B l u e g r a s s    B a n d

The Salt Martians are a Santa Barbara-based, all-acoustic bluegrass band, established in 2005. Ken Gaston (lead vocals and guitar) and Tim Mullins (banjo, dobro and harmony vocals) first performed together in the mid-Seventies at the legendary Bluebird Cafe. Phil Pritchard (string bass and harmony vocals) has over forty years in bluegrass with the Floyd County Boys. A rotating cast of other players include mandolinists Mike Mullins of the Cache Valley Drifters and Mark Olson, formerly of the Live Oak String Band, and fiddler Tom Marton of the Very Lonesome Boys. Their combined talents give the Martians almost four thousand Earth years of combined playing experience. Their enjoyment of playing bluegrass music together -- from Bill Monroe to the Byrds -- is virulently contagious.

Here's a picture of the Martians at the 2010 Parkfield Bluegrass Festival.

And here's a sketch of us by Santa Barbara water-color artist Larry Iwerks.

Here are some candid pictures of the Martians in their younger days.