Marlene Hutchins picked up the guitar at age 10, driven to learn popular folk songs and transistor radio hits. A huge Beatle fan, she’d play and sing harmony with her sister and cousins to every song they could learn, as fast as they could learn them. Auditions for talent shows followed, and soon she convinced the owner of Cafe Galleria, an Italian restaurant below the Joni-Mitchell-made-famous Laurel Canyon Country Store, to hire her to perform a solo series for dinner guests.

In 1989, Marlene moved to Montana and found herself in the circle of huge, warm and welcoming music family, which led her to the musicians (Marlene, Carla Green, and Eric Pfeiffer) that form the band Basses Covered, a trio she embraces.

Basses Covered has been blazing their way through Missoula, from festivals to tap rooms to markets to back yard patios.  We play well-known and little-known songs from our favorite music libraries of artists that include Ray Charles, the original Moody Blues, Everly Brothers, Moonglows and our own tunes.

Veteran musicians Carla (bass, guitar), Eric (rhythm and lead guitar) and Marlene (guitar, bass) form this harmonious trio that makes you wonder where all that percussion is coming from without a drummer. We just might get you tapping your feet or swing-dancing with a partner. It's been known to happen.