Country, doo-wop, swing, Hawaiian and rare originals from three powerful-voiced females and two guys. Welcome to the Teflons! The band members hail from theatre productions, jug bands, jazz combos, and operettas for a knock-your-socks-off composite sound that’s been heard onstage at Chicago’s Millenium Park and at festivals and clubs across the Midwest.

Stir it up with Barbara Silverman's striking vocals and sock rhythm guitar, Gail Tyler's clear voice and vintage ukulele and Eugenia Elliott's rich resonance and delicious honky tonk yodel. Add the haunting fiddle of Rick Veras (who appeared with Patsy Montana and Rocky Stone) and the tasteful strains of Keith Baumann’s mandolin and dobro, and the Teflons create a musical gumbo that's zingy and contagious.

With pulsing bass, washboard solos and stunning harmonies, the Teflons have become one of the Midwest’s most savored treasures.

Rick Veras plays Bluegrass, Swing and other American fiddle styles and performs Western Swing with The Urban Hog Wranglers. He played fiddle for Apple Tree Theatre's productions of Big River and Spitfire Grill, and Touchstone Theatre's production of Foxfire. Rick has performed on guitar with Patsy Montana, the 1st woman with a million seller in country music, and Rocky Stone, who was Gene Autry's fiddler. Rick also plays mandolin.

Described as a "stunning vocalist" by the Old Time Herald, Barbara Silverman is renowned for her bluesy vocals, swing guitar, piano back-up and washboard percussion. She has appeared solo and in bands for over two decades at festivals and clubs throughout the Midwest, including multiple appearances on A Prairie Home Companion with the reputable Laketown Buskers and a featured appearance on the Studs Terkel Show. She has six recordings including Vetco Records, Marimac Recordings and independent releases.

Eugenia Elliott has been singing jazz here in Chicago for the past ten years, and with Southport Records recorded "Where or When," a CD of big band standards. For four years Eugenia sang the pure and vibrant bluegrass harmonies of the band Charming Axe. She also sings and plays guitar and flute with the Linda M. Smith Trio.

From college leads in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas to New York and Chicago choirs and a cappella groups, Gail Tyler enhances her wide-ranging vocal styles with yodeling techniques learned in equal parts from her grandmother and old recordings. A founding member of the Teflons, Gail added the string bass and her collection of ukuleles to the Teflon sound. She also performs with the WAZO County Warblers and is both an administrator and instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music.

Pritzker Pavilion Millennium Park (Chicago, IL) • Andersonville Midsommerfest (Chicago, IL) • Ten Pound Fiddle (East Lansing, MI) • Hogeye Folk Arts (Chicago, IL) • Folklore Village (Dodgeville, WI) • Chicago Folk & Roots Festival (Chicago, IL) • Fox Valley Folk Festival (Geneva, IL) • Spirit of the Woods Fest (Brethren, MI)

Old Town School of Folk Music • Indiana University Northwest • Hogeye Folk Arts

harmony and vocal arranging • washboard and percussion • country and swing guitar • ukulele and banjo-uke • fiddle • mandolin • clogging • torch songs • yodeling

"Stunning harmonies and haunting fiddle"
Lape & Lackowski

"Sharing a love of old-fashioned, blues-tinged country music, the Teflons perform a repertoire full of surprises, fun and fierce licks."
Post-Tribune

"Four powerful female voices combine to span decades and cross the globe in fine four-part harmony and original arrangements."
Ten Pound Fiddle

"A folk quartet featuring swing guitar, bluesy vocals, old-time harmonies and fiery fiddle"
Chicago Tribune

"A musical tour de force guaranteed to sweep you out of your seat and land you dancing in the aisle"
Hogeye Folk Arts Limited

"Top-notch musicians and vocalists ... Bravo!"
Rose Olsar
Homewood Library

"Talent and creativity truly does abound.....between the tight harmonies and the reintroduction of traditional instrumentation in this high tech age, it seems impossible to find fault in this cd (Into The Frying Pan)."
Aaron Arnold - Primary Productions and Austin Traditional Jazz Society - Austin, Texas

"The Teflon cd was extremely charming...some great obscure songs and obviously academic folk minds at work. Nice work!"
Mary Flower

""See the Teflons. They put on a show you will never forget."
Bluegrass Collection