Band Bios
Kathy Nichols plays mandolin and guitar. She sings both lead and harmony vocals, blending nicely with daughter Sara’s voice. Kathy’s first musical influence was her dad who played fiddle. She sang in school glee clubs, always gravitating to the harmony lines. During her first job as a camp counselor, she learned a few chords on a friend’s soprano ukulele and used her first pay check to buy one. She grew up listening to Peter, Paul, and Mary and John Denver and her ukulele grew into a guitar. Finding like minds at acoustic jams, Kathy discovered bluegrass and the mandolin. She became attracted to the mandolin because of its smaller size and now admits to a serious addiction to the instrument. She enticed Sara to attend the Wheatland Music Festival several years ago which led Sara down the path toward acoustic music.
Sara Nichols plays rhythm guitar and provides some lead singing and high harmony. Sara grew up listening to her mom Kathy play songs on her Gibson folk guitar. It was on this same guitar that at 19 Sara taught herself guitar chords out of her mom’s books and began learning some of her favorite songs. This included artists like Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Doors, and the Yardbirds. She also had friends in local bands and learned to play electric guitar and bass. She discovered she had a knack for harmony. Sara’s musical taste began to evolve and embraced everything from Duke Ellington, big band and swing, like Louis Prima, to harder edged influences like Black Sabbath, Motorhead, and the Ramones. Her childhood influences included early rock, old country, and show tunes. After many of her musical friends relocated to California, Sara was literally left with no one to play with. A few years later, after a weekend at Wheatland with her mother she decided to join a new group which became Arcadia Way.
Mark Asenbauer plays guitar, mandolin, appalachian dulcimer and balalaika. He also provides percussion and occasional penny whistle. He has appeared on radio and local television programs all over the U.S. Mark has sung with various choral groups in Michigan and Texas and was a founding member of Sing Out Kalamazoo. He toured extensively as a soloist and member of the Christian Dynamics Trinity Singers and the Singing Caravan. Mark’s early musical influences were Peter, Paul and Mary, Donovan Leitch, the Smothers Brothers, Jean Richie, Hank Williams, the Monroe Brothers, and Joan Baez.
Dave Lytle’s early involvement playing music began during his high school years. He played electric bass, heavily influenced by classic rock bands such as Chicago, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, the Allman Brothers, and Aerosmith. Somewhere along the line he also listened to country rock from the Byrds, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and many others. After high school, he played guitar intermittently, usually to sing songs at small jams and parties. Almost thirty years later, he discovered his acoustic soul and became seriously interested in playing and singing bluegrass after attending an early Cooper’s Glen Music Festival. An original member of Arcadia Way, Dave early country influence brings songs from Merle Haggard, Tom T. Hall, and Johnny Horton to the mix. In addition to playing guitar and an occasional harmonica, Dave now plays upright bass. His interest in wood-working triggered a desire to build guitars and he continues to develop skills as a luthier. Dave’s strong vocals, solid rhythm guitar, and distinctive lead style contribute greatly to the Arcadia Way sound.
Jeff Lurges has been playing electric bass since his early twenties. Originally from Detroit, he got hooked on Motown music at an early age. He enjoys a wide range of styles from jazz to funk but bluegrass has long been a favorite. Jeff was also influenced by his older siblings, listening to groups such as The Eagles, The Who, Allman Brothers, Grover Washington Jr., Herbie Hancock, and Jeff Lorber Fusion. Over the years Jeff played in several “wedding bands”, always finding a spot for a bass player. He acquired an upright bass several years ago and moved into the acoustic world to join Arcadia Way. His great smile and visible tempo movements make Jeff fun to both watch and listen to.