Frank, Ashby

ASHBY FRANK

  • From Lexington, North Carolina.
  • Mandolin prodigy. Began playing guitar, then turned to mandolin at age 10.
  • 1994, performed with Bill Monroe at the Bell Cove Club in Hendersonville, Tennessee at age 11.
  • 1999, won 1st place in mandolin competition at MerleFest at age 16.
  • 1999, released first album First Crossing (Blue Road).
  • 1999, his newly-formed band Southern Drive won the Pizza Hut International Bluegrass Showdown in Louisville, Kentucky.
  • 2001, joined The Gena Britt Band.
  • 2003, moved to Nashville and joined Ronnie Bowman and the Committee; also worked with Marty Raybon and Full Circle.
  • 2006, joined Alecia Nugent.
  • 2007, joined Special Consensus.
  • 2009, left Special Consensus to play with Mashville Brigade and do session work.
  • 2011, joined Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper; also formed a band called The Likely Culprits with Brandon Bostic, Deanie Richardson, Austin Ward, Ronnie and Garnet Bowman and Melonie Cannon.
  • 2015, joined Mountain Heart.
  • He also performs in a comedy act called the Darrell Brothers and occasionally performs with The Earls of Leicester.
  • 2022, released solo project Leaving is Believing (Mountain Home).