klondike5 String Band

Clap your hands, tap your feet, laugh out loud, and shout yee haw…that describes what happens when you listen to the Klondike 5 String Band from Tulsa.

Eight years ago four talented musicians met at a music festival at Woodward Park in Tulsa. They casually started jamming together that night. With each song they played, they knew they had something; something not just good, but something great. That night a bond was made and the Klondike 5 became a band.

This last weekend our Friday Night Friends group went to hear them and left fans of the band. The lead crooner and guitar player is Matt Skelton. He is the son of the famous Gary Skelton. Other members of this great group are Carmen Skelton, Fiddle; Victor Wandres, Upright Base; and Eric Fransen, Banjo and Percussion.

As we nestled in our chairs at the Elote café where they were playing that night, and munched on nachos and other Mexican dishes, I couldn’t help but notice how the crowd was responding to this talented and fun band. Everyone was tapping their feet, or clapping their hands, or drumming their fork in rhythm with the lively music. Most of all, everyone was smiling and laughing. Klondike 5 has a way of engaging the audience with their humor, carefree attitude, and smiles. I asked Matt Skelton what their signature song was, and without hesitation he said, “Cluck Old Hen.” This song is a popular Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune. The lyrics begin as follows:

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

The Elote café where they played and play on a regular basis had a charm of its own. They use fresh ingredients. They have the honor of being the only Platinum Certified ECO restaurant in the state of Oklahoma. Their meats are free-range and grass-fed, raided in Bixby, Ok. They recycle, they compost, all of the to-go containers are made of 100% compostable corn and beets. They are located at 514 South Boston Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma. www.elotetulsa.com.

Klondike 5 is a crowd pleasing and entertaining band…impossible to sit still while listening to them….you just gotta move something baby....

The next chance to hear this entertaining and talented band will be at The Colony, on the 24th of March at 10 PM. The Colony is at 2809 S. Harvard Ave. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Colony is a Tulsa hotspot. In the 70’s Leon Russell owned this joint. Eric Clapton and George Harrison used to play at this little bar. The Colony has evolved into a seven-nights-a-week music venue. So put it on your calendar and get your bluegrass on. For more information on, "The Colony," go to www.thecolonytulsa.com.

For a little taste of Klondike 5 please view the video from Friday’s nights show. Just try to keep your foot from tapping….it is impossible.
- Shelley Stutchman, Oklahoma City Fiftysomething Relationship Examiner, examiner.com

Clap your hands, tap your feet, laugh out loud, and shout yee haw…that describes what happens when you listen to the Klondike 5 String Band from Tulsa.

Eight years ago four talented musicians met at a music festival at Woodward Park in Tulsa. They casually started jamming together that night. With each song they played, they knew they had something; something not just good, but something great. That night a bond was made and the Klondike 5 became a band.

This last weekend our Friday Night Friends group went to hear them and left fans of the band. The lead crooner and guitar player is Matt Skelton. He is the son of the famous Gary Skelton. Other members of this great group are Carmen Skelton, Fiddle; Victor Wandres, Upright Base; and Eric Fransen, Banjo and Percussion.

As we nestled in our chairs at the Elote café where they were playing that night, and munched on nachos and other Mexican dishes, I couldn’t help but notice how the crowd was responding to this talented and fun band. Everyone was tapping their feet, or clapping their hands, or drumming their fork in rhythm with the lively music. Most of all, everyone was smiling and laughing. Klondike 5 has a way of engaging the audience with their humor, carefree attitude, and smiles. I asked Matt Skelton what their signature song was, and without hesitation he said, “Cluck Old Hen.” This song is a popular Appalachian fiddle and banjo tune. The lyrics begin as follows:

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

My old hen's a good old hen
She lays eggs for the railroad men
Sometimes one, sometimes two
Sometimes enough for the whole damn crew

To see all the lyrics to this old but catchy song go to: http://toneway.com/songs/cluck-old-hen#ixzz1myY9SVKN

Between tunes and the skillful fiddle playing of Carmen Skelton; Victor, Matt and Eric made us laugh while they bantered amongst each other and with the audience. An example of their humorous teasing was about getting some….Like going to the lumber yard and getting some...some…..lumber that is…..

Klondike 5 has great vocal variety….from their bluegrass songs...to their special rendition of The Midnight Special. At one point they had the entire café singing, “I’ll Fly Away.” I am usually too embarrassed to even sing Happy Birthday but the Klondike 5 puts everyone at ease and instills the spirit of fun so much so that I caught myself singing and somehow my can’t carry a tune in a bucket voice seemed ok.

The Elote café where they played and play on a regular basis had a charm of its own. They use fresh ingredients. They have the honor of being the only Platinum Certified ECO restaurant in the state of Oklahoma. Their meats are free-range and grass-fed, raided in Bixby, Ok. They recycle, they compost, all of the to-go containers are made of 100% compostable corn and beets. They are located at 514 South Boston Avenue, Tulsa, Oklahoma. www.elotetulsa.com.

Klondike 5 is a crowd pleasing and entertaining band…impossible to sit still while listening to them….you just gotta move something baby....

The next chance to hear this entertaining and talented band will be at The Colony, on the 24th of March at 10 PM. The Colony is at 2809 S. Harvard Ave. in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Colony is a Tulsa hotspot. In the 70’s Leon Russell owned this joint. Eric Clapton and George Harrison used to play at this little bar. The Colony has evolved into a seven-nights-a-week music venue. So put it on your calendar and get your bluegrass on. For more information on, "The Colony," go to www.thecolonytulsa.com.

For a little taste of Klondike 5 please view the video from Friday’s nights show. Just try to keep your foot from tapping….it is impossible.
- Shelley Stutchman, Oklahoma City Fiftysomething Relationship Examiner, examiner.com

...
Klondike 5 String Band stomps around the Soundpony Lounge (409 N. Main) tonight as well. They have become a bluegrass institution around these parts. And it won’t make your ears bleed like some bands that need to play loud to cover up the fact they don’t know what they are doing.
... - Tulsa People

Tonight (Dec. 23) Klondike 5 String Band and Good Sir help celebrate Christmas Eve Eve with a hootenanny of a good time at Soundpony (409 N. Main).

There is a dearth of events tonight – or at least ones that do not involve reliving the four most painful years of your life (read: high school). Lose the reunion party and head to where the sweet sounds of mountain madness induced by Eric Fanzen’s homemade, whiskey-still, banjo playing makes you hallucinate you’re in the Adirondacks with Cleetus and Daryl.

Seriously, great night of music with a band that knows not to turn their amps up to 11 in Soundpony’s bouncy-wall cavern. - Tulsapeople.com

...

3. Danceable bluegrass and psychobilly act Klondike5 gets its kicks at 10 p.m. Friday at the Colony, 2809 S. Harvard Ave. No cover. Must be 21.

... - Tulsa World

Victor Wandres (right), the bassist for the band klondike5, talks with Billie Tosh and Joe Labossiere after Wandres' set Friday at Fassler Hall during FreeTulsa in the Blue Dome District. Tosh and Labossiere said they have followed klondike5 around and go to almost all their local shows. JEFF LAUTENBERGER/Tulsa World - TulsaWorld.com

By MATT ELLIOTT World Scene Writer
Published: 4/14/2007 6:02 AM
Last Modified: 4/14/2007 12:02 PM

An environmental fair dubbed "Climate Action Day" will be Saturday at Veterans Park near 21st Street and Boulder Avenue, a press release states.
The fair, which starts at noon, will feature academic speakers and performances by singer/songwriter Steve Liddell, among others. The event is one of about 1,000 taking place nationwide.

"People need to know how they can reduce their impact on the environment," said coordinator Derek Smoots.

University of Oklahoma assistant meteorology professors Susan Postawko and Mark Morrissey will speak during the fair that will also feature a bike ride to the event, starting at 12:30 p.m. at 41st Street and Riverside Drive.

Also speaking during the fair will be Larry O'Malley, a geothermal specialist, and Michael Patton, the Metropolitan Environ mental Trust's executive director.

The Klondike5 String Band performs at noon, followed by O'Malley's presentation at 1 p.m. Liddell takes the stage at 1:30 p.m., then Patton at 2:30 p.m. The Paul Benjamin Band will perform at 3 p.m., followed at 4 p.m. by presentations from Postawko and Morrissey. - Tulsa World