Cold Creek Bluegrass - About the Band

Meet Cold Creek

	BILL SPRUNGER has been playing bluegrass music since 1995, when he was inspired by a live performance of Alison Krauss and Union Station. While he is featured picking his guitar and singing lead and harmony vocals in Cold Creek, he is also a past instrument champion on fiddle and mandolin (2001, 2007). Bill writes and arranges many of the band’s songs, including Faithfully, the title track of Cold Creek’s debut album. He is a former member of the award-winning bands McKenzie Bridge and Gift Horse. Away from the band, Bill is an elementary school teacher and lives in Lehi, Utah.
	BLAINE NELSON is one of the finest 5 string banjo players in the state of Utah. His outstanding skills earned him the title of 2003 Utah State banjo champion. His unique and flawless banjo picking drive the sound of Cold Creek. He has played at numerous venues throughout Utah, both with his former band, Gift Horse, and as a solo act, including the 2002 Winter Olympics, the Founders Title Folk and Bluegrass Festival, and the Birch Creek Bluegrass Festival. He and his wife Sue have two children, Skyler and Hannah. They live in Sandy, Utah.
	NATE OLSON has been playing the fiddle for over 25 years and has been a stellar part of many groups, including Lincoln Highway, Cedar Breaks, Gift Horse, and The Olson Family Fiddlers. He is a three-time Utah State Fiddle Champion, and uses that expertise to teach in the Folk Music Department at Brigham Young University. Mel Bay has recently published his book, titled Championship Contest Fiddling. He also earned a Master’s degree in Bassoon Performance! He and his wife Morgan have a son named Asher. They live in Provo, Utah.
	ANDREA IVEY BANNER has been performing since the age of seven and hails from Arkansas, where she grew up with bluegrass music. She picks up the bass and sings lead and harmony vocals for Cold Creek. Andrea is an amazing singer and songwriter, having been featured in the Tim O’Brien Songwriters’ Showcase. She has also been an integral part of such bands as Whitewater, national bluegrass playoff champions McKenzie Bridge, and the Starving Barbies Folk Band. She is married to Justin Banner and they have two sons, Luke and Jace. They live in Highland, UT.
	JAKE WORKMAN is an 18 year old multi-instrumentalist, born and raised in Draper, Utah. He began playing the guitar at the age of 13, inspired primarily by classic rock n’ roll such as The Beatles, Journey, and Boston. When he later picked up the banjo and mandolin, he was sold on bluegrass music immediately. As the mandolin player for Cold Creek, he incorporates his broad range of musical style to their music. He is currently studying jazz guitar in the University of Utah music program, and recently won the title “King of Jazz” for the state of Utah. In 2007, Jake won the Utah State Instrument competition in guitar and placed second in mandolin.