Bluegrass Bios

Vern and Ray

VERN AND RAY From Stockton, California. Originally from Arkansas. A duo featuring Vern Williams (mandolin) and Ray Park (guitar). Ray also played fiddle. Met in Stockton in 1959, formed a band called the Carroll County Country Boys. Recorded

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Shelton, James Alan

JAMES ALAN SHELTON From Gate City, Virginia. Made his home in Church Hill, Tennessee. Played guitar with such bands as the Bluegrass Travelers, the Larkin Brothers, the Southern Grass and Flint Hill before joining Ralph Stanley and the Clinch M

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Brand New Strings

BRAND NEW STRINGS From East Tennessee. Formed in 2008 by Randall Massengill (guitar), Tim Tipton (bass), Mike Ramsey (mandolin), Stuart Wyrick (banjo) and Matt Leadbetter (resophonic guitar). Massengill, Tipton and Leadbetter are former membe

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Brand New Strings

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Rice, Larry

LARRY RICE Born in Danville, Virginia. Grew up in California. A mandolin player, vocalist and songwriter. The oldest of the Rice Brothers (Tony, Ronnie and Wyatt). Late 60’s, played in a Southern California band called Aunt Dinah’s Quilting

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Horton, Kenny Ray

KENNY RAY HORTON From Rocky Comfort, Missouri. 2008, joined the U.S. Navy Band Country Current as lead vocalist, guitarist and emcee. Worked in Nashville as a staff songwriter. Among his credits: “A Soldier’s King” for Kenny Rogers.

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Eddy, Jake

JAKE EDDY From Parkersburg, West Virginia. Plays all the bluegrass instruments but his specialty is flat-pick and gypsy-jazz style guitar. 2014, while in middle school, he entered a contest to record a jingle for the Band-Aid company and w

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Sprouse, Blaine

BLAINE SPROUSE From Martinsburg, West Virginia. Lived in Nashville for many years, then moved to California. Currently lives in Point Reyes, California. Has been a member of numerous notable bluegrass bands (as fiddle player) including the Os

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Stafford, Tim

TIM STAFFORD From Kingsport, Tennessee. 1990-1993, played guitar with Alison Krauss and Union Station. Appeared on the Grammy winning album “Every Time You Say Goodbye.” Says he decided to quit when he returned from a long tour and his son di

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JackTown Ramblers, The

THE JACKTOWN RAMBLERS From Morganton, North Carolina. Formed in 2019 by Gabriel Wiseman (mandolin), Shanon Leasure (Guitar), Brett Setzer (banjo) and Mike Ramsey (bass). They play traditional bluegrass mixed with swing and gypsy jazz. 2

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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)....

Reischman, John

JOHN REISCHMAN (AND THE JAYBIRDS) From Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Originally...

Edwards, Ray

RAY EDWARDS (AND HARD ROCK MOUNTAIN) From Arcadia, North Carolina....

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!