About Us

Hello! We are the Amundson Family and Park Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada is our home. Though it's not the end of the world, you can see it from here, and if we could we'd invite each and every one of you to visit and experience it for yourself. The rural lifestyle we live enables us to play an authentic and traditional music that fits right along with who we are and what we do. It's really not that common anymore.

We add family flavored bluegrass and old-time country music with video production in hopes of reaching any or all that love down-home, uplifting and fun entertainment. It is certain to comfort the soul, put a smile on the face, and cause a positive distraction from all of the negative talk we seem to be bombarded with.

When you put banjo, mandolin, guitar, bass, and a fiddle into the mix with family harmonies and sibling antics, many may say that you get bluegrass with a twist. We simply call it Amundson Family Music. Since they were young, they've all been steeped in gospel and acoustic music that straight and stays true to who they are, and how they were raised. The simple appeal of this has allowed them to travel and perform far and wide, record albums, and entertain audiences in Canada and the USA. From the 1990s to 2000, Darryl played 5-string banjo for the Saskatchewan-famous bluegrass band "Baler Strings" performing and recording all over Western Canada at towns, villages, and bluegrass festivals. Now that the kids are old enough to help form a band he now MCs the band, plays guitar, and sings. With the way the kids are coming along, he figures he'll be soon delegated to just driving the bus. As Stringbean once said, "I feel so unnecessary!"

Sonora is the oldest child at 20 years old and plays pretty much everything there is to play. Along with singing lead and. harmonies, she plays mandolin, fiddle, and bass with the band. On the side she also. plays guitar, and piano. She is living in Checotah, Oklahoma right now but still performs with the group when she can.

Ira is 18 years old but has been playing and singing since he was 7. Starting with the ukulele, he went on to play bass with the band. This all went along very well until he came down with a condition that he has still not gotten over. This is Banjo fever and prayers are appreciated. There is generally no cure for this, and we have given up on him. In fact we. have accepted it and are using it to our benefit. In 2019 he won an international scholarship to play banjo at the World famous Station Inn in Nashville, TN, and to perform along with and learn from some of the top in the business. He also plays finger style guitar for the band and writes songs.

Nate is 13 years old he has been keeping the band in beat sing he was at least 7. (We kind of lost track, it's just that he's always been there). Starting out on the box drum he now plays mandolin and bass while taking over tenor singing when Sonora is not there.

Even though Anna Lynn is the youngest at 10 years old, she makes in up in the form of spunk. She's already singing and playing some violin with the band, when she isn't playing the box drum. By nature of her personality, she is our public relations guru, making friends of all that come to our appearances.

Darryl

Darryl started his music playing banjo for the Bluegrass band, Baler Strings. After 10 years of touring and performing with them, He and his wife started a family and put playing publically on hold for several years. After a time, he taught guitar, mandolin, and banjo in several local schools and this also led to his kids learning and playing together as well. Darryl now sings with the band and plays whatever instrument is leftover.

Sonora

Sonora is 20 years old and began playing mandolin when she was 8 years old. She now lives in Oklahoma and is going to school to become an EMT. She sings lead and harmony, and brings a contemporary zip and not to mention, good looks to the band.

Ira

Ira is 18 years old. He started playing Ukelele at age 7, and soon after began playing with his Dad and Sonora at local events and talent shows. He soon picked up the bass guitar which added significantly to the little band's sound. His second nature harmony singing also was a real asset as well. He now plays guitar and 5-string banjo with the Family, as well as with Jake and Ira Music His banjo playing has pushed the band to a new level as well as taken him to Nashville to play at the World Famous Station Inn, and playing with the likes of Charlie Cushman and Mike Compton.

Nate

When Nate, who is 13, was 6 or 7 he began playing Box Drum with the family as they traveled to different venue and towns. His dead on timing and easy going demeanor has always made him a favorite. He has set aside the drum for the most part and has taken the role as mandolin player and also play bass when called on.