FMP

Four Mile Portage

is Tom and Brandy of Duluth, Minnesota

Old Time Fiddle and Banjo Dance Music, Dance Calling, and Vocal Harmonies

Four Mile Portage at your wedding:

Four Mile Portage has performed for dozens of weddings and each one has been very unique. Overall, we've found there are five main services we've supplied:

1) Music during the ceremony:

Brandy and I hired a fiddle and guitar to play our favorite waltz when we walked up the aisle 19 years ago and loved it. One wedding couple asked us to learn four different songs to sing and play throughout the ceremony. For music during the ceremony, it is almost required that we attend the rehearsal. We've brought our own sound amplification and we've patched into systems at the venue - it takes a little planning, but anything is possible.

2) Background music as people arrive at reception and/or during dinner

Brandy and I have memorized hundreds of traditional fiddle tunes. After years of playing background music at the Farmers' Market we've found we really enjoy offering ambiance to a room without demanding attention.

3) Sound system for toasts

While we're set up for music, it's easy enough to set up a microphone where people can make announcements or toasts.

4) Dancing at Recpetion

Something very unique to Four Mile Portage, is our ability to host a dance. Most people are familiar with square dancing, which we can call; however; we've learned how to call extremely easy dances for weddings where most people have no experience. We can get folks up and out of their chairs and having fun without any fear of getting it wrong. Brandy and Tom can get one or two easy dances like this off with just the two of us.
If more extensive dancing is desired, we can provide that too. In this case, Tom would be the exclusive caller and two more musicians would be hired to support Brandy on the fiddle.

5) Music at Reception

Over the years, many couples have reqested we learn specific songs and our wedding song list has grown. Here is a list of a few songs we enjoy performing:

All I Want is You (from film Juno)
Magnolia Wind - Guy Clark
Alone - Trampled By Turtles
Midnight on the Interstate - Trampled by Turtles
Give Yourself to Love - Kate Wolfe
Lotta Love - Neil Young
(We) Won't Back Down - Tom Petty
Wildflowers - Tom Petty
Little Bird of Heaven - Martha Scanlon
Old Love - Curtis and Loretta
Pick up the Change - Wilco
Ripple - Jerry Garcia & Robert Hunter
Settin' the Woods on Fire - Hank Williams
Shady Grove - traditional West Virginia
'Till the End of the World Rolls Round - Ricky Skaggs & Earl Scruggs (via Thomas Newton)
Wind of my Sould - Cat Stevens

Tom calling the "Texas Star" at a birthday party