WE play songs
Bear Grass is the songwriting project of Katie Hammon, whose voice has been described as “a fresh-from-the-dryer blanket feeling instrument”—warm, intimate, and impossible to ignore. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Hammon has called upstate New York home for almost 20 years, but her roots in the wild landscapes and quiet waters of Washington State still echo throughout her songs. The result is music that feels both grounded and expansive—indie folk with a cinematic touch.
Built around Hammon’s deeply personal, often memory-soaked lyrics, Bear Grass pairs storytelling with layered, textured instrumentation. Whether carried by guitar, piano or subtle electronics, each track offers space for her vocals to wrap around you and pull you in. It’s a sound that balances tenderness and tension, nostalgia and discovery.
Bear Grass released their sophomore album LEFT in 2018 to international acclaim. The record was named Best Album of 2018 by If It’s Too Loud, and landed in several end-of-year top 10 lists, including Reductive Reviews. Singles and album tracks were praised by Atwood Magazine, Secret Meeting, Spill Magazine, Playlist Play, Soundblab, and more.
“In a time when people like Laura Veirs, Lucy Dacus, Anna Burch, and Soccer Mommy have all released albums to critical acclaim, Bear Grass deserve to be included in that company.” — Secret Meeting
Drawing inspiration from artists like Laura Veirs, Dave Bazan, and Wye Oak, Bear Grass lives in the subtle spaces—sometimes dark, always melodic, and consistently immersive.
The latest Bear Grass release, Distance, continues this evolution, exploring themes of self-trust, transformation, and the quiet power of starting over. Stay tuned for more.
Katie Hammon | Vocals, Keys & Guitar
Katie grew up on a tiny island in Washington State’s Puget Sound, where the water, salt air, and foggy mornings shaped both her sense of self and her songwriting. After moving east to study music industry and event management in Albany, she made a home in upstate New York—balancing a life of music, community, and creative work.
Katie has been writing and performing as Bear Grass since 2004, with a brief detour as one-half of Slender Shoulders alongside Rick Spataro (Florist, The Firs, Onlyness). She’s also the founder and owner of The Maples Estate, a wedding and retreat venue nestled just above the Catskills, where she now lives and works year-round.
Whether she’s planning events or recording albums, Katie builds spaces—sonic and physical—where people can slow down, connect, and feel something real.
MOST RECENT LINEUP
August Sagehorn | Bass
Hailing from San Jose, California and weighing in at 170lbs is August Sagehorn on electric bass guitar. He enjoys coconut oil, Thelonious Monk, Elton John, The Beatles and recently delved into the wide world of specialized magnets.
Ian White | Drummer
Ian White is a geologist and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Mathematics in 2000 from Union College and a Master’s degree in Geology in 2003 from Western Washington University.
Ian’s fields of expertise include geologic exploration and evaluation, field mapping, surveying, and aggregate quality permitting. Ian is a member of the Geological Society of America
Peter Lavery | Guitar
Peter Lavery joined Bear Grass in the summer of 2018 to support the release of LEFT.
He grew up in the Capital District and now lives in Albany, working as an utilities auditor.
Peter also writes and rips with psych-funk rock band, Front Biz.
HISTORY
Bear Grass began as the solo songwriting project of Katie Hammon, first taking shape in 2004 and releasing its debut album, In the Light, on B3nson Records in 2011. What started as a quiet project gained momentum when Hammon was invited to perform at Albany’s annual Harvest Festival in 2012. For that performance, Bear Grass became a band—featuring Ian White, Mitch Masterson, and Stephen Stanley—and a new chapter began.
Over the years, the lineup evolved alongside the music. Tommy Krebs joined in 2013 after the band’s first full-band release, Stories in Books, a collaborative effort between B3nson and Swordpaw. In 2014, Masterson stepped away, and August Sagehorn joined for a Northeast tour. In early 2015, Stanley moved to New Orleans and Krebs shifted from keys to guitar. After the recording of their sophomore album LEFT, Krebs also moved on, and Peter Lavery joined as guitarist.
Throughout these transitions, Bear Grass became known for its rich live performances and evolving sound. The band toured across the East Coast and released LEFT in August 2018, recorded with Hunter Davidsohn at Business District Recording and mastered by Josh Bonati. The album marked a turning point for the group, earning praise from critics and fans alike.
In late 2019, Bear Grass recorded three final songs together, anticipating a brief pause as Ian White became a father—unaware that COVID would stretch that break even longer. Those recordings were released on March 23, 2024, as papers ‘19, a final reflection of a band that had grown, shifted, and eventually stepped back.
While the original lineup has since parted ways, Katie continues to carry Bear Grass forward. A new album is in the works, set to be released in 2026—a continued evolution of the project that started it all.