Devil in a Woodpile

Devil in a Woodpile
Devil in a Woodpile on stage at the Hideout, playing with David Honeyboy Edwards
Background information
Origin	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres	Alt country Country rock
Labels	Bloodshot Records
Associated acts	Sanctified Grumblers, Wee Hairy Beasties
Website	devilinawoodpile.com
Members	Rick "Cookin" Sherry, Tom Ray, Joel Paterson
Past members	Paul K

Devil in a Woodpile is a band from Chicago, Illinois. Although they routinely give a fresh sound to 80-year-old songs, their repertoire and instrumentation categorizes them as a country blues or jug band.

Rick Sherry and Tom V. Ray first began playing together in the early 1990s as part of the Jake LaBotz Trio. After this unit broke up, the group began backing David Honeyboy Edwards, and performed as Devil in a Woodpile in between sets. The band first won acclaim locally in Chicago by playing frequent gigs at The Hideout. Signing with local folk/country label Bloodshot Records, the group released its first album in 1998 and a second in 2000. Soon after this they toured with Son Volt in the USA. Adding Madison, Wisconsin native Joel Paterson to the lineup in 2003, the group released its third record for Bloodshot in 2005. Gary Schepers (tuba) or Beau Sample (bass) often play with the band when Tom Ray is not available.

In the summer of 2007, the group opened for the folk legend Ramblin' Jack Elliott in Cleveland.

After more than ten years playing their weekly Tuesday slot at the Hideout, the group disbanded in 2009. That year, Rick Sherry joined with guitarist Eric Noden and bassist Beau Sample to form a new group, the Sanctified Grumblers. This group plays in the same style, and eventually took over the old Hideout residency. Sherry has since re-reformed Devil in a Woodpile with Joel Paterson on guitar, banjo and kazoo, and Beau Sample on upright bass and jug. In 2015, Devil in a Woodpile/Sanctified Grumblers was inducted into the Jug Band Hall of Fame.