Sawtooth Bluegrass Band will lead two OSEL’s worship services during Rivertown Days

The sounds of bluegrass music will be heard throughout Our Saviour’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 400 W. Ninth St., during Rivertown Days. The Sawtooth Bluegrass Band will lead the worship services at 9:15 a.m. and 10:35 a.m. Sunday, July 22. The bluegrass band’s appearance is a Rivertown Days event.

The Sawtooth Bluegrass Band, with two sets of musical brothers, joins the sounds of the original bluegrass masters with the fresh sounds of today. The band combines close harmony vocals and driving instrumentation, while also having a sense of fun and high energy during the show.

The band has received many awards. It was featured on Minnesota Public Television’s “Off 90” season premiere in 2011. The band features two-time Minnesota flat-picking guitar champion (2009 and 2011), Clint Birtzer, and the 2011 state duet champions –Birtzer and Jesse Moravec.

Their 2010 duet performance resulted in an invitation to play on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” show on the grandstand at the Minnesota State Fair. The group won the 2008 “Race for a Place” contest, securing a spot on the main stage at the award-winning MBOTMA August Fest.

The repertoire includes traditional and contemporary bluegrass, classic country, gospel, original pieces and some 70’s era rock. The band has made several appearances in Branson, performed at bluegrass festivals, at the Minnesota State Fair and with Keillor.

Sawtooth has released four CDs to date. Their debut album, “Movin’ On,” consists of a variety of bluegrass stylings, while the band’s bluegrass gospel collection, “He Can Be Found,” is a fresh, dynamic take on gospel tunes as well as old and new country songs.

The Sawtooth Bluegrass Band is the Moravec Brothers from Wabasha — Ethan on bass and vocals, and Jesse on mandolin and vocals; and the Birtzer brothers from Rosemount — Clint on guitar and vocals, Luke on fiddle and vocals, and Shane on banjo.

The services are open to the community.

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