About

Steel River Junction is an 8 piece Americana/Pop group from Seattle. Featuring hooky melodies, solid grooves, lilty 3 part harmonies, and all backed by a talented and diverse group of players, makes SRJ a band you should definitely hear and see!

Chelsi Marie (Lead Singer/Songwriter/Acoustic/Banjolele) Chelsi is a music producer in the Seattle area, currently working in artist development and publishing.  An accomplished and sought-after songwriter, Chelsi has since the age of 19 written original music in multiple genres for artists, jingles, and films and was previously front singer of popular Seattle band Chasing Jane, which broke into the Top 20 in 2011. In addition to sharing stages with multiple respected artists at such venues as the Puyallup Fair Mainstage/Grandstands, Triple Door Theater, Bite of Seattle, and more, Chelsi has taught music in group homes, using it as a tool to inspire troubled youth and traumatized children. Recently, she opened her own studio and added engineering and voice-over work to her already significant accomplishments in publishing and production. She says that Steel River Junction is her favorite of the bands she’s had the privilege of playing with, because the members of the band truly love one another and have so much fun together, and because the arrangements feel so natural and inspired.

DaLona Foster (Alto Harmonies/(BGVs/Co-Writer/Keys/Percussion/Harmonicas/Onstage Dancing Queen) DaLona is a very talented songwriter and does session vocal work as a vocalist. Like Chelsi, she performed with Chasing Jane and has done some work in publishing. To Steel River Junction, DaLona brings a rich, low harmony that is sultry and unexpected, but she can also surprise the crowd with her rock edge when she sings one of her own tunes. DaLona is also a very talented percussionist and does work for hire. A freelance graphic designer, she brings an incredible artist’s eye to photo retouching and restoration, and to designing the album art for SRJ’s debut album, “Whiskey Road.” DaLona is also a skilled ballroom dancer, and you can feel it when you see her on stage. Her upbeat vibe adds so much flavor to the band. She is always moving and shaking, and you will never see her without a smile. Some of her favorite memories include touring a lot of the western United States with Chelsi in a couple of other bands. As a performer, she especially loves intimate gigs at local wineries, though she can’t decide whether that’s because of the warm and welcoming atmosphere or simply because of the many great northwest wines she’s been able to try over the years of playing in these amazing venues.

Kaylee Jorgenson (Soprano Harmonies/BGVs/Uke/ Acoustic) Born and raised in the PNW, Kaylee is the newest member of SRJ, and an absolute perfect fit for the high harmonies. Kaylee is a music therapist who spends her days helping other through her gift for music. She attended the acclaimed Berklee College of Music; has shared stages with many popular artists, including a very special moment with Allen Stone; and currently has a new album in the works with the band Fat Bottomed girls (a Queen Tribute band in which she sings lead). Her music history includes her college band, Porctopus, and many bands since, including Wasted Words (an Allman Brother’s tribute band).  A former host of jazz nights at Madison Ave Pub in Everett, Kaylee has provided vocals and session work for many PNW artists, including Kadima and Coaster. Her outgoing and disarming personality will pull you right into the charm of whatever song she’s singing.

Jeff Brumley (Banjo/Mandolin/Electric Guitar/Octave Mandolin/Uke) Jeff is an incredibly versatile musician who plays and tours with the very popular Rise Up Hamilton and The Seattle Mandolin Orchestra.  He works regularly as a session bassist in addition to rocking his technology career. Jeff has one of the most humorous stories of joining Steel River Junction: He’d worked periodically with Chelsi in the music industry for nearly 20 years, and she’d assumed he could play just about anything.  So when she asked him to play in Steel River Junction, she asked him to play mandolin and banjo. And indeed, at the first rehearsal, a week later, he showed up with a mandolin and rocked it. This surprised no one in the band – until they learned that up until that week, he’d never played the mandolin at all!  He’d literally bought his first mandolin that week after Chelsi asked him to play one in the band, not having told her it wasn’t one of his already-learned instruments. Nowadays, Jeff is well known on the scene for his incredible mandolin playing, and is a delight to watch on any stage. You can find him regularly on some of the Northwest’s most popular stages with all different kinds of bands. Jeff also sings, plays keys, and recently has ventured into video production.

Elmore Lewis (Dobro/Electric/Acoustic/Slide) Elmore is a polished musician with multiple impressive careers, ranging from session musician and engineer to electrician and craftsman (one who has also worked on boats and yachts). He engineers in his own home studio and was a contributing engineer to Steel River Junction’s debut album, “Whiskey Road.” Elmore always seems to just know what a song needs, and the parts he devises are masterful. Country music and blues come so naturally to him that listening to his parts will make you feel nostalgic — each one is completely original and clever, but with a vibe that nods to the best of old roots, like Cash. Whether ripping on his Dobro or laying a solid foundation on the acoustic, Elmore is a just a great pocket player. His electric parts are fun and catchy. Like DaLona, he can usually be found dancing his butt off on the stage. Elmore has played in all kinds of bands and on all kinds of stages, and is also a talented songwriter himself. His beautiful home and studio are often a gathering place where the band hangs out, rehearses, and makes music videos. Currently, in addition to playing in Steel River Junction, Elmore is working on his own new project and doing plenty of session work.

Tacket Brown (Drum/Percussion)  Tacket is a solid and incredibly talented drummer. A session drummer and  drum instructor (Donn Bennett Drum Studios), Tacket also teaches at DigiPen Institute of Technology, where he assisted in engineering SRJ’s debut album. He got his bachelor’s degree in music performance at University of Michigan and is a much-in-demand drummer who performs in jazz, progressive, and country music bands all over the PNW. After Ben Smith, the drummer from Heart, heard the new Steel River Junction album, he texted Chelsi, saying, “I’m coming for your drummer.” The band enjoyed the compliment and humor, but also intends to selfishly keep Mr. Brown for as long as possible. Tacket is a genius at coming up with creative, tasty grooves. He and Tige truly have that rhythm section magic that holds a band together. Tacket often tracks drums out of his home studio, where he is a father to his adorable son, Harrison, and a loving husband to his wife Aimee.

Tige Decoster (Bass/Upright) has been performing as a professional musician for over 25 years. He has toured throughout Asia, Europe, and Central America with such artists as Martha Wainwright, Dan Bern, Omar Torrez, and has performed with bands Crosseyed, the Supersones, Chasing Jane, and Hanuman (which was named Seattle Weekly’s Best Acoustic Band for its album “Pedalhorse” in 2002).  Awarded a 2009 Fulbright scholarship to perform and tour in the Republic of Georgia, Tige is a sought-after studio musician who has performed on over 35 records. His current projects include Cuban Son sextet Los Supersones, funk big band West Seattle Soul (as co-director), experimental/world music quartet Yesod, rock band Blackheart Honeymoon, and soul band The Pulsations. He has performed with many notable musicians, including Amy Denio, Eric McFadden, Jessica Lurie, Bill Horist, Eric Apoe, Paul Benoit, Chris Chandler, and many others.  Tige has a B.A. in English from the University of Washington and started pursuing his master’s degree in primary education at Seattle University in the spring of 2020. In addition to his musical accomplishments, Tige received the Joan Grayston Poetry Prize in 2016, has published poetry in over 20 journals, and has been the featured reader at Easy Speak in Wedgewood and the Seattle Public library. He enjoys spending time with his 10-year-old daughter, reading, collecting books, and eating good Italian food.