For over a year, The Damphools have been playing up and down the Wood River Valley, making their claim as a tried-and-true valley band. Its members, Trey "Chuy" Hartman, Tony "Burger" Pfau, Kent "Sirr Kentiss" Mueller and Richard "Johnny Rico" Hood, came together to play their brand of music while keeping their day jobs.
Hartman works on the river in the summer, teaches at a school for kids with special needs, does carpentry and works in restaurants. Pfau claims to have a doctorate in "hamburgology" and is the spiritual leader of The Damphools. He uses his degree at the Wicked Spud. Mueller, who also plays bass in valley band the Cosmic Beans, is a fly-fishing guide for Silver Creek Outfitters and Hood is an architect for Anderson Architecture.
"We started playing after work," Pfau said. "Then we (Pfau and Hartman) played at open mic night at The Mint."
This spring the band will be playing at Apple's in Warm Springs every Saturday through the end of March, as well as at other events.
Mueller particular likes playing for The Damphools because he gets to play stand-up bass.
"It was my original instrument," he said. "It was a real natural fit."
For all the other members of The Damphools, this is their first band.
"It is my first real band at the age of 40," Pfau said.
"We are 100 percent back-porch rock 'n' roll," Hartman said. "One hundred proof back-porch music. It's old rock and country."
The Damphools don't have a drummer, which makes it easy for them to play small and unique spaces around the valley. Mueller plays stand-up bass, Pfau plays guitar, Hartman plays banjo and rhythm instruments and Hood plays guitar. And everyone sings.
"We are not that talented to be bluegrass," Mueller said. "We need a mandolin."
The Damphools have many influences for their sound, style and a few of the band's original songs--from Sonic Youth to AC/DC, as well as Johnny Horton, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and B.B. King. Their originals songs include titles such as "Memories in My Drink," "Get Gone," "Hurdy-Gurdy Girls" and "The Devil Lives in New York and She's Got a Condo in L.A."
"It's going really well, and it seems to be picking up steam," Hartman said. "We are very thankful for all the local support."
The band is also thankful for Hartman and all of his effort to book gigs and get the word out about performances. The Damphools are booked for the Northern Rockies Folk Festival in August and are very excited to perform with the band The Gourds and Rodney Crowell.
"It means we are doing something right," Hartman said. "We have a lot of friends out there, and we are starting to see more people getting to know us."
The band likes its back-porch and loose, open style because it reflects The Damphools' personality and an era and tradition when people sat around and improvised songs and music.
"It's that kicked-to-the-curb-a-few-times feel," said Hartman.
When asked about the band's name and the many inventive spellings that occur around the valley, Hartman said it originates from a late 1800s mining history book.
"When Hailey was a mining town there were social clubs. In Hailey there was the Order of the Crank and in Bellevue there was the Bellevue Liar's Club," Hartman said. "When the two clubs got together they were called The Damphools."
It's a 'phools' world
The Damphools will play:
Friday, Feb. 28, at Freeshies in Hailey, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Saturday, March 1, and every Saturday in March at Apple's in Warm Springs from 3 to 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 1, at Papa Hemi's Hideaway from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Monday, March 17, St. Patrick's Day Street Parade and Mahoney's Bar and Grill in Bellevue at 8 p.m.
Wednesday, March 19, at Apple's in Warm Springs to close Town Series at 5 p.m.
Friday, March 28, at Whiskey Jacques' in Ketchum at 10 p.m.
The Damphools left to right are Trey "Chuy" Hartman, Tony "Burger" Pfau, Kent "Sirr Kentiss" Mueller and Richard "Johnny Rico" Hood. Photo by Willy Cook
