Who's Who In Donna the Buffalo
Be sure to read the official band bios on the band's official site, www.DonnaTheBuffalo.com.
Jeb Puryear (guitar, vocals)
Old time music was the first love of lead guitarist and original DtB member Jeb Puryear. Jeb started his musical career on fiddle at a very young age, and still plays fiddle when performing one of the infrequent gigs of his first band, the Bubba George String Band, who traditionally open the Trumansburg (NY) GrassRoots Festival each July. With Donna the Buffalo, Jeb almost always plays electric guitar--a Stratocaster, though in early 2006 he played parts of some shows on an oddball Kent electric. On occasion, he'll also play pedal steel or acoustic guitar. Jeb writes and sings half of DtB's songs, and serves as the informal spokesman for the band's political and social conscience.
Tara Nevins (guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard, vocals)
Like Jeb Puryear, multi-instrumentalist Tara Nevins has been a member of Donna the Buffalo since the band formed in 1987. While onstage with DtB, Tara divides her time among playing fiddle, accordion, acoustic guitar, and scrubboard, sometimes switching among instruments during a single song. Tara's vocal contributions are a major component of the band's unique sound. Tara writes and sings half of DtB's songs. Previously, she was a member of the all-female old time/Cajun band the Heartbeats, and has a solo CD, Mule to Ride, which she released on Sugar Hill Records in 1999. Visit Tara at www.myspace.com/taranevins.
David McCracken (keyboards)
David first played with Donna the Buffalo by filling in for former keyboardist Kathy Ziegler while KZ was on maternity leave in 2006. Dave continued to sit in with the band whenever the opportunity presented itself, and became a full-time member in March 2008. He plays Hammond B3 organ, Rhodes, Wurlitzer EP, clavinet, and piano, and has performed with Buddy Guy, CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana band, Johnny Neel, Fred Wesley, John Paul Jones, Everyone Orchestra, Cyril Lance, Sam Frazier, The Believers, Cosmic Charlie and Folkswaggin. Visit David at myspace.com/davidthebuffalo.
Jay Sanders (bass)
Bassist Jay's Sanders first gig with Donna the Buffalo took place on 7/5/07 in Milwaukee, and he was a full-time member of the band by that Oct. Jay was the founding bass player for the Snake Oil Medicine Show, and spent more than 10 years touring with Acoustic Syndicate (rock/folk/bluegrass), with whom he continues to play. His other projects include The E.Normus Trio (improvisational jazz), and CX-1: The Blackhole Bluegrass Boys. Jay's also a web developer and co-owner of Divergent Mind; he maintains a site at www.mindtonic.net.
Vic Stafford (drums)
Vic began filling in for Tom Gilbert on drums in early Fall 2008 and was a full-time member by the time the band embarked on its tour of the Western U.S. in late November. Vic has played with The Goodies, Blueground Undergrass, and other bands. The Asheville, NC native also serves as a producer/engineer and has worked on numerous projects in Atlanta, GA and through out the south.
