. When I discovered Steve Kaufman’s teaching CDs, my desire to play in a Bluegrass group began. After looking for musicians that happened to be great people also, NW Higher Ground was formed in August of 2009. Playing music is fun again.
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