MEET FOX CROSSING
Despina Peters
GUITAR & VOCALS
Born and raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL, Despina is primarily a self taught musician. Her first instrument was bass guitar she bought herself at the age of 17 because her friend had a bass too and they were to start a band. Upon realizing that you can't have two bass guitars in the same band, her mom bought her an inexpensive electric guitar. The rest is history! With a pink mohawk and blue sparkly guitar she learned a few power cords and formed Missing In Action, an all female pop-punk trio. Writing songs and playing shows, this band quickly gained popularity local parties. When that group disbanded, Despina picked up the bass guitar again and helped found jamgrass group, The Sweetwater Meltdown. Writing songs, learning how to sing bluegrass harmonies and gaining a better understanding of what it takes to play live, That group played many shows, festivals, and venues in the Midwest region including The Shawnee Cavefest, Blottopia, and Hookahville 2009. That band fell apart as most bands do, and she started playing in Top 40 pop-country cover band called Whistling Dixies. During that time Despina also played bass in the Eric Lambert bluegrass trio, and often played bass or sang with a Jerry Garcia Band tribute called Sisters and Brothers.
Wanting to start an all female bluegrass group, at the age of 27, she started playing fiddle. Fusing a love for bluegrass music and live performances, Fox Crossing Stringband formed in November of 2016 and hit the ground running.
Cassie Lynn Wright
DOBRO, BANJO & VOCALS
Born in Woodstock NY and raised in Raleigh NC, Cassie Lynn Brooks comes by a love of folk and bluegrass music honestly.
However, it was a move to Chicago presented the opportunity to learn the banjo and dobro from amazing teachers at the Old Town School of Folk Music (including Dave Bragman, Chris Walz, Keith Baumann, and Greg Cahill) and songwriter James Weigel.
She has played in several bluegrass bands including The Bonesteelers, Found Hounds, but Fox Crossing Stringband brings it all together, including the opportunity to write music for the band. Through songwriting, she is dedicated to building up more tunes in bluegrass that share a female perspective.
Beyond bluegrass she also has a strong passion for educational equity, holds an MPA in Public Policy, and works for a nationwide suicide prevention program.
Roman Niziolek
UPRIGHT BASS