Live music is at its peak this time of year in the surrounding areas. July 3rd and 4th saw bands from all over Wisconsin pour into neighboring towns, and Cashton had one of their own perform at Alchemy Brewing Co.
The three members of Sawdust & Cigarettes consist of Ethan Cook on bass guitar, Aiden Cook on lead guitar and singing, and Isaac Hemmersbach on rhythm guitar and singing. Alumni of Cashton High School, the trio now lives in Madison, WI; all walking distance from one another. Ethan is a 2022 UW Madison graduate while his brother, Aiden, is set to attend his junior year in the Fall. Their cousin, Isaac, will be starting his senior year in the Fall, also at UW Madison. With Ethan being the first to pick up a guitar during the height of the COVID shutdowns, the others picked up the instrument shortly after and soon enough the trio began learning songs and playing together. The first song they ever played together was Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash, which they aptly played first for their set on the 3rd. At this time, Sawdust & Cigarettes is a cover band through and through, but they’ve stated they have original music in the early stages of conception. Classic country and the modern alternative country resurgence it has inspired serves as the band’s main inspiration behind their music and aesthetics. “Our grandparents introduced us to a lot of classic country” Ethan remarks. “We feel lucky to have so much support from our friends, family, and community for us and the type of music we play.”
Although none are pursuing a career in music, they all share a musical background in Cashton’s high school band. Ethan and Aiden have also played in the Viroqua Community Band, and Aiden continues to play alto sax in UW Madison’s marching band. Thus far, the band has played twice in Madison, once in LaCrosse, and now in Cashton to a supportive crowd of over 200 despite other events going on. After the strong turnout at Alchemy, they received an invitation to play in Minocqua and have a show date set for the 22nd of July. To stay updated on when and where they’re playing, you can follow their Instagram page @sawdustandcigarettes.
