Jack Grady O'Neil
Gerald Turetzky
George Astin
Barbara Miercke
Wayne Ditzel
Jonathan Korn
Purchase our music! Or HIRE us....
Contact ANCESTRAL WATER at jno@pacbell.net
Sixteen Years of Rockin'
Americana
Covers & Originals
The ANCESTRAL WATER Story
"Ancestral Water" was a Jack Grady O’Neil song written in 1999 for the San Francisco Grady Family Reunion. The Grady’s were an early American California Family that was celebrating it’s 150 years in the Golden State. This song told the story of the family’s Irish emigrant, James Grady, who landed in New Orleans in 1840 & proceeded to San Francisco via Panama, with his pregnant wife in 1849.
Ancestral Water was a Jack Grady O’Neil album, released in 2009, that tells the story in music and lyrics of Jack’s Great-great Grandparents who made the life altering move out of Ireland to the American South and then on to Gold Rush California in 1849. Yes, the Grady’s were true 49ers.
Ancestral Water then became a band in 2009. Ancestral Water has its seeds in the musical kinship of childhood friends, Tom Pehrson and Jack Grady O’Neil. Over the last 16 years, Jack and co-founder Gerald Turetzky, have led a group of musicians as one of the best Americana bands in the East Bay. Steve Sage included Jack and his band among his DVC Rock, Rhythm & Blues Alumni bands.
Ancestral Water Band has evolved to feature the strong vocals of Singer-Songwriter Jack Grady O’Neil and drummer Gerald Turetzky, enriched and rounded out with Barbara Miercke, violin and vocals, Wayne Ditzel, guitars and vocals, George Astin, bass and vocals & Jonathan Korn, mandolin.
From
Walnut Creek,
Contra Costa County,
Northern California
Check out the "Lipman Pike"
Hall of Fame Video
Photos from Ancestral Water Band performance
of "Ancestral Water Saga"
Luigi's Listening Room Wednesday, May 21, 2025
