By Matthew Longhurst
Music flows easily in the modest home of Tom Hertado when Dallin Davis transforms an ordinary-looking guitar case into a rhythmic percussion drum.
Davis, from Spanish Fork, and Hertado, 23, a humanities major from Provo, make up two of the five members of Simple People, a fresh new assortment of local folk talent.
Dan Cutler, from Provo, Paul Washburn, 22, a recreation mangement major from El Dorado Hills, Calif., and Greg Lambourne, 23, a business major from Orange County, Calif., round out the group.
Cutler and Hertado have been acquainted since grade school, and have been playing music together for several years, Hertado said.
The duo specializes in solid, flowing harmonies blended with strong acoustic sound — producing a distinct and thrilling style of music.
The other three group members came as a recent addition in order to help expand the range of music, Hertado said.
“We play with a talented group of musicians,” Cutler said, “so anything we’re feeling we can play.”
“With five unique people contributing, we get a better mix of music,” he said.
Hertado said that he and Cutler have often been compared to Simon and Garfunkel, and that the group has also been influenced by Bare Naked Ladies and The Dave Matthews Band.
The group combines bluegrass banjos and mandolins with bass and guitar sounds branching from folk to create a thrilling genre all of its own.
Hertado said the group aims to provide quality music for a wide audience, but mostly caters to the college crowd.
Cutler and Hertado have tasted a bit of success so far.
A past group, Elective Thoughts, presented a popular program blending art and poetry with music in their shows, Hertado said.
One of the group’s first performances will be at the Read Leaf in Springville on Friday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m.
The Read Leaf hosts one or two local groups a month, said Margy Layton, owner of the Read Leaf.
