Photo courtesy of FREE RANGE
The band Free Range consists of members Tom Vella (from left), Steve McDonald, Doug Arnold and Janet Mylin.

LEWISTOWN — When singer Janet Mylin heard the band she was joining was called Free Range — which sounded more like a type of organic egg in the dairy section at her local market — all sorts of poultry questions hatched, along the lines of which came first the chicken or the egg.

“I don’t know if that’s how they came up with the name,” Mylin laughed. “I knew before that the band was called the Tacoma Boys because the guys all drove Tacoma trucks.”

Free Range takes the stage at 7 p.m. today at Hungry Run Wine Bar and Bistro, 10042 Route 522 South, Lewistown.

How Mylin, one of the lead vocalists for the Centre County-based acoustic band since 2020, came to join Free Range was also a bit of a strange bird tale, too, as she recounted.

“I had hired them to play for a birthday party. I thought I could sing myself, so they heard me sing two songs and asked me if I’d come back and sing. We had such a good time, they asked me if I would join their band,” Mylin said.

Mylin joined guitarists Doug Arnold and Tom Vella and drummer Steve McDonald. Mylin, Arnold and Vella share the vocals. Arnold is also a bass guitarist, while Vella plays the harmonica.

“Our sound is diverse,” Mylin said. “All three of us sing lead on songs, so you don’t hear the same sound all the time. It’s a three-part harmony, which not a lot of bands do. It’s more interesting.”

Their renditions of Bob Dylan’s “Wagon Wheel” and Simon and Garfunkel captivate audiences.

“Our genre isn’t really super defined,” Mylin explained. “We play very easy-going acoustic music.” Their playlists include classics by Simon and Garfunkel, Luke Bryan, Fleetwood Mac and Janis Joplin.

“Our music is easy to listen to and enjoyable,” Mylin added. “We’re not just a country cover band or folk band.”

Mylin works at a ministry in State College and is the only member of the group who is not retired. Arnold and Vella live in Boalsburg and walked past each other’s homes for two decades before finally getting together to play guitar. They enjoyed it so much they formed a band in 2020.

Eventually, the two men connected with McDonald, who is from the Port Matilda area. “The guys wanted to see if they could play music and had a great time.”

They added Mylin, who now lives in Centre Hall.

At first, Free Range played at neighborhood cul-de-sac parties. “It gave them something to do during that time,” said Mylin, referring to the pandemic when bars and restaurants were shuttered. “It just grew from there.”

They played for free at first then realized they could make some cash. “It’s been a lot of fun,” Mylin said. “We do it for the local community, the local music (scene) and because people have a good time.”

With the weather turning warmer, Free Range will perform seven to eight gigs per month. “We’re looking to be home in bed by 10,” Mylin jokes. “We don’t want to be too busy. I’ve got teenagers and I’m working.”

Despite their diverse backgrounds, the foursome has a great rapport. “We all get along very well,” Mylin said. “We realize our different roles. There’s really good communication between us. We all have similar value systems.”

Free Range performs strictly in central Pennsylvania, except for an annual road trip to Erie to perform to play at McDonald’s family reunion.

“We all just love music. It’s a great feeling seeing someone having a drink or eating a meal and their head pos up and they’re taken to a place when they hear that song,” Mylin said.

“They choose to spend their free nights out with us,” she added. “It’s a great honor to spend time with them because they love your music. We want them to kick back and relax and take them back to their memories. It’s a beautiful thing.”

The band also hosts Open Mic Night at the University Wine Co. in State College, providing an opportunity for budding stars to take the stage.

For more information, visit www.freerangeband.net or find them on Facebook.