Fox Crossing Stringband

When fiddler and mandolin player Despina Pafralides had an idea to start an all-female band, she called on Cassie Lynn Wright, who played banjo and dobro. They put together a group with Allison Branch on guitar and Beth Earl on upright bass. It wasn’t long before Fox Crossing Stringband made a name for themselves on the Chicago bluegrass scene.

Despina was born and raised in Chicago’s suburbs. She started playing music when she got her first instrument – a bass guitar at age 17. She bought it herself, and she was primarily self-taught. Her friend also had a bass guitar, and their plan was to start a band. But the reality that you can’t have two bass guitars in the same band led Depina’s mom to buy her an inexpensive electric guitar. With her blue sparkly guitar and a pink mohawk, she was ready to rule the world. Her first band was a punk-rock trio called Missing in Action. They gained popularity locally by playing local parties. All good things must come to an end and when Missing in Action disbanded, Despina returned to her bass guitar and helped found a jam grass group called The Sweetwater Meltdown.

While in that band, Despina learned how to write songs and sing bluegrass harmonies. She also learned how to present herself onstage as the group played shows, festivals, and venues around the Midwest. Other bands followed, from top 40 pop country to a Jerry Garcia tribute band. She picked up the fiddle and began sitting in with a few other bands, but her true desire was to start an all-female bluegrass group.

Cassie Lynn Wright’s passion for bluegrass music comes naturally. She was born in Woodstock, New York, and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina. Cassie attended the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, where she learned to play the banjo and dobro. After playing in a few bluegrass bands, Cassie formed Fox Crossing Stringband with Despina, allowing her an opportunity to write music for the band. Today, Cassie and Despina are the only remaining female members of the band, although Cassie says they play music with a strong female perspective. Rounding out the band are Roman Niziolek on upright bass, Michah Vogel on fiddle and vocals, and Caleb Peters on mandolin and vocals.

With two full-length studio albums under their belt, Fox Crossing Stringband has been able to share its music beyond its home base of Chicago. “We wanted to lean into each other’s songwriting abilities,” says Cassie. “These albums have allowed us to bring more songs from a female lens to the bluegrass canon.” The band released their debut album, Box of Memories, in 2019, followed by their sophomore set, Bluegrass on My Mind, released in 2022. The album features a mix of seasoned standards such as “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and “Act Naturally,” as well as the Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water.” An equal number of original tunes rounds out the LP, highlighting their songwriting skills and vocal harmonies. “Despina and I really lean into each other,” says Cassie.

Cassie and Despina are inspired by other female vocalists, including Molly Tuttle, Missy Raines, Emmylou Harris, and Sierra Ferrell.

Their most recent recording is the Bluegrass Prom EP, released in 2023. To celebrate, they held an epic bash that has become an annual event. “We have hosted it twice so far,” Cassie says. “We sing prom songs with bluegrass stylings, and everyone wears prom attire,” says Cassie. “I wore my old prom dress my mom made for me. I struggled to get it from my niece’s closet – she uses it to play dress up.” They play dance tunes at the prom and even crown a prom king and queen. “It’s a great way to connect with people.” The EP includes prom classics such as “Sweet Dreams are Made of This,” “Time After Time,” “Take Me Home Tonight,” and “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” all in bluegrass instrumentation.

“We are looking forward to recording this year,” says Cassie. “We’re due. We don’t have dates scheduled yet, but we are making it a key priority to record and share our new sound.”

Fox Crossing Stringband mostly plays festivals and shows in Chicago and around the Midwest. “We play at a lot of wineries, distilleries, and beer gardens,” Cassie says. The band went to IBMA in 2023, where they played a showcase at the Bluegrass Standard booth.