It took singing just one cover song, performed sporadically at a New Year’s Eve party among friends and fellow musicians, for Nicki Bluhm to kick start her now burgeoning career. The number impressed Mother Hips frontman Tim Bluhm so much that he not only encouraged her to write more and get in front of crowds, but he also helped record and produce her first album, 2008’s Toby’s Song. The two married later that year and began performing together throughout California and the West Coast with various line-ups, before Nicki finalized the current band known today as Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers.

The Gramblers have blown up recently, thanks in part to a video of them covering Hall and Oates’ “I Can’t Go For That” for an episode of their Van Sessions series. It’s reached over 1.2 million views on YouTube and turned unaware fans into supporters of their original material (including 2011’s Driftwood), as they are now selling out shows while in the midst of a massive tour.

The band brings this buzz, along with road tested cohesion, to The Rickshaw Stop for a three-show June residency (June 5th, 12th, and 19th). Support includes The Brothers Comatose on June 5th, The Blank Tapes on June 12th, and Arann Harris & The Farm Band on June 19th. Additionally, expect a wide variety of special guests and collaborations to compliment The Gramblers’ soulful, country-folk sound, as they quickly become one of the most talked about San Francisco products of 2012.

Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers
The Rickshaw Stop
June 5, 12, and 19, 2012
7:30pm, $10