Roots rockers Tandy, named after a character in Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio, hail from New York City. Singer/songwriter Mike Ferrio, who leads the group, was born and raised in rural upstate New York, near the Canadian border, and his songs are often charged with memories of his childhood in a remote farming community. For a period during the '80s, Ferrio served as a roadie for groups such as the Saints and Butthole Surfers. Ferrio and drummer Tom McCrum, who grew up in Dublin, Ireland, formed Tandy in the mid-'90s and the group released its self-titled debut shortly thereafter. Their fourth album, the Bloodroot Transcriptions, came out in 2001. The effort saw a more stripped-down approach, as well as the addition of multi-instrumentalist Drew Glackin (the Silos) and Scott Yoder (Star City, Blue Chieftains, World Famous Blue Jays). ~ Erik Hage