The Hackensaw Boys

Lore & Background

The Hackensaw Boys were founded in the fall of 1999 by Rob Bullington, Tom Peloso, David Sickmen, and Robert 'Bobby' St. Ours, all living in Charlottesville, Virginia. Sickmen and Bullington met in Harrisonburg, Virginia in the early 1990s; Bullington played in Fried Moose, Sickmen in Pieboy. Peloso had formed a band called Chigger. All had performed on the open mic stage at the Little Grill diner in Harrisonburg. The four founding members decided to form an old-time music group infused with punk rock energy. The band later developed its own sound busking on Virginia streets. Ferd Moyse joined after sitting in on old-time fiddle at the Town Pump Tavern in Black Mountain, North Carolina.

In the fall of 2000, an enlarged group of twelve musicians departed Virginia in a 1964 GMC motorcoach nicknamed 'The Dirty Bird' on the six-week Get Some Tour. The bus was given by Charlottesville developer Oliver Kuttner. The band toured with Cake, Modest Mouse, and Charlie Louvin, among others. They performed at festivals including Bonnaroo, Lockn', FloydFest, and the All Good Music Festival. The band's name derived from the actions performed on a mandolin (hack) and a fiddle (saw). Members adopted nicknames, a practice common among old country and blues performers.

Reader's Guide

The Hackensaw Boys represent a notable example of a continuously evolving string band that maintained a strong live reputation over two decades. Their significance lies in their ability to fuse traditional old-time music with punk energy, creating a sound that appealed to both roots music and alternative audiences. The band's rotating membership—with twenty or more current and former members—and their extensive touring, including major festivals and European dates, helped sustain their presence in the Americana and festival circuits. Their 2007 album Look Out! reached No. 6 on the Americana music charts, reflecting commercial recognition. The band's legacy includes serving as a backing band for Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie Louvin and influencing the broader string band revival. Their story illustrates the challenges and adaptability of a band that operated as 'more like a family than a band,' with members moving in and out over time.

Did You Know?

• The band's name comes from the actions performed on a mandolin (hack) and a fiddle (saw).
• Founding member David Sickmen traded a 1963 Buick Wildcat for a standup bass.
• The band's 1964 GMC motorcoach was nicknamed 'The Dirty Bird' and used for the six-week Get Some Tour in fall 2000.
• The Hackensaw Boys served as backing band for Country Music Hall of Fame member Charlie Louvin on one of his last nationwide tours in the mid-2000s.