High Cotton: Bluegrass for Life
The guys in High Cotton are rooted in the past, preserving the traditions of bluegrass, while looking forward to the next generation. It’s been that way since Dan Defend, Rick Rhodes, and Bill Blickhan played in the house band for Cotton Patch Gospel. It was there that they connected with the late Milt Craig. “Milt was a large part of why we became High Cotton,” says Dan. “He helped found the band, and he came up with the name High Cotton, which represents prosperity and good times.”
Bill adds that Milt would bring the band song after song. “That exposed us to bluegrass in a whole different way. Milt mentored us. We had the honor of playing with him for about 15 to 20 years.” Other original members of High Cotton include Tom Koehler and Cliff Anglen.
Andrew Kaufmann came on board as the band’s golden-throated lead singer about three or four years ago. “I played pick-up with older guys as a teen, where a band was kind of thrown together,” recalls Andrew. “I love playing with High Cotton because these guys hammer out the vocals, etc. We have a good feel together on stage.”
Dan’s daughter, Emily Erickson, plays mandolin and guitar, and his daughter-in-law, Rachel Defend, plays the fiddle. Nate Baker, a gifted young flat picker, has also joined the band in the last few years. “Nate brings in ‘different’ songs,” says Dan. “We play for audiences that aren’t necessarily bluegrass fans, so we will kick off with songs they know and can sing along to before sliding into bluegrass. Then we’ll throw in some Gospel. We are all strong Christians, and our mission is to point audiences to Christ. We are always looking forward to the future with Jesus.”
Based in Monticello, Illinois, High Cotton plays primarily around Illinois – from Bluegrass Gospel Festivals to churches, festivals, bluegrass concerts, and more. Dan handles booking the band, and he has scheduled shows in Chicago, St. Louis, and all around Illinois and Indiana.
On stage, the band is cohesive, and there’s no doubt they enjoy performing with each other. “We always enjoy getting together to try new music,” says Bill. “We have always gotten along well, and our audiences pick up on that. They become an extension of who we are on stage.”
Bill says the band respects that different members have different perspectives. Dan adds, “Some are obsessed with how the early masters did something. I went to the school of Scruggs, and it’s important to me to play a song accurately.” Rick likes to bring his own style to it. “I love good harmonies, and we all love duets, trios, and quartets.” Regarding non-bluegrass songs, they are influenced by bands like the Doobie Brothers and Credence Clearwater Revival.
While the band has done a few originals, they love the nostalgic, old songs. “Sometimes we’ll put our own fresh spin on songs,” says Dan, “but it’s done with everyone’s blessing – it’s very democratic.”
Dan adds that the band typically gets together to work on a set list for the season. “We have also begun doing more online – trying out new songs on Facebook.” While the band plays around with the country side of music, they always try to get more bluegrass in their shows.
All the band members have musical backgrounds, but it is a side gig for everyone. “Bluegrass is entertainment and fun,’ says Bill, “but we all have families, and we all put family first. That way, it’s always been a fun thing for everyone. That’s important to us, because we want the next generation of musicians to see us having fun.”
Affirmations along the way have confirmed they are on the right path. “We once played a festival where Rhonda Vincent played,” recalls Rick. “After the festival, she sent us an email. We also played a festival with The Whites, which was big fun.”
The band released a couple of CD’s early on, and in recent years they have released a few studio projects on Spotify. “My son, Eric, is a sound engineer,” says Dan. “He mixes for us.”
In the end, High Cotton enjoys a multitude of generations who play and listen to music. “What we do isn’t to satisfy any one age group,” says Bill. “We cherish the strength of a tight musical community, and we try to bless our audiences. Bluegrass is part of you until you die.”
Hear High Cotton: Take Me Home, Country Roads - High Cotton
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