Bluegrass Bios

Chosen Road

CHOSEN ROAD From Princeton, West Virginia.A bluegrass gospel group formed in 2009 by Jonathan Buckner (guitar). The band is sometimes billed as Jonathan Buckner and Chosen Road. Other band members include (or have included) Jonathan Campbell (bas

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Michael, Walt

WALT MICHAEL From Westminster, Maryland. Formerly performed with Bottle Hill. One of the top hammered dulcimer players in the U.S. His band Walt Michael and Company performs bluegrass, old time, Celtic, folk and New Age music. Performed

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Carter, Jason

JASON CARTER From Greenup County, Kentucky. Lives in Nashville. While in high school, played guitar with a group called Idle Times. After high school, played fiddle with the Goins Brothers. 1992, joined the Del McCoury Band at age 19, playi

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Stanley, Ralph

RALPH STANLEY (AND THE CLINCH MOUNTAIN BOYS) Born in 1927 in Big Spraddle Creek, Virginia. His home was in McClure, Virginia. 1946, began performing with his brother Carter as the The Stanley Brothers after his discharge from the Army until C

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Raines, Missy

MISSY RAINES From Short Gap, West Virginia. Lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Real name: Melissa Kay Raines Surratt (also plays a Kay bass!) Has played bass with many bands including Stars and Bars, Cloud Valley, The Eddie Adcock Band, The Br

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Isaacs, Joe

JOE ISAACS From Big Hill, Kentucky. 1988, formed (with his wife Lily) The Isaacs. Before forming The Isaacs, Joe worked with Larry Sparks, The Stanley Brothers, Frank Wakefield and the Greenbriar Boys. He plays banjo and guitar. 1970, Joe’s

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Grass is Greener, The

THE GRASS IS GREENER From Los Angeles, California. An instrumental group formed in 1993 by fiddler Richard Greene. Eventually became “Richard Greene and the Grass is Greener.” Primarily a recording band, the group included such musicians as

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Shenandoah Blue

SHENANDOAH BLUE From Winchester, Virginia. Formed in 2002 by Scott Walker and Dave Probst. Walker (banjo) and Probst (mandolin) previously worked with Paul Adkins and the Borderline Band and Fastest Grass Alive. Probst (leader/mandolin) for

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Johnson, Mark

MARK JOHNSON From Garrison, New York. Lives in Crystal River, Florida. Plays clawhammer-style banjo. Calls his music “Clawgrass” and also named his backup group (formed in 1996) Clawgrass. Took up the banjo in 1971, learned from fiddler

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Tennessee Bluegrass Band

TENNESSEE BLUEGRASS BAND From east Tennessee. Formed in 2020 by Aynsley Porchak (fiddle), Lincoln Hensley (banjo), John Meador (guitar), Gracie Meador (bass) and Tim Laughlin (mandolin). The Meadors are married. The group formed as a spin-

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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

Moore, Nancy

NANCY MOORE From Crawfordville, Florida. In high school, she played...

Slo-Grass

SLO-GRASS From central Massachusetts. Formed in 1989 by Mark Davis...

Deeper Shade of Blue

DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE From Charlotte, North Carolina. Formed in...

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!