Teresa Mortensen   Fiddle

I have played the violin since I was 6 years old.   I was not lucky enough to ever know my grandfather, but I was very lucky to get his violin at that age.   I loved it.    I played in orchestra all through school.  But I always wanted to play fiddle music.   I joined the Idaho Old Time Fiddlers in 1989 and ran the local district and played old time fiddle music for more than 35 years. I am currently still running the district 8 of the Idaho Old Time Fiddlers. Then I got the opportunity to learn bluegrass.  It was a blast and I fell in love with it.  I have been working hard the last few years to learn how to play bluegrass fiddle.  I have had many great teachers help me along the way.  I have a lot more to learn but I am loving every bit of it.

Monty Mortensen  Guitar/vocal

He became interested in Music at a young age. First was a few years of Piano lessons. After the Piano he played 5 years of Clarinet in the school band.  During high school he began teaching himself guitar. About sixteen years ago he began playing with the Idaho Old time fiddlers, acting as President for 7 years.  During the time with the fiddlers, he began singing a variety of music venues and learned a few a few fiddle tunes. When needed Monty can pick up a Bass and play. A few years back mountain strings blue grass band was formed. Now he enjoys playing full contact bluegrass.  Monty also enjoys jamming with other likeminded bluegrass players and will jump in when the opportunity arises. He started listening to and enjoying bluegrass about 5 years ago. At that time, he began playing bluegrass guitar and singing his favorite blue grass songs.  He now feels that bluegrass is the music he always wants to learn and play.

Gerry Grider, Mandolin

Gerry Grider is a vocalist/guitarist performing songs from a variety of genres including folk, country,
swing and Americana. He’s played in several bands from the age of 12 and performed his solo act at
corporate events in Reno, Lake Tahoe, Atlantc City and other venues in the Midwest, West and
Northwest. While guitar is his primary instrument, he currently plays mandolin for Mountain Strings
Bluegrass Band

Tom Middleton, Banjo

Tom grew up in the great state of Virginia where he fell in love with bluegrass music and the banjo at the
age of 12. He started playing banjo in bluegrass bands in high school and over his sixty-fve years has
played in bands in Virginia, New Mexico, Idaho, and even Guatemala. Tom is also a song writer and some
of his songs are featured in the Mountain Strings repertoire.

Jack Poulson Bass

I started playing guitar at 12 years old. By the time I got to high school, I had too many other interests,
and so I had to quit playing and dedicate my time to other more important things.
In 2012, after raising a family and making a living on the farm, I decided it was time to pick it up again. I
bought a new guitar and found some friends to jam with. After a few years, our group needed a bass
player, so I bought an upright bass in 2018 and have been playing that ever since. Currently, I am a
member of the Idaho Old Time Fiddlers and play with them on a weekly basis. I joined Mountain Strings
last year and thoroughly enjoy making music with these talented people and consider them my family in
music.