THE BEAUTY OPERATORS
STRING BAND
Perry Spinali (fiddle) A San Francisco native with a shadowy past that apparently included a drum kit, Perry is now known for his melodic and eclectic bow work. When not bluegrass'ing, this founding Beauty Operator rosins up his bow for a wide range of genres all across town: everything from Celtic to chamber music to avant-garde electric fiddle.
Paul Lyons (bluegrass harmonica, vocals) Grew up not far from the train tracks along the Mississippi River. He is committed to establishing the harmonica as a serious bluegrass instrument. He recently published Ten for Toots, a book of transcriptions of Toots Thielman harmonica solos. In a previous life he played trombone and wrote arrangements for salsa bands..
Jeremy Pollock (guitar, vocals) Born and raised in the Deep South Bay of San Jose, California. He dabbled in bluegrass for several years while playing in punk and heavy metal bands, before the boom-chick rhythm sucked him in full time. He helped found the Beauty Operators back in 2009 and hasn’t looked back since.
The Beauty Operators are a six-piece string band from San Francisco. The band plays high-energy renditions of traditional tunes, irreverently bluegrassified covers, and original songs that meld themes of modern life with old-time rhythms and soaring harmonies.
KQED Arts called them "wierdgrass," and they've adopted the moniker with pride.
Born from the San Francisco bluegrass jam scene, the group plundered their name from the song “Rollin’ in my Sweet Baby’s Arms." Founded in 2009, the current lineup has been playing around the City since 2013, including several iconic venues like Slim's, the Chapel, and the Great American Music Hall. In 2017 they were invited to play the Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival and the San Francisco Bluegrass and Old Time Festival.
Lucas French (mandolin, tenor vocals) Hails from Smithville, Missouri, and the midwest bluegrass blood pumps strongly through his veins. He studied jazz guitar before getting himself a “pickin’ fiddle” and hasn’t looked back since. While he does clean up nice, it can be hard to keep a shirt on this country boy, which the ladies don’t seem to mind.
Ted Kuster (banjo, vocals) Comes from a long line of Lutheran clergy. Majored in protest organizing at the University of Wisconsin. Played bass in salsa bands for many years before being infected with the bluegrass virus. Ted is currently the San Francisco VP of the California Bluegrass Association, where he does his best to spread the bluegrass virus. He spearheaded the Bluegrass Pride effort to enter a CBA float in the San Francisco Pride Parade..
Matt Lauer (upright bass fiddle) A longtime bluegrass and newgrass guitar player, currently with Rusty Stringfield and formerly with the Montana Slim String Band. But a few years ago he started watering a guitar, and it grew into the bass fiddle he now plays with the Beauty Operators. He is also a prolific concert promoter best known for the “Britgrass Invasion” series of concert extravaganzas..