SoundCheck: Through friendship and music, James River Drifters put their stamp on bluegrass

By Jessica Balisle

Published June 10, 2025 at 7:45 AM CDT

James River Drifters, from left: Woody Nicely, Jeremy York, Pat Jones, Curtis Miller

James River Drifters will be on Studio Live Friday, June 13 at noon. Then catch their in-person performance that same night at Springfield Brewing Company's Ty Iechyd Da Distillery for Studio Live Social Hour.

James River Drifters is a band that starts with friendship. From there, the music has spread over the last 12 years around the Ozarks.

The band is made up of Pat Jones on bass, Curtis Miller on banjo and fiddle, Woody Nicely on mandolin, and Jeremy York on guitar.

Studio Live

Jessica Balisle

Jessica Gray Balisle, a Springfield native, grew up listening to KSMU. When she's not wrangling operations and compliance issues, she co-hosts live music show Studio Live and produces arts and culture stories. Jessica plays bass in local band the Hook Knives. She and her husband Todd live with their two cats, Ellie and Jean-Ralphio, and way too many house plants.

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