The band that turns your event into the night no one forgets.
What We Do
Your Event, In Detail
Corporate & Private Events
From cocktail hour to main-stage concert, we read the room and deliver. Planners keep calling us back because we make their job easier, not harder.
For Couples & Planners
No vendor juggling, no agency in the middle. You plan directly with us, and we carry your whole day.
Churches & Ministry
"It's hard for us to create anything meaningful without including the language of faith. These songs are the soundtrack of our lives."
— Connie Skellie, violinist
Festivals & Symphony Pops
"Pops Conductor colleagues and Artistic Directors — BOOK. THIS. BAND."
— Joseph R. Olefirowicz, Conductor · Symphony NH · Staatsoper Berlin
Christmas
A full Christmas show that works in any room — candlelight service to corporate ballroom.
See It Live
Original Music
Stream a few tracks — three albums of original music that show you who we are.
Pop melodies on bluegrass instruments, recorded live in Nashville. Four voices, one room.
Hymns Collection
Fresh acoustic arrangements of Amazing Grace, Come Thou Fount, How Great Thou Art, and more.
17 songs — original holiday tracks, classic carols, and full orchestral versions. The complete AOC Christmas experience.
Book Act of Congress
Pricing depends on the event — what you're planning, where you are, and how long you need us. Send us the details and a band member will have a straight answer back within one business day.
We take on a limited number of events each season — if your date is close, reach out soon.
Catch Us Live
A full year across Alabama, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
Private events book up fast — check your date →
What People Keep Telling Us
They are prompt, organized, flexible — and they kept the reception moving and made people dance who swore they wouldn't. My first call for any event.
The dance floor was completely packed all night. We had guests who never dance out there the entire time. It honestly felt like a concert.
From the first conversation to the final song, everything felt effortless. Their professionalism, charm, and musical talent made our entire celebration what it was.
I'm a wedding DJ. When my own daughter gets married and wants a band, my first call is Act of Congress. The best of the best of the best.
They were one of the bigger investments for our wedding, but 100% worth it. If you want your wedding to stand out, this is where you spend your money.
"One of the freshest, most exuberant bands in the acoustic universe."Dave Higgs · Nashville Public Radio
"A sound full of unforgettable melodies, compelling songwriting, and musicianship that reminds you why you love music in the first place."Birmingham Magazine
"Impressive musicianship, abundant talent. Pluck and charm from an emerging indie group, matched by grace and experience from the symphony."Mary Colurso · The Birmingham News
"Act of Congress has become an important player in the arts."Alison Cummins Page · Artistic Director, AROVA Contemporary Ballet
No Middlemen. No Surprises.
No agency markup, no coordinator in the middle. You talk directly to the band — straight answers, transparent pricing, and someone who actually cares how your event goes.
Check availability →Get in Touch
A band member — not an agency — replies within one business day with availability and straight answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. We provide a professional sound system for all reception performances, along with a dedicated system for ceremony setups when needed.
Yes. Travel within 30 miles of Birmingham is included. For events beyond that, we'll provide a simple, transparent travel quote.
Most couples book 6–12 months in advance. Peak dates fill quickly, especially during wedding season.
Absolutely — we handle this seamlessly. A small additional setup fee may apply depending on logistics.
Yes. You're welcome to share must-play songs for your reception. We can also arrange and perform a custom song live for your ceremony or a special moment.
Our standard look is formal black attire. We're happy to adjust based on your event style.
Reception experiences typically include up to 3 hours of live music, thoughtfully paced to keep energy high throughout the night. Ceremony coverage includes prelude, processional, and recessional music.
A signed agreement and 50% deposit secure your date. The remaining balance is due on the day of the event.
If your date changes and we're available, we'll gladly transfer your booking. Deposits are non-refundable due to the nature of reserving dates.
We coordinate directly with your planner or venue to make this simple.
We love outdoor weddings. We simply require a covered or indoor backup option in case of weather to protect instruments and equipment.
Absolutely — corporate galas, private parties, church concerts, holiday events, festivals, and symphony engagements make up a significant part of what we do. We've performed for Disney, Google, and the U.S. State Department. Reach out and tell us what you're planning.
Yes. We offer focused acoustic sets perfect for cocktail hours, dinner ambiance, or corporate receptions — without requiring a full evening booking. These are some of our favorite performances.
Yes — and we love it. We have a dedicated hymns collection (The Hymns That Made Us) and deep experience with worship settings. We know how to serve the room and the moment, not just the set list.
The Repertoire
Catalog updated often. Special requests welcome — note them in the inquiry form.
A sample of our reception repertoire — we add new songs regularly and love to learn yours.
We also perform original compositions — including pieces written specifically for ceremonies. Custom arrangements available on request.
The Full Story
Act of Congress is a Birmingham, Alabama acoustic quartet with a simple, hard-won identity: the range of a ten-piece in the footprint of four chairs. Built on guitar, mandolin, fiddle, upright bass, and four-part harmony, the band folds pop melody into folk, gospel, and progressive-bluegrass roots.
The group began at the University of Montevallo, where founding members Chris Griffin (guitar) and Adam Wright (mandolin, vocals) set out to marry thoughtful songwriting to acoustic, string-band instrumentation. Bassist Tim Carroll and fiddler Connie Skellie completed the lineup, and in 2008 the band's debut album, Declaration, sold out its premiere at Birmingham's WorkPlay Theater. Records followed, including Worth Fighting For (2012), which debuted at No. 18 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter chart, alongside early honors: an IMWS Disc Makers Grand Prize, a Colgate Country Showdown regional win, and a featured slot in Alabama's 2011 "Year of Alabama Music." Genre press took notice, with Bluegrass Today and NPR affiliate WBHM profiling the rising act.
What sets Act of Congress apart is how far that acoustic sound has traveled. Since 2012, the band has represented the United States abroad as cultural ambassadors through the U.S. State Department's American Music Abroad program and as Arts Envoys, performing across roughly ten countries: Thailand, the Philippines, Palau, East Timor, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bali, Liberia, and Jordan. Along the way they headlined Jordan's celebrated Jerash Festival, performed for the President of Liberia, and earned a 2013 City of Birmingham mayoral proclamation. Roll Call profiled the group's unlikely journey from Birmingham stages to embassies around the world.
At home, Act of Congress has become a fixture of the concert hall. The band has performed with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra across multiple seasons under Principal Pops Conductor Chris Confessore, including the city's 2014 program for His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, with orchestral arrangements by Grammy-nominated composer Don Hart. Those collaborations expanded to the Orlando Philharmonic, Symphony NH, and the UAH Symphony, where the band headlined "A Night of Peace Through Music" before a crowd of roughly 2,000.
The band's reach extends well beyond the stage. Act of Congress was featured on CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley in 2021, named Best of Birmingham, and served as the face of the State of Alabama's "Keep Alabama Beautiful" campaign. Their catalog has been licensed by Google, NPR, and Showtime, and they've shared stages with Clint Black, John Mayer, Edwin McCain, and Sara Evans. Closer to home, they're frequent collaborators with Church of the Highlands, and their worship arrangements are available on MultiTracks.
Today, Act of Congress records for Centricity Music's Residence Music imprint. Their 2024 album The Hymns That Made Us reimagines ten timeless hymns in the band's signature voice, and a new run of original singles, beginning with "Welcome To The Heart of God," carries that momentum forward. Whether they're filling a wedding dance floor, anchoring a corporate gala, or trading phrases with a full symphony, the four of them remain what they've always been: a real band, with a catalog, a name, and a story, that turns any room into the night no one forgets.
Chris Griffin (guitar) · Adam Wright (mandolin, vocals) · Tim Carroll (upright bass) · Connie Skellie (fiddle, vocals). Birmingham, Alabama · Est. 2006.
