Black Twig Pickers

Black Twig Pickers

Black Twig Pickers are an American old-time Appalachian group from Galax, Virginia. They form in 1999 at the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention and take their name from an old apple variety associated with founding fiddler Ralph Berrier Jr.’s family orchard.

The group’s line-up includes Nathan Bowles, Mike Gangloff and Sally Anne Morgan. Gangloff plays fiddle, banjo, jawharp and vocals; Bowles plays banjo, percussion and vocals; and Morgan plays fiddle, flat-foot dances, calls square dances and sings. Another member in the band’s early line-up is Isak Howell, who plays guitar, mouthharp and vocals.

Their sound centres on fiddle, banjo, guitar, washboard and other traditional instruments, and they perform in a range of settings including dives, barns, streets and dances. Although they play widely, the band remains rooted in Southwest Virginia.