From 1970-1980, Washington, D.C. was home to a band. Their influences included country, jazz, hard rock and progressive music. Four members of Grits are classically trained, and were raised in musical families. Rick Barse was the founder and keyboardist of Grits. He began studying piano at eight years old. Tom Wright, guitarist, began playing the violin at five years old. He studied classical music at Oberlin Conservatory. In junior high school, he picked up a guitar to play rock music with his friends. Wright played viola in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, The. Amy Taylor, a bassist and vocalist, sang when she was a child. She started playing the violin at nine years old. Bob Sims was a National Symphony percussionist but found the traps more enjoyable. From discogs
