Edith Grove & Bottle Tree is an americana 'n' alt-country 'n' rock songwriter/singer/guitarist and band. The group met while collecting, cataloging and bottling malicious spirits in the Ozark Mountains. The Bottle Tree Ranch is located in lovely Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Edith was born on the rugged banks of Spoon River and was raised in the shadow of the Hoover dam by a nomadic tribe of wolves and out-of-work Elvis impersonators. Growing up she learned rhythm and rudimentary slide guitar as well as the secret (but deadly) art of hip-shaking. Edith has been known to occasionally don a black mask, fight for truth, justice and the American way and ride off into the sunset. Hi-yo.
Bottle Tree is anchored by Michael O'Brien on bass, Jimmy Pontzer on drums and David Gutierrez on pedal steel and harmonies with Edith contributing strummin', singin', pickin' and grinnin'.
Michael spent his formative years on the calm banks of the little known sixth Great Lake: Lake Inferior. Life in the tiny bass fishing community of Ant Harbor revolved around net fishing for wild Hofners (naturally boneless) and P-Bass (known for their distinctive colors). He later moved to New Mexico after successfully hitchhiking across the Bering Strait on an otter-powered surf board. Michael's hobbies include paint-by-numbers Velvet Elvises and teaching dogs to play poker and cribbage.
Jimmy spontaneously arose from a rare confluence of tundra fire and melted blue mailboxes with a paintbrush in one hand and drum sticks in the other. He spent his early years BASE jumping from sidewalk curbs and crafting fine china from coal dust and wood glue. After a half decade of work as a traveling suspension bridge salesman, he finally settled down in the lush desert of Albuquerque and signed on as Edith Grove & Bottle Tree's drummer.
David rode into town one dusty day at high noon with a tumbleweed at his heels and a song in his heart. He fashioned his first pedal steel guitar from a pair of chopsticks and a roll of barbed wire. He soon became renowned for his ability to play steel, mandolin, dobro and guitar, quote Proust, fly and for having ghost-authored the majority of Shakespeare's plays (except for Hamlet - Edith wrote that one). Hobbies include cat ranching, dog wrangling and collecting engraved pint glasses.
Highway of Diamonds was recorded with Suzanne Shelton on cello/backing vocals, Gina Chavez on drums/backing vocals and Chris Frain on bass with a host of guest musicians filling in on pedal steel, blues harp, banjo, dobro and violin. Edith has been honored to work with every one of them!