Bluegrass Bios

Be Good Tanyas, The

THE BE GOOD TANYAS From Vancouver, BC, Canada. Band members met while working as tree planters in BC’s Kootenay Mountains. Formed the band in 1999. Members: Frazey Ford, Trish Klein, and Samantha Parton. Blend bluegrass with folk, jazz, gos

[ read more ]

Infamous Stringdusters, The

THE INFAMOUS STRINGDUSTERS Originally based in Nashville. Now Charlottesville, Virginia. Formed in 2005 by guitarist Chris Eldridge (son of Seldom Scene banjo player Ben Eldridge). Original name of the group was “The Stringdusters,” but th

[ read more ]

Breaking Grass

BREAKING GRASS From Booneville, Mississippi. Formed in 2010. Band members: Cody Farrar (guitar/lead vocals/songwriter), Tyler White (fiddle), Thelton Vanderford (banjo), Zach Wooten (mandolin), and Britt Sheffield (bass). 2011, won first p

[ read more ]

Stanley, Ralph II

RALPH STANLEY II From McClure, Virginia. Son of Ralph Stanley, who in 1995 began performing full-time in his father’s band, playing guitar and singing lead at the age of 16. 1996, recorded an album of duets “in the Stanley Tradition” with

[ read more ]

Adams, Brandon Lee

BRANDON LEE ADAMS From Charleston, West Virginia. Lives in Webbville, Kentucky. A flat-pick guitarist, singer and songwriter who began playing at age 8 in church. As a high school student, he won several talent contests which led to an app

[ read more ]

Magness, Tommy

TOMMY MAGNESS (AND HIS TENNESSEE BUDDIES) From Roanoke, Virginia. A fiddler who worked in the late 1930’s with Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers (with whom he made the very first recording of the Orange Blossom Special.) 1940, joined B

[ read more ]

Shelor, Sammy

SAMMY SHELOR From Ferrum, Virginia. 1967, started playing banjo at age 5. First band: Posey Boyd family band at age 16. 1980-81, played with Interstate Exchange (later became Summer Wages), and the Heights of Grass. 1983-1989, founding memb

[ read more ]

Skip Hop and Wobble

SKIP, HOP AND WOBBLE A project band featuring Jerry Douglas (Dobro™), Russ Barenberg (guitar) and Edgar Meyer (bass). The name comes from the title of a 1957 Jimmy Martin song. 1994, released Skip, Hop And Wobble album (Sugar Hill), Sam Bus

[ read more ]

Wyrick, Stuart

STUART WYRICK From Luttrell, Tennessee (“Tater Valley”) Began performing at age 8. 1995-2009, played banjo with the gospel group New Road. He also has a 60-acre farm in East Tennessee where he raises Black Angus and Hereford cattle.

[ read more ]

Davis, Jason

JASON DAVIS From Ford, Virginia. Began playing banjo professionally while still in high school. Has worked with Michelle Nixon and Drive, Blue Ridge, Kenny and Amanda Smith. 2006, joined Grasstowne. 2007, released solo project “Stepp

[ read more ]

Find an Artist

This web site contains short profiles of the best-known bluegrass artists and bands.

Use the Search Band or Artist function located at the top of the sidebar on the right to find an artist by name.
Or, utilize the Artist List drop-down below the search function in the right sidebar to search by the first letter of their last name if an individual – or – the first letter of a band name.

Check Out These Artists

Trending Today

Stevenson, Art

ART STEVENSON (AND HIGH WATER) From Babcock, Wisconsin. Formed in...

Dauphinais Brothers, The

THE DAUPHINAIS BROTHERS From Asheville, North Carolina. Originally from New...

Hornsby, Bruce

BRUCE HORNSBY From Williamsburg, Virginia. A pianist and singer/songwriter who...

Access the Bluegrass Calendar

In the navigation at the top of the website, choose a month and then scroll through the days.

Programming Suggestions

Need some music for holidays and other special occasions? Look to the right, I where you’ll find the occasion and some song suggestions to meet your programming needs.

Some Background

A great big howdy to ya, I’m Wayne Rice, a bluegrass radio programmer from San Diego, California. I began compiling this material in 1988 for DJ’s like myself who want to at least sound knowledgeable about bluegrass music on the air. Originally I published Bluegrass Bios® in a three-ring binder and sold it to DJs around the country … but now it’s here on the web and it’s free! Use it for your show prep, or just enjoy learning more about the amazing artists who play and sing bluegrass music. If you find errors or wish to make a suggestion, please contact me. Thanks!