You’re standing in a field in Colorado. The sun is dipping behind the Rockies, and the air smells like pine needles and expensive craft beer. Suddenly, a fiddle starts screaming over a heavy electronic bassline. It shouldn't work. By all accounts of music theory and "coolness," it really shouldn't work. But it does. That’s the magic of the String Cheese Incident band members, a group of guys who basically looked at every musical genre and said, "Yeah, we’ll take all of them, please."
They aren't just another jam band. Honestly, calling them a jam band feels like a bit of a disservice, even if they are one of the "Big Three" alongside Phish and Widespread Panic. Since their humble beginnings in Crested Butte and Telluride back in the early '90s, they’ve evolved into this massive, multi-sensory touring machine. But at the heart of it, it’s still just these six specific dudes who have a weirdly telepathic connection on stage.
Bill Nershi: The Heart and the Acoustic Soul
Billy Nershi is the guy who looks like he just stepped off a hiking trail, and frankly, he probably did. He’s the founding member. The guy with the acoustic guitar. In a band that frequently dives into heavy EDM and psychedelic rock, having a guy playing a Martin D-28 is a bold choice. It’s what gives SCI that "Bluegrass-plus" feel.
Nershi’s songwriting is the backbone of their most "earthy" tracks. Think "Texas" or "Black Clouds." He’s got this flatpicking style that is incredibly precise, yet he isn't afraid to let it get messy when the jam starts heading into deep space. Back in 2007, he actually left the band for a bit because he wanted to focus on more acoustic projects. Fans were devastated. It felt like the end. But he came back in 2009, and honestly, the band hasn't looked back since. His presence is the anchor. Without Billy, it’s just a synth-heavy dance party; with him, it’s a String Cheese Incident.
Michael Kang: From Fiddle to Electric Mandolin
If Billy is the anchor, Michael Kang is the lightning bolt. Kang is a classically trained violinist, but don’t let that fool you. He plays a custom 5-string electric mandolin that sounds more like Jimi Hendrix than Bill Monroe. It’s a custom instrument built by Mike Kemnitzer (Kimble Mandolins) and others over the years, specifically designed to handle high-gain distortion without feeding back like a traditional mandolin would.
Kang’s evolution is basically the history of the band’s sound. In the early days, he played a lot more fiddle. It was very "Rocky Mountain High." As the 2000s hit, he started leaning harder into the electric mandolin, allowing the band to compete with the sheer volume of rock and electronic acts. When you hear those soaring, sustain-heavy solos that make you forget what instrument you're even listening to? That’s Kang. He’s also a massive advocate for environmental causes, which often bleeds into the band’s ethos regarding "green" touring.
The Rhythm Devils: Moseley and Travis
You can’t talk about the String Cheese Incident band members without talking about the engine room. Keith Moseley (bass) and Michael Travis (drums) have been there since the literal beginning.
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Keith is the quintessential "glue" guy. He stays in the pocket. While the other guys are flying off into melodic orbit, Keith is there making sure the floor doesn't drop out. He’s also a primary vocalist on several tracks. His voice has this warm, friendly quality that balances out the more eccentric vocal styles of Nershi or Kang.
Then there’s Michael Travis. Travis is a beast. But he’s a weird beast. He didn't start as a traditional rock drummer; he’s always had this fascination with world beats and polyrhythms. In the mid-2000s, he and Jason Hann (who we'll get to in a second) started EOTO, a 100% improvised electronic project. That side-hustle completely changed how Travis approached the drums in SCI. He started incorporating more pads, more loops, and a much "fancier" footwork style that bridges the gap between a drum kit and a dance floor.
The Addition of Jason Hann: Turning a Quartet into a Powerhouse
For a long time, SCI was a five-piece. Then came 2004. Jason Hann joined as a percussionist, and everything got louder and deeper. Hann is a world-class percussionist who has played with everyone from Isaac Hayes to Vinx. He brought a level of technical sophistication to the rhythm section that simply wasn't there before.
The interaction between Travis and Hann is what fans call "The Rhythm Roots." They don't just play on top of each other. They weave. Hann might be handling the congas and djembe while Travis hits the snare, or they might both be triggering electronic samples simultaneously. It turned the band from a bluegrass group that could rock into a world-music powerhouse that could headline festivals like Bonnaroo or Electric Forest (which they basically host, anyway).
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Kyle Hollingsworth: The Scientist of the Keys
Finally, we have Kyle Hollingsworth. He joined in 1996, replacing the original keyboardist. Kyle is a geek in the best possible way. He’s a massive fan of vintage gear—Hammond B3 organs, Rhodes pianos, and Moog synthesizers.
If you like the funkier side of Cheese, you like Kyle. He brings this jazz-fusion sensibility to the table that keeps the jams from getting too repetitive. He’s also a renowned homebrewer (he’s done collaborations with breweries like New Belgium and Sierra Nevada). That "craft" mentality applies to his music, too. Every solo is hand-crafted. He’s the one responsible for those "space-funk" segments where the band sounds like they’re soundtracking a 1970s sci-fi movie.
Why This Lineup Works
It’s been the same six guys for two decades. That is unheard of in the music industry. No "creative differences" breakups (aside from Billy’s brief hiatus), no rotating door of session musicians.
They work because they are democratic. Seriously. If you watch them on stage, you'll see them constantly making eye contact, nodding, and shifting leads. No one person is "the boss." This can sometimes lead to long "experimental" phases that frustrate some old-school fans—like the heavy dubstep influence of the 2010s—but it keeps the band from becoming a nostalgia act.
Practical Insights for New Listeners
If you’re just getting into the String Cheese Incident band members and their discography, don’t just hit "shuffle" on Spotify. You have to understand the eras.
- The Early Era (1994–2000): Best represented by the album Born on the Wrong Planet. This is very bluegrass-heavy. If you like banjos and acoustic guitars, start here.
- The Experimental Peak (2001–2006): Check out Untying the Knot. This was produced by Youth (of Killing Joke) and is much more "produced" and psychedelic.
- The Modern Era (2010–Present): This is where the electronic influences are front and center. Believe is a great example of their modern, polished sound.
Honestly, the best way to "get" these guys is to listen to live recordings. The "Incident" isn't the songs; it's the space between the songs. Use sites like Nugs.net or the Live Music Archive on Archive.org. Look for shows at Red Rocks or the Hornings Hideout sets. Those are legendary for a reason.
What to Do Next
- Check out the "Carnival '99" album. It’s arguably the best "entry-level" live recording that captures the original magic of the core members before they went full-electronic.
- Follow Kyle Hollingsworth on social media if you’re a beer nerd. He’s constantly talking about the intersection of hops and Hammond organs.
- Look up "EOTO" on YouTube to see what Michael Travis and Jason Hann do when they are left to their own devices. It will explain a lot about why the modern SCI drums sound the way they do.
- Track their New Year's Eve runs. The band usually does something massive in Colorado or Chicago, and these are the shows where the band members really pull out the "Big Production" stunts.
The String Cheese Incident is a living, breathing organism. It changes. It gets weird. Sometimes it's a hoedown, sometimes it's a rave. But as long as these six guys are the ones holding the instruments, it’s always going to be an Incident.