Sandia Hots

Liz Stevens first picked up a violin in grammar school and hasn't let go since. After lessons and orchestra opportunities in her home state of New Jersey, she moved to the mountains of North Carolina. Then, the fun began. A curiosity in fiddle tunes lead her to explore the many rural Fiddlers Conventions held around the South. She names old time fiddling legends like Clayton McMitchen, and Tommy Jarrel as her inspirations. She joined a band called Chicken Lips in 1979. Liz moved to Colorado in 1989 and has been a regular fiddler for dances sponsored by the Colorado Friends of Old Time Music and Dance (CFOOTMAD). She joined the Sandia Hots in 2000. What she especially likes about this band is the banjo player, the chance to play fiddle tunes and the opportunity to create rich vocal harmonies with this group of very talented musicians.  

Michael Gallagher was born playing banjo, he just didn't know it at the time. When someone finally shoved one in his hand, in college, he threw down his beer bottle and took up claw hammer. Fiddling entered the picture shortly afterwards. He's been a regular player in the Philadelphia area since 1975, playing with bands such as the Jubilo String Band and the Sly Dogs. You probably stumbled over him at any number of Fiddlers Conventions through out the South during the 70s and 80s. Michael cites James Brown as a role model and the Georgia Yellow Hammers as his favorite and most influential old time band. He moved to Albuquerque for good in 1996 and was an original member of the Sandia Hots. What he especially likes about this band is the fiddler, the chance to play accordion and fiddle along with his tenor and five string banjos, and to sing a lot.  

Scott Mathis has probably been a musician in all of his lives. This time around, he did the right thing by joining a rock and roll band in the 60s. The music hasn't stopped since. It just turned acoustic. Since the 70s, he's added talent and many dimensions to the Albuquerque acoustic scene. He has been a member of the Movin Henry Band, the Goat Heads, the Tune Junkies and the Virginia Creepers. He has recorded and toured with Bayou Seco since 1989. Scott says prominent influences on his music include the work of Albert King, Cleofis Ortiz, Elliot Johnson, and Lotus Dickey. In 1998 he formed the Sandia Hots when he figured out that Michael could sing. He's got a mandolin for every occasion and a great voice. What he especially likes about this band is the guitar player, the chance to play several mandolins per gig, and the chance to get the harmonies right.  

Linda Askew grew up listening and dancing to the music of West Texas. She got her first guitar in high school. She really learned to play while hanging out in Alamosa, Colorado with some other musicians during the summer of 1989. She hasn't put it down since. Linda considers Jeanie McLerie, Paul Katopish, Beverly Smith and Jere Canote as her most important musical influences. She's become a master at playing rhythm guitar for Southern old time dance tunes, Cajun dance melodies, the irregular rhythms of guiachi fiddle music, and Italian café songs in a variety of bands. Those groups include the Cicadas, the Pasta Tones and the Tune Junkies. She has also recorded and toured with Bayou Seco since 1989. Also a founding member of the Sandia Hots, she is the rock solid basis for all we do. What she especially likes about this band is the mandolin player, and the opportunity to hold us all together.