Cort's main project is his band, Blue Rooster, which has been recording and touring since 1999. Having cut its teeth in the Appalachian Mountains, based in Asheville, NC, the band has featured some of the finest musicians that our fine Americana music tradition has to offer, from both the west and east sides of the country. While the instrumentation has changed over the years, the sound and repertoire of the band has always been the same... its combination of country, bluegrass, ragtime and country blues was the inspiration for Cort's nickname out in the Asheville area... "the chicken picker".
The current band lineup brings the band to new heights with the addition of a full rhythm section which gets the audience on its feet, moving to the sound of the mountains. Tyler Richart is one of the finest singers on the west coast, and his musicality seems to know no limits. Having contributed harmony vocals to and produced Cort's latest solo CD effort, Chicken Pickin', Tyler is intimately familiar with Cort's songs and his sound, and his solid timing and impeccable harmonies get underneath and lift up Cort's playing and singing. Kia Armstrong provides support to the music on every level, and Port Townsend's JT provides the glue for the band sound with his driving but very sensitive feel on the drums. Every once in a while, the band brings someone special onto the stage to join in with the fun, and lately that has often been Seattle's Sean Divine on harmonica and vocals. Cort and Sean have played and sung together for nearly 20 years, and was an original member of Blue Rooster for the band's first recording in 1999.
The Band
Cort Armstrong – guitar and lead vocals
Tyler Richart - mandolin and vocals
Kia Armstrong - bass and vocals
JT - drums
Recordings
Sweet Booty Biscuit –1999 (Seattle, WA)
My Heart Is Fixed – 2001 (Asheville, NC)
Let’s Get Together (unreleased) – 2002 (Asheville, NC)
