History

The History of Druha Trava

Robert Krestan and Lubos Malina founded Druha Trava in 1991.

1991

Robert Krestan and Lubos Malina leave the band Poutnici which Robert had been with since 1979 and Lubos had been with since 1984. They start a new band called Druha Trava, which means "second grass". The band includes Robert Krestan, Lubos Malina, Lubos Novotny, Pavel Malina, and Jiri Meisner.
They record their first album in September of that year on the Bonton label. The album is self titled as "Robert Krestan & Druha Trava".

1992

Druha Trava moves from Bonton and records the album "Revival" with English lyrics on the Monitor label.
Druha Trava receives a grammy award from the Czech Music Academy in the category of "combined minor genres", one category that covers folk, country, and bluegrass.

1993

During the year Druha Trava leaves Monitor and records an album on the Venkow label with Pavelina Jisova called "Druha Trava with Pavelina Jisova".
They make their first US appearances, one day performing at a party for "Bluegrass Unlimited" magazine and the next day discussing their tour for the next year in 1994.

1994

An eventful year for Druha Trava, meeting Peter Rowan at Brazos Bottom in Texas. (He later records on Lubos Malina's second solo album as well as an album with the whole band.)
Druha Trava records the album "Starodavny Svet" meaning "Very Ancient World".
They sign a 5 year contract with Venkow records.

1995

The release of several albums.
First there is "Live" by Druha Trava on the Venkow label.
Then two solo albums, "Naper se a pukni!" (All You Can Eat!" by Lubos Malina also on Venkow and "Radost zarmoucenych" (Joy of the Sorrowful) by Lubos Novotny on the Gnosis label.

1996

Tony Trischka tours as a guest of Druha Trava during their Czech tour along with the band, Breakfast Special.
Lubos Malina begins recording his second solo album, "Piece of Cake". This album is the first time that Lubos and Martin Ledvina work together.
Robert Krestan receives a grammy from the Czech Musical Academy.

1997

Pavel Malina leaves and Martin Ledvina takes his place.
The album Pohlednice (Postcard) is released in the Czech Republic on Venkow. Guests on the album include Milos Vacik on percussion, Jarda Petrasek and Ctibor Hilnensky on drums and Davy Spillane playing Uillean pipes on "Infiela".
Druha Trava performs a concert in November with Davy Spillane and the band Vlasta Redl opens for them.
Robert Krestan once again receives the grammy for "minor genres".

1998

Druha Trava records Czechmate for Venkow and offers it also to Mercury, Nashville, where it is turned down.
Compass Records expresses interest.
On the album, guest artists are Jiri Zelenka on drums, percussion by Milos Vacik, harmonica by Ondrej Konrad and vocals by Andy Owens.
During US tours DT plays alternately with two drummers David Watss and Adam Weisman. Adam also plays during this summer in the CR.
DT records an album, "New Freedom Bell", in May with Peter Rowan in the Propast Studio. Stepan Smetacek plays drums on the album and joins the group.
Through Stepan, DT meets the photographer, Katarina Misikova, who takes pictures of the band from 1998-2000 and comes out with a photo book.

1999

Compass Records releases Czechmate, New Freedom Bell, and Piece of Cake in the US.
New Freedom Bell is also released in CR.
Peter Rowan tours with DT in CR.
Lubos Malina produces an album for the band Tockolotoc.

2000

A new 5-6 year contract is made with Venkow
Lubos Novotny's second solo album "Venku z travy" (Out from the Grass) is released on the Gnosis label with well known guest artists Darol Anger, Lubos Andrst, and Iva Bittova.Druha Trava is awarded "Band of the year for 1999" by Czech Music Academy as in 1992.
Lubos Malina and Lubos Novotny play on the album of the band "Laputa" and Martin Ledvina plays on Lenka Dusilova's album
DT performs a concert at the Festival of American Music in France
DT participates in the 30 year anniversary tour of Poutnici
Stepan leaves Druha Trava

2001

Milos Dvoracek is playing drums when available.
In March and April drums are played by Jiri K. Stivin.
Milos Dvoracek returns to play drums in the summer.
In the fall Jiri Meisner starts to play with Kamelot and Juraj Griglak from Bratislava, Slovak Republic replaces him.
Best and Last, a double album, was released on Venkow at the end of the year. It is a compilation of tunes from previous albums as well as three new cuts: a Czech translation of "Telegraph Road" and new renditions of "Vrat se", and "Kridla".

2002

Stano Paluch on fiddle is added to the Druha Trava line up.
The band releases a collaborative project with Czech folk singer/songwriter Stanislav Wabi Danek on the Universal label. Czech emigrant Miroslav Skunk Jaros wrote or translated all of the songs featured, some of which were originally old hits from American country music. The recording also includes harmonica work by Charlie McCoy (who has played with the Statler Brothers and Bob Dylan).
In September, 1775 Poems of Emily Dickinson (1775 Basne Emily Dickinsonove) was released.

2003

In January there is an acoustic tour with Robert, Lubos M, Lubos N, Martin, and Petr Sury (no drums).
In March, Druha Trava performs a concert in Prague with guest, Katka Garcia.
In July, DT performs concerts with American multi-instrumentalist and harmonica player, Charlie McCoy. Their concert in Brno is recorded live. Katka Garcia makes a guest appearance.
Lubos Malina and Lubos Novotny appear on an album of the rock band Lucie and also perform in an opera with them.

2004

Druha Trava announce the new lineup of the band:
Robert Krestan - lead vocals, mandolin, guitar
Lubos Malina - banjo, low whistle, clarinet, harmony vocals
Lubos Novotny - dobro
Petr Sury - bass
Emil Formanek - guitar, mandolin, harmony vocals
The album that was recorded in Brno with Charlie McCoy on September 23, 2003 in the old city hall, Live in Brno, is released on Universal.
Occasionally Katya Garcia (vocals and Irish whistle) and Josef Malina (fiddle) make guest appearances with Druha Trava.
In April, Druha Trava records an all-acoustic album for the American market with tunes by Robert Krestan, Lubos Malina and Lubos Novotny, also Mark Knopfler, Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and others.
In early June, Lubos Malina’s new solo album, Afterparty, is released on Good Day Records.
August 25-29 Druha Trava has their 3rd tour with Charlie McCoy (harmonica) through the Czech & Slovak Republics. They christened the “Live in Brno” album at a concert with guests Josef Malina (fiddle) and Peter Solarik (drums). Michal Bystroat, from the newspaper Lidovy Noviny, gave the Prague concert from this tour a 5 star review.
In September, Druha Trava’s new all-acoustic album with all-English lyrics, Good Morning Friend, is released in Czech Republic on the Universal label. It arrives just in time for them to bring copies on their US tour September 17-October 17.
In the fall Lubos Malina produces a recording of Pavel Bobek. Both Emil Formanek and Lubos Novotny also are heard on the album.

2005

Lubos Malina plays banjo with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra on Symphony #2 by Ervin Schulhoff. This concert is part of a series of concerts in Dvorak Auditorium in the Rudolfinum in Prague from January 20-22.
In the first quarter of 2005, the Pavel Bobek CD called “Muž, ktery nikdy nebyl in“ (The Man who was never “in”) which was produced by Lubos Malina, is released.
Peter Rowan and Druha Trava tour together again. After 5 years American singer and multi-instrumentalist Peter Rowan shows up again in the Czech and Slovak Republics in a collaboration with Robert Krestan and Druha Trava. The “joint” tour starts on May 28 when they sing at the festival Jamboree in Strakonice, and ends June 4 in Hradec Kralove.
May 21, 2005 at 11:50AM band leader of Druha Trava, Lubos Malina, has a son Jakub!
At the beginning of July, DT’s old friend from the US, Charlie McCoy (harmonica), comes to Czech Republic as part of his European tour, so he can play several joint concerts with Druha Trava.
In the prestigious American newspaper, International Herald Tribune, an article is published about Robert Krestan and Druha Trava. Read it here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/06/28/features/music.php
Lubos Malina’s CD with Martin Fridrich called “Dueling Fingers” is christened by the presence of almost the complete band who worked on this project: L.Malina, M.Fridrich, E.Formanek, L.Novotny, P. Sury, Z.Jahoda, P.Malina, R.Křesťan, M.Leicht, K.Garcia. This happens on November 8 at the festival Bluegrass Garden in Prague at KC Zahrada, and November 22 at a Druha Trava concert in Plzen at Theatre Cas.
The December 19 concert in Brno at Musilca is recorded for Czech television for the progam “Na moll”, for broadcast in January.

2010

Petr Sury leaves Druha Trava to spend more time with the Brno Opera Orchestra.
Tomas Liska joins Druha Trava on bass.

2011

Druha Trava releases Shuttle To Bethlehem, cd of Robert's songs translated into English by Ruth Ellen Gruber.

2012

Druha Trava wins a Czech Grammy in the country music category for Marcipan z Toleda
Robert Krestan's original band, Traperi performs.
Lubos Malina produces Pavel Bobek's new album, Kruhy.
DT tours with Peter Rowan in Czech Republic.
DT releases cd, Live from Telc.
The Czech Republic's Rock and Pop Magazine is creating a “Super Group” consisting of the best musicians and singer(s) of the Czech Republic and Slovakia as voted on by its readers and staff.In May, Luboš Malina was nominated for best musician in the string/percussion category."
Marzipan from Toledo also won the annual survey Poglas Album of 2011.