West Virginia Hitchers

We were born out of chance....

We evolved from a few chance meetings at local open mic events and collaboration with past band-mates. The original "Hitchers" was very guitar-centric with pedal steel and percussion layered on top. The new "WV Hitchers" is a more authentic Folk-Americana sound, Relying on the powerful songwriting and smooth vocals of Maria Allison that melds with the strength of the lead guitar position, now occupied by Chuck Snider on his pedal steel. Dan Veloso and John Creed fill out the mix with Dan's subtle, steady and inventive percussion as well as Creed's tastefully rich bass lines.

The band has had the opportunity to play in multiple states and open events for some well known national acts such as The Shook Twins and Chris Janson. They have been featured on U92 and Appalachian radio. They have played many local festivals and venues including Cheat Fest, Appalachian Flame Off, Sunshine Daydreams Music Park, Palatine Park, Ruby McQuain Amphitheater, and the Gluck Theatre, Schmitts Saloon, 123 Pleasant Street and McClafferty Irish Pub just to name a few.

Maria Allison has been singing, writing and playing music for most of her life. She started singing in her hometown of St. Mary's County, MD when she was 4. Throughout her elementary, middle and high school years she was involved in chorus and theater. She first learned how to play piano and writing songs when she was 6 and began playing guitar when she was 13. She has written quite a body of music including 6 albums and countless other songs on multiple instruments that didn't make the album cuts. She has been all over the country sharing her brand of singer/songwriter as well as having some success with previous bands such as The Sunshine Family Band, The Family Outlaws, Big Shiny Gun and the original version of The Hitchers. Recently she was interviewed to be in a book about West Virginia Songwriters and honored at the Gluck Theater in Morgantown, WV by the WVU Bluegrass Band in a night honoring Women Songwriters of Appalachia such as Hazel Dickens, Loretta Lynn, Colleen Anderson and Rachel Burge. Stay tuned because she has only begun to share her wonderful gift of songwriting with the world!

Chuck Snider is a self taught musician, beginning to play acoustic guitar 1978 continuing off and on through 2008. In 2001 he added upright bass and electric bass. In 2006 he began playing pedal steel guitar, and focused on learning to play that instrument. He continues to learn and improve his skills on this complex instrument through the present day. His musical interests are quite broad, including bluegrass, rock, gospel, folk-rock, traditional country, and Americana. Since 2009 he has sat in with a number of musicians in the Durham/Chapel Hill, NC and Morgantown, WV areas. He has also been recorded on several CD’s, providing pedal steel guitar backing on several tracks. Currently he is a core and founding member of the West Virginia Hitchers band. He plays pedal steel guitar, and does some co-writing and arranging of the original songs played and recorded by the group.

Maria Allison- Songwriter, Lead Vocals, Rhythm guitar and Banjotar

Chuck Snider- Pedal Steel and Dobro

Dan Velloso- Drums/Percussion and Backing vocals

John Creed- Upright and Electric Bass