King Wilkie's Dream

Recently emerging from a self-imposed, semi-retirement from bluegrass music, during which he had been generally making good, John is once again pursuing the limelight and financial success assured in the world of live music performance.

Starting at an early age, John hit the streets, doing hard-time with the Middle Spunk Creek Boys in his teens, followed by two, non-consecutive tours of duty in the Twin Cities’ premier bluegrass band, Stoney Lonesome. As the second-hardest working man in show business, John did some touring with Peter Ostroushko and the Mando Boys, with whom he recorded two albums, performed with local country and blues bands, was a regular stand-in with the Guys All Star Shoe Band on A Prairie Home Companion, and played with American Heifer. 

Equally proficient on multiple instruments, John is pleased as can be to be performing with King Wilkie's Dream.

Shane Zack, the man with two first names, once couldn’t check into a hotel because they had gotten it backwards on his reservation. When you hear Shane play the mandolin, you won’t make that mistake. His chop is superb, and his cross-picking is worth driving across the state to hear.

Shane was born into a musical family. He learned guitar from his grandpa.  Mix in Shane’s natural thirst for knowledge, and you have a musician who will surprise you with something new every time you see him play.

A well-rounded individual, he has appeared with many local bluegrass bands throughout the years and has seemingly participated in most every jam in the eastern half of Minnesota. In addition to playing mandolin in the band, he is also a wedding officiant, amateur ornithologist, pysanky decorator, bluegrass historian and is considered a bit of a tree expert among the rest of the band.