a new path through music
[the band at 20]
With many of their wildest dreams strung across more than two decades together, the Prowlers' sight remains fixed on the future.
It’s been 21 years well spent. The kinship between Ben Wright (banjo, vocals), Chris Dollar (guitar, vocals), Jon Goldfine (bass, vocals), and Jake Howard (mandolin, vocals) is palpable, the four having traveled to places most would never predict. Using these experiences as a foundation, there’s truly no limit to where this Chicago-based quartet will go – literally and figuratively.
Ever constant in the group's enthralling performances is their ability to showcase their passion for both their craft and our shared humanity. Each member skilled in storytelling, compelling songwriting and intricate instrumentation, they offer intrinsic artistic prowess, fervently building on one another's raw talent. Reverence for tradition coupled with curiosity and innovation lands the Prowlers in a category difficult to define but explosively intriguing around every bend.
To date, the Prowlers have toured 30 countries on 5 continents working with the U.S. State Dept and their own nonprofit, Bluegrass Ambassadors. The group's many life-changing encounters with people and musicians across the globe have shaped their worldview and bolstered the bridges they establish between cultures. Through all ages-friendly workshops, presentations, and a forthcoming documentary, they spread the familiarities discovered in unsuspecting corners of the world, broadcasting what they are certain of: we, as humans, have more in common than we don’t. Time and time again, music demonstrates that, with curiosity towards our fellow humans, beautiful connections can sprout.
For the Henhouse Prowlers, the work extends far beyond the stage – they are deeply committed to fostering a more compassionate world.
Jon Goldfine
Bass
Jon's drive and love shows through his commitment to the business at the bands' inception and his powerful voice and songwriting. Before the Prowlers, Jon's bass playing was all over the spectrum of rock and world music. He's kind, measured and loves dogs more than pretty much anyone you've ever met.
Chris Dollar
Guitar
Chris comes from the heart of Bill Monroe country (Central Indiana) and it shows immediately on stage through his fierce guitar picking and ridiculous vocal chops. He cut his teeth with the excellent New Old Cavalry and Flatland Harmony Experiment and has become a foundational presence in the Prowlers. In his spare time, Chris works on both cars and guitars alike.
Jake Howard
Mandolin
Originally from the Akron, OH region, Jake picked up the mandolin at 15 and never put it down. His early years consisted of performing with friends & family and the Prowlers actually had a discussion with him early on about trying out for the band. Serendipity intervened and Jake was accepted into the world famous Berklee College of Music where he honed his skills, landing on stage with the Prowlers in 2020 with an undeniable presence & unmatched musicality. Jake’s propensity for teaching & video editing have helped the band level-up considerably.
Ben Wright
Banjo
Ben is a founding member of the Prowlers, having started his bluegrass journey in Chicago after seeing a banjo in the window of the Old Town School of Folk Music in mid-October of 1999. That $200 impulse buy turned itself slowly into a career spanning thousands of notes, friends and miles. When not playing the banjo, Ben not-so-quietly obsesses over shipwrecks and Nintendo.