Who (and What) is The Grift?
The Grift is a popular club, wedding, and event-band based in the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Their sound defies easy categorization, blending booty-shaking grooves and improvisation with radio-friendly hooks, witty lyrics, and tight vocal harmonies. Grift shows are energetic and original, with band members swapping instruments and occasionally playing two at a time. Their deep catalog of original music blends roots-rock and pop and jam.
The Grift was formed by two Middlebury College grads Clint Bierman and Jeff Vallone in 1999, and since then has performed 2,300+ shows in 25 states and four countries. The current lineup of The Grift have been together for almost 20 years with Peter joining in 2003.
Clint Bierman (1999 - present)
Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Piano, Vocals
Jeff Vallone (1999 - present)
Drums, Bass, Guitar, Turntables, Vocals
Peter Day (2003 - present)
Bass, Guitar, Trumpet, Vocals
Grift Family Members
The Grift has definitely had a few members and have also joined forces with a number of talented musicians over the years. Very often, members of the band from years ago are still playing and working with the band regularly. Honestly, we are still one big family. Allow me to introduce the members of The Grift family (in no particular order):
Many of these folks have their own projects going - so please click their name. If they have something to promote, it will take you there!
Neil Anders Matthews - Drums, Vocals
Eric Graham - Master of Sound, Bass , Archivist
Ben Lively - Violin
Rian Alfiero - Keyboards, Vocals
Pat Knightly - Drums
Chris Misner - Drums
Greg Warren - Saxophone
Ryan "Big Time" Erskine - Keyboards
Andrew Moroz - Keyboards
Josh Panda - Vocals
Sean Preece - Drums
Russ Lawton - Drums
Matt Schrag - Mandolin
Mike Pederson - Guitar
Leon Campos - Keyboards
Jer Coons - Guitar, Vocals
Eric Maier - Keyboards
Jamie Bright - Guitar, Vocals
Peter Nilsson - Keyboards, Vocals
The History of The Grift Blog Series
In 2020, when the world was shut down, we decided to work on a history of The Grift so that we could try to remember the earlier days. We made it to 2007, but we hope to fill in the rest at some point... We got to go out into the world again, start performing, and it just kinda fell into the long list of projects to work on. But, feel free to click the button below to check out The History of The Grift Blog Series.