Culpeper's Orchard

Culpeper's Orchard formed in Virginia in the late 1980s, with Scott Law, Tim Magill, and Mark Schatz coming together around string instruments and folk traditions. They started playing at local gatherings in the Blue Ridge Mountains, developing a sound that mixed bluegrass with folk and Celtic elements. Their first album came out in 1994, featuring the ballad 'Banjocul' which became one of their better-known songs.

They kept recording through the 1990s and 2000s, putting out albums like 'The Maze' in 1996 and 'Ramshackle' in 2005. The band's lineup changed over time, with Randy Barrett on fiddle and Eric Alcorn on bass joining later. In 1997, Mark Schatz died unexpectedly, which affected the group but they continued playing.

Some of their songs like 'Gideon's Trap' and 'Ode To Resistance' carried political themes that drew both attention and criticism. They never became a mainstream act, but maintained a following among listeners who appreciated their blend of traditional instrumentation with contemporary songwriting approaches.