John O’Dell & Windy Ridge

If Bluegrass music is a passion of yours, then we welcome you to experience the world-class picking, song-writing and vocal harmonies of one of the most versatile Bluegrass acts performing today.

Introducing One of the Most Seasoned and

Versatile Bluegrass Acts Around

Over the last 35 years John O’Dell & Windy Ridge — as well as the Good Deale Bluegrass Band, of which John O’Dell was a founding member — have been entertaining audiences with traditional Bluegrass and classic country music at some of the nation’s premier venues. Places like; Wolf Trap, The Kennedy Center, The Avalon Theater, The Birchmere, The Ram’s Head, Luckett’s Schoolhouse, and the Globe Theater, and festivals like Gettysburg, Pa., Watermelon Park, Va., Deale, Md., Union Grove, N.C., and Ocean City, Maryland.

In addition, their songwriting and musicianship has afforded them the opportunity to produce three critically-acclaimed albums and to perform at hundreds of municipal, corporate, government, major league sports, and university-sponsored events, TV, and radio broadcasts.

The Music

Traditional Bluegrass to Classic Country with Excellent Picking and Tight Vocal Harmony

John O’Dell & Windy Ridge recorded their first album, Good ’Ol Stuff , with Flounder Records in 2002. The album’s stand-out original track, Rough & Wild, received impressive radio play in the Md., D.C. & Va. area.

John O’Dell has also recorded two more albums on Flounder Records with the Good Deale Bluegrass Band and Mike Auldridge. Their first album titled, You’ll Wish You’d Come Along, received stellar reviews from Bluegrass Unlimited and became a Washington Post Top Pick. The album’s stand-out original tracks include the title track, You’d Wish You’d Come Along, and Old Rusty Gate, both receiving rave reviews and radio play in Md., D.C. & Va. These two tracks are great example of the kind of song-writing that has been described as…

“Perfect little stories that everyone can relate to — and that might just bring a tear to your eye.”

— Lisa Kay Howard, WAMU Radio

John O’Dell’s catalogue also includes some great live material with Classic Country at The Wagon Shed, The Good Deale Bluegrass Band at the Birchmere, and a televised performance with Windy Ridge in Fairfax, Virginia.

“We started in Baltimore more years ago than I care to say…”

— John O’Dell, founding member.

John O’Dell & Windy Ridge

A Record Run

Over the last 35 years John O’Dell & Windy Ridge have played thousands of gigs up and down the eastern United States, represented their hometown of Baltimore, Maryland in a cultural exchange with Holland during a whirlwind European tour, and proudly performed weekly at Baltimore’s famous Cub Hill Inn for seven years, and even a record twenty-six year run at Maryland’s famous, Friendly Inn!

During that time the band has had the pleasure and good fortune to have had as members some of the greats in Bluegrass…

“Super pickers” like: Mike Munford (IBMA banjo player of the year) Mark Delaney (The Country Gentlemen), Jon Glik (Del McCoury and the Dixie Pals), Warren Blair, Ward Stout (Patty Loveless), Joe Miller (The Tim Graves Band), Jim Green (Bluegrass Etc.), Scott Walker (The Wayne Taylor Band), Dave Propst, Nate Leath, Norman Wright (The Country Gentlemen, Lester Flatt, Legends of the Potomac). The list goes on and on and is a testament to the wealth of talent available in the Md.-Va.-D.C. area.

John O’Dell & Windy Ridge Good Deale Bluegrass

Special Mention

Special mention goes to former Band members: Ned Mackenzie, Bill Beeler, Caleb Linder, and Kip Martin,who all left this world way too soon. Here’s hoping we’ll pick and sing somewhere on the far side bank of Jordan some sweet day.

The Original

Good Deale

In addition to Windy Ridge, John O’Dell was a founding member of the Good Deale Bluegrass Band featuring Mike Auldridge. Good Deale toured the festival circuit for nearly ten years, after which, Mike Auldridge and John worked some classic country shows with great folks like: Chris Walls, Ricky Simpkins, Gantt Kushner, Greg Hardin, Wally Hughes and Lisa K. Howard.

The music with Mike was the best. He was the greatest and is missed everyday.

A Few Kind Words

“The highest compliment one can pay a musician is to say that no one sounds like you. And no one sounds like John O'Dell. For over 40 years, he has played bluegrass music in the Baltimore region with style, taste, and emotion. Baltimore has an important role in the history of bluegrass music and John O'Dell is among the elite to ply his trade in that storied town.”
Archie WarnockBoard of Directors, Brandywine Friends of Old Time Music

“John's rich, textured voice can easily cover a wide and interesting range of Bluegrass, Folk, and Country styles. He's contributed some fine original material along the way as well.”
Mike MunfordIBMA banjo player of the year, Windy Ridge member for 15 years and former member of the Good Deale Bluegrass Band

“It'd be impressive enough that John O'Dell has kept a performing Bluegrass band together, influencing the Baltimore Bluegrass sound for over 35 years. And you might know that he knows hundreds of songs, and delivers each one with a smooth, clear vocal and real emotion that the audience can feel. But what impresses me most is John's songwriting. It seems like the songs he's crafted just fall out of him, perfect little stories that everyone can relate to- and that might just bring a tear to your eye.”
Lisa Kay HowardWAMU-FM Bluegrass disc jockey and mandolin performer

John O’Dell & Windy Ridge pride themselves on their experience and professionalism and welcome the privilege of entertaining your clients, guests, or patrons — the band guarantees their satisfaction and enjoyment.

John O’Dell

ph: 410-371-8001