The Arkansas Sheiks is an “old-time string band” that plays fiddle tunes and songs from Appalachia and Missouri and a few selections from the Western swing canon. The group was founded as a trio in 1972 at Sweet’s Mill by Karana Hattersley-Drayton with Tony Marcus and Marty Somberg. The name “The Arkansas Sheiks” was borrowed from the song of that name. In the 1920s rural folks were enamored with Rudolph Valentino and hence several bands and songs at the time adopted “Sheik,” as for example, The Missouri Sheiks and the Mississippi Sheiks.
The Arkansas Sheiks performed at various venues around the Bay Area including the Freight and Salvage, Stern Grove and at two Grass Valley Bluegrass Festivals. The band also toured the country three times in 1975-1976 and recorded one LP with Bay Records, “Whiskey Before Breakfast,” which stands up to this day.
Some of the Bay Area’s finest old-time and bluegrass musicians cycled through the Arkansas Sheiks from 1972-1987: Barbara (Josie) Mendelson, Laurie Lewis, Hoyle Osborne, Michael Drayton, Tom Marion, Kate Brislin, Gene Tortora, Paul Shelasky and John Pedersen.
Today’s band includes the group that last performed at Grass Valley: Michael Drayton (fiddle/vocals), Karana Hattersley-Drayton (keyboard/vocals), John Pedersen (banjo/fiddle) and Paul Shelasky (fiddle/guitar). Laurie Lewis (fiddle) is an invited special guest.