Bluegrass Bios

Roys, The

THE ROYS From Fitchburg, Massachusetts and also lived in Coal Branch, New Brunswick, Canada. Now live in Nashville. A brother/sister duo featuring Lee and Elaine Roy. 2009, 2010, won Inspirational Country Music (ICM) Award for Duo of the Y

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Toshinskiy, Ilya

ILYA TOSHINSKIY From Moscow, Russia. Lives in Nashville. Pronounced “Eel-ee-yuh Toe-shin-skee.” Was a founding member of the Russian bluegrass/country band Bering Strait (also known as Cheerful Diligence and Siberian Heatwave). They migrat

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Syren, Jussi

JUSSI SYREN (AND THE GROUNDBREAKERS) From Finland. Syren plays mandolin and sings lead with his band The Groundbreakers. Other band members include Tauri Oksalas (banjo), J.P. Putkonen (guitar), and Kari Hella (bass). Syren began performing i

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Surrett, Tim

TIM SURRETT From Canton, North Carolina. 1992, joined the Kingsmen, an award-winning gospel group from Asheville, NC. Sang lead and played bass. 1992, recorded a solo project called “Gospel Music Salutes its Mountain Heritage” (with Karen Pec

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Thomas, Suzanne

SUZANNE THOMAS From Hillsboro, Ohio. 1970-1989, was a member of the Hotmud Family. 1990-2000, the Dry Branch Fire Squad. 1998, released a solo album Dear Friends & Gentle Hearts (Rounder) with special guests The Lonesome River Band, the

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Dixie Gentlemen, The

THE DIXIE GENTLEMEN From Alabama. Formed in 1956 as the Country Gentlemen but changed their name when they learned that another band had that name. Featured Jake Landers (guitar), Rual Yarbrough (banjo) and Herschel Sizemore (mandolin). Va

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Bluegrass Intentions, The

THE BLUEGRASS INTENTIONS From Northern California. Formed in 2001 as a project band. Features Eric and Suzy Thompson (guitar, fiddle), Alan Senauke (guitar) and Bill Evans (bass). Larry Cohea (banjo) and Markie Sanders (bass) often fill in wh

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Stanley, Kristi

KRISTI STANLEY From Pikeville, Kentucky. She is the wife of Ralph Stanley II. She began singing as a teenager and performed with a country band called Sandy River, later opening for Kenny Chesney, Billy Ray Cyrus and other country acts.

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Smith, Billy and Terry

BILLY AND TERRY SMITH (THE SMITH BROTHERS) From Nashville, Tennessee (originally from Reidsville, North Carolina). Billy plays guitar, Terry plays bass. Terry played bass for several years with the Osborne Brothers. After coming to Nashvill

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Greeson, Daniel

DANIEL GREESON From Greensboro, North Carolina. Began playing fiddle at age 6. He has won numerous fiddle contest, both in youth and adult competitions at the Galax and Mt. Airy Fiddler’s Conventions and many others. He has performed and re

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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

Johnson Mountain Boys, The

THE JOHNSON MOUNTAIN BOYS From Washington, D.C. area (Gaithersburg, Maryland)....

Spring Creek

SPRING CREEK From Lyons, Colorado 2004, formed at South Plains...

Hanzlik, Slavek

SLAVEK HANZLIK From Prague, Czechoslavakia (Czech Republic). Lives in Canada....

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!