band

The cornerstone for HEINRICH XIII AND THE DEVILGRASS PICKERS was set in the early 80ies. At this time the singer and guitarist of the band, Henric Steuernagel was still in an early age and was deeply influenced by American movies and American music. Back then the first sympathies for country music built up.
In the following years, in which also the name "HEINRICH" was imposed on him, his way lead to a heavier path. A metallic path to be exact: in 1996 he founded the metal band ESCALATIONUNIT CHAOS ENGINE where he is singing and playing guitar until today and which present members built a part of the DEVILGRASS PICKERS, orchestration.

HEINRICH's plan always was to found a country band if he ever turns 50. But because of the concatenation of happy and unhappy circumstances, it happened to take place 20 years earlier...
2005 the first tentative steps took place on a softer and also very fertile country ground. A few songs have been written and some cover versions have been given at the domestic rehearsal space.
Three years later there was no way back anymore: HEINRICH XIII AND THE DEVILGRASS PICKERS had to be founded. There were enough own songs, musicians with a country soul and an irrepressible will.

At first Joscha "Puky" Pulkert, who never played a string instrument before, officially joined the DEVILGRASS PICKERS and took over the bass fiddle. Nevertheless he left the band in 2015 and made room for his successor Dennis Kraus, who originally was hired to play the mandolin. After Puky, Christoph Kipper followed on drums and he is also picking up the mandolin for the a bit calmer songs. Sergej Köhn found after years of musical experiments his purpose and discovered the banjo for himself. Sascha Malfeld also had to put his attention on two instruments. He took over the electric guitar and the dobro/electric dobro.
Only the last DEVILGRASS PICKER on the fiddle didn't show up yet. We all can be curious about if he will signify himself in the future...

"DEVILGRASS COUNTRY" is the inofficial first album. 13 tracks containing demos, live recordings and songs that won't make it on the successor "13: THE DEVIL'S DOZEN", completely home recorded. It came out 2009 and was limited to 1000 physical copies.
The second album "13: THE DEVIL'S DOZEN" followed 2012. Once more 13 songs about the good and bad things in life and some entertaining fictional stories. All velocities are included: from calm storytelling to fast sing along songs. It's another a home recording project mastered at a professional audio studio.

In the present era, HEINRICH XIII AND THE DEVILGRASS PICKERS maintain a part-time existence, each member navigating their unique musical journeys and responsibilities. Despite not being a full-time commitment, the band has left an indelible mark on the European music scene, weaving their distinctive country sounds through more than 100 shows across the continent.
Their narrative took an unexpected turn in 2011 when they faced ejection from the USA, a distinctive and memorable chapter in their story. Despite this hurdle, the band sporadically reconvenes in private, finding solace in playing together and occasionally recording snippets of their musical adventures. These impromptu gatherings underscore the enduring bond between the musicians, a shared love for music that transcends traditional labels. In these intimate sessions, HEINRICH XIII AND THE DEVILGRASS PICKERS continue to sculpt their musical legacy, defying expectations and embracing the spontaneity that has defined their unconventional journey.

On HEINRICH XIII records and live shows a lot of friends were involved, which also will be named here of course:
Billy Christy - radio voice on the devil's dozen
Bob Wayne - vocals
Brian "Uncle Buck" Ellard - fiddle
Chuck Onofrio - fiddle
Jared McGovern - bass
Joel Kaiser - vocals
Josch Zimmermann - writing
Lester Raww - vocals
Lisa Bates - fiddle
Liz Sloan - fiddle
Marcel "Beam" Böhm - vocals
Martin Seibert - bass
Matt Mayham - bass
Mike Khalil - electric guitar
Robin Walter - mandolin/audio engineer
Sebastian Lauermann - vocals
Sergio Stiletto - pedal steel guitar
Sven Klaka - electric guitar

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