Hilltown Ramblers

Whether it was divine providence or just dumb luck, it was certainly fortunate that singer, guitarist, and mandolin player Dick Stock met singer and banjo player Moe Safford at a jam session shortly after Dick moved to the beautiful Helderberg Mountains in Upstate New York. They were neighbors with a shared interest in the many variations of bluegrass, especially the hard-driving variety. After a few more jam sessions, the Hilltown Ramblers formed and began playing regularly in 1993.

Over more than 30 years, the band has played hundreds of times at state and local parks, county fairs, clubs, breweries, cafes, and coffeehouses. The band has also appeared at benefits and in schools, libraries, hospitals, and nursing facilities.

Dick Stock and Moe Safford continue to lead the Hilltown Ramblers, joined by longtime guitarist “Smilin’” Jim Selkirk, fiddler Tom White, and upright bass player Gene Lemme.

The Hilltown Ramblers’ new album, “Clear Mountains,” is a homage to their Helderberg origins and is available on major streaming services. It features original songs alongside heartfelt arrangements of classic tunes. Bluegrass DJs are already mentioning the “awesome harmonies” on the album.

Their first album, “It’s About Time,” was well received, with copies sent to England and Japan. It includes original tunes, arrangements of friends’ songs, and a couple of choice standards. Greg Haymes described it in his Albany Times Union review as “Trademark Hilltown harmonies over a bed of bluegrass and gospel with some folk and country thrown in for good measure.” Nothing makes a musician prouder than hearing some of their songs played at a jam session at a bluegrass festival.

For more on the Hilltown Ramblers, visit www.hilltownramblers.com.