The Country Pickers

The Country Pickers is a traditional bluegrass & country band, whose roots go back to the last years of World War II, when the hillbilly songs in the movies and on radio broadcasts of the U.S. Forces Network could be heard in Basel, Switzerland. In 1956 Bill Bohn (1930-2008) and Peter Gisin (1934-2010) met in Basel, which led to them performing at the first country music concert in Switzerland on 30 October 1960. In 1962 Ruedi Dettwiler, most probably the first five- string banjo player in Europe, joined the duo, now called The Country Pickers. In 1983 the trio turned into a band, as Ruedi's son Paolo was added on bass , later switching to mandolin and guitar. Stylistically the emphasis was now on bluegrass, because Peter Gisin moved to the dobro. After several line-up changes and highlights such as the first prize in the acoustic category of the 'Swiss Country Music Awards' in 1993 and two recordings productions, the band broke up in 1996. In 2010 The Country Pickers reformed with former members Paolo Dettwiler (mandolin ), Hanspeter Gasser (bass ), Hermann Merath ( banjo) as well as Tom Lochbrunner (guitar) and Röbi Brunner (dobro ), now with renewed vigor and fresh interpretations and songs . In 2013 The Country Pickers released a new project "CP Special”. The Country Pickers are appearing on stages in Switzerland and abroad.The Country Pickers is a traditional bluegrass & country band, whose roots go back to the last years of World War II, when the hillbilly songs in the movies and on radio broadcasts of the U.S. Forces Network could be heard in Basel, Switzerland. In 1956 Bill Bohn (1930-2008) and Peter Gisin (1934-2010) met in Basel, which led to them performing at the first country music concert in Switzerland on 30 October 1960. In 1962 Ruedi Dettwiler, most probably the first five- string banjo player in Europe, joined the duo, now called The Country Pickers. In 1983 the trio turned into a band, as Ruedi's son Paolo was added on bass , later switching to mandolin and guitar. Stylistically the emphasis was now on bluegrass, because Peter Gisin moved to the dobro. After several line-up changes and highlights such as the first prize in the acoustic category of the 'Swiss Country Music Awards' in 1993 and two recordings productions, the band broke up in 1996. In 2010 The Country Pickers reformed with former members Paolo Dettwiler (mandolin ), Hanspeter Gasser (bass ), Hermann Merath ( banjo) as well as Tom Lochbrunner (guitar) and Röbi Brunner (dobro ), now with renewed vigor and fresh interpretations and songs . In 2013 The Country Pickers released a new project "CP Special”. The Country Pickers are appearing on stages in Switzerland and abroad.