Centralia Massacre is a folk group from Knoxville, TN. Members include Laura Bost on ukulele and guitar, James Maples on electric banjo and guitar, and Johnny Walker on bass. For select shows, Centralia Massacre also includes Steve Corrigan on drums and Leslie Terry on violin.

"The instrumentation is subdued and intricate, weaving a blanket of warmth and familiarity beneath the harmonies that turns the band into a more rough-and-tumble version of The Everybodyfields, or Over the Rhine if that band had grown up in an Appalachian holler instead of Ohio."
- Steve Wildsmith, Maryville Daily Times, Jan 2008

James and Laura formed Centralia Massacre in Knoxville in July 2007. They initially met in February of that year following a freak list of band cancellations at the Pilot Light, which left them sharing the stage. After a spur of the moment duet performance at a show a few weeks later, they decided to try writing a few songs together: Capitalist, Family Tree, and Couch soon followed. Their first true show was at the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City on Oct 22. Around then, they met Johnny at the Corner Lounge.

"With the warm-and-fuzzy lyrics and two -part harmonies, it's impossible not to fall for its(the song 'Couch') charms."
-Chris Buckner, Metro Pulse, Sept 2008

Met Johnny Walker at a bar? Well, that's not entirely true. Laura actually met Johnny a few years before while both were music students at The University of Tennessee. Turns out that Johnny's upright bass style really amplified Laura's jazzy sound in rehearsals.

After forcing James to learn seventh chords on the banjo, the duet turned three piece decided to share their unique part folk, part jazz, part blues sound with Knoxville. And they recorded a cd which ended up being, "a local sleeper hit" per Knoxville's Metro Pulse. Right at Home was released Feb 2, 2008. Then came touring: over 80 shows in 2008, and even more planned for 2009.

"Centralia Massacre makes pleasant, temperate music belying its name."
-Lisa Slade, Knoxville Voice, August 2008

As the stages got bigger (including a spot opening for Daniel Johnston at Good Folk Fest in Louisville, KY), the band added Steve Corrigan on drums and Leslie Terry on violin for select shows. Having firmly established their roots, Centralia Massacre is now regularly on the road promoting their first album, making friends, and building bridges. Currently, they are recording a new cd, and writing tons of new originals (including a whole slew of songs about saints). Centralia Massacre will also be opening things up for Knoxville's Brewer's Jam this October. Life is good.

"That's great and everything, but what's with the name?"
-Everybody

Uhhh. Well, we thought it made us sound like a Swedish metal band?