Press kit
Toby and the Reno Grass · Bluegrass · Reno, Nevada
Short bio
Toby and the Reno Grass is a five-piece bluegrass band from Reno, Nevada. Guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle and upright bass, three-part harmonies, and a repertoire that runs from Flatt & Scruggs and the Stanley Brothers to newer grass and the occasional song you didn't expect to hear on a banjo. Toby is the dog.
Long bio
Toby and the Reno Grass came together in Reno, Nevada, out of the city's bluegrass jam scene, and took its name from a dog who still outranks every member of the band. The five-piece plays traditional bluegrass the way it was meant to be played, driven and acoustic, with the hot picking and stacked harmonies of the classic era, and is not shy about pulling a tune from outside the canon when it swings.
The band spent the summer of 2025 as the house act at Black Rabbit Mead Co. in Reno, has appeared on KOLO 8 Morning News, and played the 39th annual Bowers Bluegrass Festival in 2026. They play festivals, breweries, farmers markets, weddings and private events across the Reno/Tahoe area and Northern California, as a stage show or as a stroll-around acoustic act.
Lineup
- Al Beckman, guitar & lead vocals
- Kevin Hogan, banjo & vocals
- Zack Valenza, mandolin & vocals
- Ryan Cass, fiddle
- Laurens Kraal, upright bass
- Toby, namesake
Press photos
High-resolution, free to use for promotion. Click to open, then save.
Video
- CBA Father's Day Festival submission · youtube.com/watch?v=zK9RMKCZfXM
- Live at Bowers Bluegrass Festival 2026 · youtube.com/watch?v=KNHiSQfLq3k
- KOLO 8 Morning News appearance · youtube.com/watch?v=yvaGSAyjBzI
- Full live sets on YouTube · youtube.com/@TobyandtheRenoGrass1
Stage plot
Five-piece, fully acoustic. Preferred setup is individual mics or pickups per instrument plus three vocal mics; we can also play around a single large-diaphragm condenser for smaller rooms. No drums, no amps, no backline needed beyond mics, stands and a DI for the bass.
Input list
| # | Source | Mic / DI | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guitar | Instrument mic or DI | Al, downstage center-left |
| 2 | Banjo | Instrument mic | Kevin, downstage center-right |
| 3 | Mandolin | Instrument mic | Zack, downstage left |
| 4 | Fiddle | Instrument mic or pickup | Ryan, downstage right |
| 5 | Upright bass | DI (pickup) or mic | Laurens, upstage center |
| 6 | Lead vocal | Vocal mic, boom stand | Al |
| 7 | Harmony vocal | Vocal mic, boom stand | Kevin |
| 8 | Harmony vocal | Vocal mic, boom stand | Zack |
Single-mic alternative: one large-diaphragm condenser downstage center, bass on DI. Two monitor mixes are plenty.
Booking & contact
tobyandtherenograss@gmail.com
tobyandtherenograss.com
Facebook: Toby and the Reno Grass · Instagram: @tobyandtherenograss · YouTube: @TobyandtheRenoGrass1
Based in Reno, NV. Available throughout the Reno/Tahoe area and Northern California.