Crying Uncle may call Northern California home, but their music is rooted in the bluegrass of North Carolina and the Southeast. Brothers Teo and Miles Quale founded the band with friends Andrew Osborne and Ian Ly.
The group grew up coming to World of Bluegrass in Raleigh. As individuals they made the journey from Kids on Bluegrass to playing the biggest stages at the event.
In 2023, Crying Uncle won the IBMA Momentum Award as a band and was then asked to perform as a part of their hero David Grisman’s induction into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. “Playing that night was just as big an honor as winning the award the night before,” said Teo Quale to the Marin Independent Journal. “David is just a monster in this genre, and Crying Uncle is a band that’s known for playing Dawg music. And to get Ronnie McCoury and Sam Bush to come up on stage with us was pretty amazing.”
The California Bluegrass Association wrote of the moment in Raleigh, “…the dramatic virtuosity of Crying Uncle would make Grisman … extremely proud.”
“He was born on the same day and year as my grandfather, both two really special people in my life,” wrote Teo Quale for Bluegrass Situation. “I play one of his old mandolins now (made in 2006, the same year I was born!), and I am thankful each time I pick it up, knowing that a part of Dawg will always be in this instrument.”
“David has been an inspiration to me ever since meeting him,” continued Teo. “Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to take some lessons with him and he’s always been really generous with his time and his knowledge, but always in that relaxed Dawg way. His music has influenced the way I approach every aspect of my playing, from improvisation to composition.”
