High Strung Steel

High Strung Steel is what happens when two lifelong musicians decide to pack the fire of a full band into the raw power of a duo. Formed in Michigan by fiddler Budd Greenman and percussionist-singer Chris Jane, the project grew from a simple idea: music that could thrive on any stage, any time, with nothing more than two players and ears ready to listen.
For Budd, the journey began at eight years old with the violin, later performing with the Ferris State Chamber Orchestra and studying under Cape Breton masters like Buddy MacMaster and Brenda Stubbert. His path carried him through classical, Irish, and traditional Michigan fiddle music, while also fueling decades of work in bands from Freshwater to The Johns. Festivals like Wheatland, radio features, and music video projects have all carried his fiddle across genres, with his sound rooted in tradition but alive with improvisation.
Chris came to music through rhythm—drawn first to drums in childhood and nurtured in the church. A classically trained percussionist and multi-instrumentalist, he’s known for his big voice, thoughtful lyrics, and ability to make one person sound like many. On stage he commands guitar, percussion, and vocals with all four limbs, creating a sonic landscape that feels larger than life. For Chris, music is where he feels most “alive,” and High Strung Steel became the vehicle to merge his love of rhythm, songcraft, and performance into one.
Together, Budd and Chris weave a fusion of Celtic and Americana Folk—a mix of driving fiddle, earthy percussion, and gritty storytelling. At times steamy, at times playful, and always alive with energy, High Strung Steel embodies the spirit of live music: immediate, unpolished, and unforgettable. With decades of experience behind them and new music on the horizon, they’re set on bringing their one-of-a-kind sound to every stage, big or small.

“High energy, high spirit, High Strung Steel.”