The Kruger Brothers

media release: The Early Days

Uwe was born in Germany in 1961; soon after the family relocated from Northern

Germany to Switzerland living in a small town between Bern and Zürich. The following year, in 1962, Jens was born.  Uwe and Jens grew up in a family where everybody played music - not professionally - but simply as a part of life. There were guitars, harmonicas, recorders, an accordion, and even a tenor banjo. Almost every evening they would sing together as a family. The two brothers quickly learned their parents’ German folksong repertoire and even sang harmony.  As soon as Uwe could reach his fingers around the neck of a guitar, he started playing. Jens first played the harmonica and dabbled with his mother’s accordion as well. Music came naturally to the boys; as much so as the German they spoke, music was a language of the family.  Through their parents’ record collection, Uwe and Jens were exposed to a variety of artists. Early musical influences were the likes of Chet Atkins, Hank Snow, Lewis Armstrong, and George Lewis. Later, of course, Lester Flat and Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Bill Monroe, and The Country Gentlemen, just to name a few.

Uwe and Jens performed their first public show together on the first of May, 1973.

The Teenage Years After the passing of their mother in 1974, brothers Uwe and Jens moved to Zürich and started their first band - a skiffle band influenced by the sounds of Lonnie Donavan and consisting of a guitar, tenor banjo, washtub bass, and a washboard. The ensemble quickly became quite popular performing at countless events in a widening circle around Switzerland. By the time he was twelve, Jens also subbed for various dixieland bands and the National Radio Orchestra playing the banjo. However, when Uwe’s singing interest began to lean more toward bluegrass, Jens started playing the 5-string banjo. After discovering the album “Strictly Instrumental” by Flat & Scruggs and Doc Watson in 1976, they decided to concentrate on this type of music.  In 1979, due to complicated familial circumstances at home, the two left to become street musicians traveling through Europe from town to town surviving by playing on the streets by day and in the taverns at night. Eventually they met up with The Galfano Brothers from New York and formed the bluegrass band “Rocky Road”. CBS Records offered them a recording contract in 1981. The resultant album became quite the hit,

and for a while, the brothers were traveling extensively playing well-organized

concerts and festivals.

Despite the success they experienced as a band, the two brothers yearned to head in different directions musically - Uwe wanted to move his career toward country music, while Jens kept his interest in bluegrass. In 1982 the brothers went their separate ways. Uwe became a bandleader and sideman for various country bands including his very own band “Western Sun” which was, for the next five years, one of the main touring and back-up bands for US country stars in Central Europe.

Jens went to work on the railroad to save money to go to America. Once in the US, Jens met Bill Monroe at the Bean Blossom Festival in June of 1982 where Bill asked him to play with him on stage. Bill later invited Jens to stay on his farm near Nashville, and not long after, in July of 1982, he was featured by Bill Monroe at the Grand Ole Opry. Jens decided not to stay in the US and returned to Switzerland. He worked extensively with a renowned Swiss bluegrass band while studying music and playing banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and dobro in various recording studio sessions.

Together again In 1987 Uwe and Jens reunited forming the band “Appalachian Barn Orchestra” with Christa (Jens’ wife) on bass. The trio added drums and became a very popular band in Switzerland performing at festivals and concert halls. They signed with Canaris Records and later with K-Tel.  In early 1990 they teamed up with bass player Joel Landsberg from New York; he

became the bass player for the newly-formed band, the “Kruger Brothers”. They

hosted their own live radio show on Swiss National Radio DRD3 - the “Kruger Brothers Radio Show” in a format featuring international stars. Jens also worked as sideman and kept a tight touring schedule with more than 250 shows annually playing Telecaster in at least half of them.  In 1995 Uwe and Jens decided they would concentrate all of their efforts solely on the Kruger Brothers and canceled all other obligations. On the side, Jens founded the record company “Double Time Music” with his business partner, Philip Zanon. They built a recording studio in central Switzerland where Jens worked as a studio music producer as well.

Back in the USA  In 1997 Uwe, Jens, and Joel were invited to play at MerleFest in North Carolina. They were so well received in their festival debut, that MerleFest has invited the Kruger Brothers back to the festival every year since. Not long after MerleFest, Kruger Brother management organized extensive tours throughout the US beginning in the fall of 1997.

After five years of playing almost six month out of the year in the US, it was time to make the decision to either abandon the US market or relocate the entire Kruger Brothers organization to the US.  In 2003 Uwe, Jens, and Joel moved their business and their families to North Carolina. The Kruger Brothers have since released more than twenty-five CD's on their own label. They have performed with numerous symphony orchestras, string ensembles, and guest musicians on their extensive touring schedule throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, and Australia.

The Kruger Brothers are members of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, the Wilkes County Hall of Fame, the International Banjo Hall of Fame, as well as the American Folk Music Hall of Fame. Both Uwe and Jens are honorary citizens of North Carolina and Calgary, Canada. The Kruger Brothers have received numerous awards including the Steve Martin Prize for

excellence in banjo and bluegrass, several IBMA nominations, Prix Vallo, and many more…

The Kruger Brothers are a true staple of the American music scene and continue to bring excellence to audiences worldwide.