DENVER, COLORADO
BLUEGRASS & AMERICANA
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About Us
Slay & Stinson are a dynamic, melody-driven band with deep roots and an original musical style. Their content draws inspiration from both real-life and fantastical experiences, all while paying homage to the rich traditions of bluegrass music and various other influences. Notably, Slay & Stinson earned the honor of being a finalist in the prestigious 2023 Telluride Bluegrass contest, a milestone that introduced their unique sound to a wide and appreciative audience of Colorado bluegrass enthusiasts.
Photo credits - Elliot Siff
Travis Stinson
Vocals/Guitar
Travis Stinson, a native of Nashville, TN, wears many hats as a founding member, vocalist, and guitarist. After studying at CU, Boulder, and touring with DURT, he returned to Nashville to forge ahead in his music career. Under his direction, the Volunteer String Band earned acclaim with regular gigs at renowned venues such as Layla's, Bootlegger's Inn, Bluegrass Underground, Music City Roots, The Caverns, Puckett's, and Loveless Cafe. Their performances ranged from the Bonnaroo Music and Art Festival to private gatherings, weddings, and Southeastern venues. Travis also held roles as an announcer at Bluegrass Underground and a brand ambassador at Music City Roots while gracing stages like the Grand Ole Opry and Late Show With David Letterman. Although he still occasionally performs in Nashville, Travis now resides in Golden, CO, actively participating in local bluegrass ensembles and contributing to two bands, Big Hooray Bluegrass and Slay & Stinson. These groups feature a diverse lineup of Front Range musicians, skillfully blending three-part harmonies and a repertoire that spans original, traditional, and contemporary bluegrass, along with cover songs, at breweries, private events, weddings, corporate functions, and festivals.
Scott Slay
Vocals/Guitar
The band’s namesake, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Scott stands out in the bluegrass music landscape with a distinctive vocal style, a repertoire of original compositions, inventive interpretations of traditional classics and modern progressive influences, creating a sound uniquely his own. He grew up on the East Coast playing and harmonizing in bluegrass bands with his father and other bands (Karl Werne Band, Kristi Stanley, Big Virginia Sky) and Denver, CO’s Scott Slay and the Rail. He has won multiple songwriting awards and was a finalist in guitar and mandolin instrumental competitions at Rocky Grass. He is a music educator and holds a B.A. in Music Education and Jazz Performance. He has collaborated and shared stages with artists such as Sammy Shelor, Scott Vestal, Sierra Hull, Sarah Jarosz, Josh Shilling, Jim Vancleve, Mike Munford, and many others.
Nick Einterz
Vocals/Banjo
Nick, a seasoned banjoist and singer-songwriter hailing from Southern Indiana, boasts an impressive career spanning decades, during which he has showcased his talents across a diverse range of musical genres. His banjo prowess is marked by its refreshing, smooth, versatile, and sophisticated technique, capturing the admiration of musicians worldwide. Nick's vocal delivery is characterized by its crispness and emotional depth, effortlessly traversing genres from blues to jazz, classical to bluegrass. His extensive background in various choral formats also positions him as an exceptional harmony singer. Additionally, as a songwriter, Nick weaves the timeless art of literary devices and American folktales into his craft, evoking both nostalgia and novelty in his listeners.
Brett Kretzer
Mandolin
Brett Kretzer is an accomplished mandolinist originally from the mountains of Western Maryland. His precise rhythm and smooth melodies are inspired by the stylings of Monroe and the rich traditions of Appalachian old-time music. Brett meandered his way through many genres from jazz to heavy metal playing guitar and drums. He picked up the mandolin on a whim and spent countless hours around campfires sharing tunes with Appalachian old timers - experiences leading to an undying passion for mountain music.He was a founding member of the progressive bluegrass band, The Plate Scrapers and has toured the eastern corridor playing festivals including Delfest, Watermelon Park Fest, Charm City Bluegrass, and several IBMA Showcases. Brett has shared stage and studio time with The Seldom Scene, Frank Solivan, Chris Luquette, Alex Hargreaves (Billy Strings), Larry Keel, and more.
Andy Reiner
Fiddle
Andy is an award-winning fiddler, singer, actor, and composer. Starting with the Reiner Family Band at age five he has evolved into his unique style of imaginative, rhythmic melodies infused with diverse world influences. With a B.M. in Violin Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston, his career catapulted into global touring and teaching. Musical ventures have spanned from Heavy Metal (Devil in the Kitchen) to Folk/Hip-Hop (FiddleFoxx), Swedish/Appalachian (Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers) and Electronic/Celtic (Firecloud and The Earth Stringband) touring Southeast Asia on the 2011 American Music Abroad tour for the US Department of State. His music is featured in Netflix series "Godless" and "The Queen's Gambit” and has collaborated with Darol Anger and the Furies and Whitewater Ramble. He interviews musicians, scientists, and more on his "River of Suck" podcast and is an official Yamaha Performing Artist and Codabow Ambassador.
Chuck Rourke
Bass
Charles "Chuck" Rourke grew up as the 11th of 13 children in an Irish Catholic family on the east side of Detroit Michigan. He played the family's Cable Nelson piano and sang in the church choir. Twist of fate placed a used clarinet in his possession and soon after he purchased his first saxophone. He credits three prominent Detroit radio DJ personalities as providing his early musical influences: Ed Love, Charles Johnson (The Electrifying Mojo) and (The) Famous Coachman. He learned to jam on the Blues with Uncle Jesse White at the Attic Bar in Hamtramck. In the 90's he wrote songs and did horn section work for the funk rock group Groove Spoon and played on their 94 release "Psychic Gyration." He moved to Colorado with his wife, Kelly in 99 and raised two children, released the solo instrumental album "Song of the Simple Machine" inspired by his sons. In 2013 he wrote songs, arranged and recorded all the horn parts for the studio project band Papa's Train on their "Volume One," release. The sounds of stringed instruments resonating in high altitude and lower air pressure captivated him and he acquired a mandolin and later an upright bass and began immersion into the soulful incantations of American root music and Bluegrass. He is a frequent participant in the Golden and Denver picking community jam sessions and considers himself blessed beyond words to be gigging and recording with some of the finest musicians in Colorado. His jug runneth over!
