"If you have the opportunity to see The Burying Ground perform, do not miss their innovative musical interpretation of blues and rags, with a modern perspective, that few bands have mastered."
-Greg Keffer, Fraser Valley Blues Society
The Burying Ground typically
perform as a quartet or quintet
and occasionally as a trio or duo.
BOOKING CONTACT:
Bios:
"There cannot be too many acts around whose principal influences and musical heroes emanate mainly from the first half of the 20th Century...Yet they do not merely ape the source material that inspires them: Forster and Laye are devotees that study and absorb it deeply, filtering such as pre war blues, early jazz and American rural folk music traditions into their own lovely material. Punk rockers at heart and previously in actuality, they acutely recognize and hold dear the ‘original punks’ – the Lead Bellys and the Woody Guthries of this world – and reverently project the same spirit of fierce independence..."
- David Morrison, Folk Radio UK.
Reviving the Soul of Early American Music
Formed in 2014, The Burying Ground is a collective rooted in the sounds of 1920s and '30s ragtime, country blues, early string bands, and folk music. Woody Forster and Devora Laye’s musical journey began in the East Van punk scene before they dove deep into the world of roots music, discovering a shared passion for the raw, timeless sounds of early American folk. Their transition from punk to roots music has shaped the unique energy and authenticity they bring to The Burying Ground today.
Having toured throughout Western Canada and the United States, the band has performed as a duo, trio, and quartet, and now regularly plays as a five-piece. Their four albums speak for themselves—lively, true, meaningful, and memorable from start to finish. The albums Big City Blues (2015), Country Blues & Rags (2017), The Burying Ground (2017), and A Look Back (2020) capture the essence of their sound, blending original songs with vintage influences. The band has plans to record a new full-length album in late 2025.
Their music explores mental health, the trauma of war, social justice, and love—both lost and found—offering a modern reflection within a vintage musical framework. With an eclectic mix of fingerstyle guitar, upright bass, harmonica, washboard, fiddle, and the haunting musical saw, The Burying Ground creates a distinctive sound that resonates across generations.
Whether performing on large festival stages or in intimate house concerts, The Burying Ground captivates audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Fusing the raw energy of their punk roots with the timeless traditions of early string bands and American folk music, they invite listeners to rediscover the magic of the past while offering a fresh perspective on today’s world.
Current and past additional supporting musicians include:
Joshua Doherty - harmonicas, harmonies
Alex Hallbom - upright bass
April Stainsby - fiddle
Clara Rose Chisholm - fiddle, harmonies; Noah Gotfrit - upright bass; Wynston Minckler - upright bass; Bonnie Northgraves - trumpet; Joseph Lubsinky-Mast - upright bass; Marc Lindy - tuba; Jack Garton - trumpet; Trent Freedman - fiddle; Kathleen Nisbet - fiddle; Candice Roberts - harmonies, clarinet