He is not the same John Kahn who played bass with Old and In the Way (and the Grateful Dead).
He is a screenwriter and country musician who has worked in the Hollywood film industry. His credits include a film called “The Chili Con Carne Club” and the movie “Girl” which was released in 1998.
He also has a country band called The Color Green, with three albums to their credit.
2009, he wrote a song called “American Heart” which became an anthem embraced by the conservative wing of the Republican party (The Tea Party Movement). To protect his identity, he changed his name to Jon David.
2016, after performing the song in Washington D.C. with The Blinky Moon Boys, he decided to release a bluegrass version of it (produced by Aaron Ramsey at Mountain Fever Studios).
Formed in 2013 by Geoff Union (guitar) and his wife Christina (vocals). Other band members: Jordan Ramsey (mandolin), Chris Elliott (banjo), Pat Hoeper (fiddle) and Andrew Bonnis (bass.)
Formed in 2001 by Andy Groessling (banjo), Tim Carbone (fiddle), John Skehan (mandolin), Carey Harmon (percussion), Dave Von Dollen (bass), Todd Schaeffer (guitar).
They are a jam band specializing in roots & Americana music with bluegrass, folk, celtic, rock and jazz thrown into the mix.
Their name was derived from a short story by Jack Kerouac titled “October in the Railroad Earth.”
Lead vocalist Schaeffer was a founding member of a band called “From Good Homes.”
Groessling and Carbone formerly had a group called “The Blue Sparks from Hell.”
From Landenburg, Pennsylvania—about fifty miles southwest of Philadelphia.
Danny’s father Bob Paisley formed the Southern Grass in 1979. Prior to that he played with Ted Lundy in a band called Bob Paisley, Ted Lundy and the Southern Mountain Boys. Lundy passed away in 1980. The band became Bob Paisley and the Southern Mountain Boys.
After Bob Paisley’s death in 2004, Danny took over leadership of the band. The new Southern Grass includes Bob and T.J. Lundy (sons of Ted Lundy) and Dan’s brother Michael.
In their words, they play “unadorned, intense traditional bluegrass. There is no hybrid or genre-bending music here.”
2015, released “Weary River” album (Patuxent). Band lineup: Danny Paisley (vocals and guitar), Mark Delaney (banjo), T.J. Lundy (fiddle), Eric Troutman (vocals and bass), and son Ryan Paisley (mandolin), just 15 years old.
Formed in 2016 by Katelyn Ingardia (guitar/lead vocals), Travis Tucker (Dobro™), Louise Hughes (mandolin), Zachary Carter (banjo) and Jason Belue (bass).
2017, won the band contest at Renofest in Hartsville, SC.
2017, released debut album “Carolina” (no label).
2017, released “A Thousand Wishes” album (Poor Mountain)
A family band featuring Jack and Anne Abeel and their two daughters Amanda and Charity.
Jack and Anne are graphic artists who met in art school. Jack is owner of Jack Abeel Custom Millwork in Disputanta.
1995, released their first album Snowflakes & Diamonds (no label) produced by Missy Raines.
After the family band broke up, Jack Abeel formed a duo with fiddler Margaret Graham and released one album Edging the Grass (no label) with Eddie and Martha Adcock.
A singer/songwriter who has performed rhythm and blues and rock music during the bulk of her career. Her first band was a group called the Flashcats (Pittsburgh). She also worked as a singer and songwriter in New York City.
Her last name is Giejda (pronounced “Gayda.”
2012, released her first bluegrass album Road (Blue Road). She plays mandolin and guitar on the album.
2013, won Best Bluegrass/Country Act at the Jersey Acoustic Music Awards (New Jersey).
2015, released Jail Break album (Blue Road), produced by Jim VanCleve.
2018, released “Moonshiner’s Daughter” album (Blue Road), also produced by VanCleve.
A celtic/Americana group featuring siblings Dave and Louise Holden (guitar, vocals), Adrian Hart (fiddle), Colin Derham (banjo) and Konrad Liddy (bass).
Members: Ricky Stroud (mandolin), Blake Johnson (bass), Mike Johnson (guitar), Cliff Smith (banjo), David Nance (Dobro™). Nance formerly played with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys.
2010, released Forever Yours album (Mountain Fever).
Brother and sister duo; have sung together since childhood.
1967, won a talent contest in Wheeling performing as “Hardship and Perseverance.” The following year, they won it again as “The Katzenjammer Kids.” Next year, they won it a third time as the “Campbell Soup Kids.”
Tim is a well-known bluegrass artist (best known for his work with Hot Rize and The Earls of Leicester). Mollie studied voice in college and has performed opera and musical theatre.
Play “Amphibious Bluegrass,” a blend of bluegrass, folk and rock.
Formed in 1991 by Andrew Kinsey (guitar), Rani Arbo (fiddle), Jeff Kelliher (mandolin), Tim Farnham (banjo). Tony Furtado played banjo in 1995, Dave Dick (formerly with Southern Rail) in 1997.
Got their name from a unique New England phenomenon: Every spring, yellow spotted salamanders make their way from a local hillside to a nearby bog, and must cross a road in the process, a huge media event.
Group owes its existence to John Hartford, who failed to show up at a music workshop he was going to conduct in Massachusetts (1991). Workshop participants decided to just do some impromptu jamming, and that’s when Salamander Crossing was born.
A band featuring the lead vocals of Tianna Lefebvre. Other members of the group include Mike Sanyshyn (fiddle, mandolin), Charlie Frie (bass) and Eric Reed (guitar, banjo). Sanyshyn and Lefebvre are husband and wife.
They have three times won the BCCMA Gaylord Wood Traditional Country Award (British Columbia Country Music Association).
Lefebvre has also won female vocalist of the year at the BCCMA Awards. She has also worked with Shania Twain.
Sanyshyn was a top 3 finalist at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championship and has won the BCCMA award for Fiddle Player of the Year.
Formed in 2006 by Scott and Elizabeth Hopkins (banjo/bass). Other members: Tony Califano (mandolin) and Morrie Safford (guitar), Brig McCutcheon (guitar)and Joe Gumpper (fiddle).
The band is named after the street the Hopkins live on.
Hopkins is a public school band teacher. He plays the tuba.
From the Virginia-North Carolina-Kentucky-Maryland region.
Formed in 2016 by four bluegrass music veterans: Shayne Bartley (mandolin), Darren Beachley (bass), Greg Luck (guitar) and David Carroll (banjo). Former bands include Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver, IIIrd Tyme Out, American Drive, Unlimited Tradition, the James King Band and the Darrell Webb Band.
Luck also performs with Alan Bibey and Grasstowne.
At age 12, performed on stage with Alison Krauss and Union Station.
1996, sang with an Oregon band, Blue River.
1997, formed group called Severin and Bailey.
After moving to Nashville, she made guest appearances with Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time, The Sidemen, The Roland White Band, The John Cowan Band and others.
From Philadelphia, Mississippi. Lives in Nashville.
Best known for his virtuosity on banjo and guitar, he is also a very successful vocalist, songwriter and record producer.
First band: The Country Partners with his father Lee Jackson, his Uncle Pete and Uncle Sock.
1967, began his professional musical career at age 14, playing banjo with Jim and Jesse.
1971, joined the Sullivan Family gospel group.
1972, moved to Columbus, Ohio to form The Country Store with Keith Whitley and Jimmy Gaudreau.
1973-1985, worked with Glen Campbell, replacing Larry McNeeley on Campbell’s TV show. He was billed as “The Greatest Banjo Player in the World” in Campbell’s live shows.
1990, won IBMA Award for Song of the Year for his composition, “Little Mountain Church House.
1991, released Spring Training album (Sugar Hill), a collaboration with former Seldom Scene vocalist John Starling and Emmy Lou Harris’ band, The Nash Ramblers.
1992, won the Grammy Award for best bluegrass album (for Spring Training).
2004, won IBMA award for Recorded Event of the Year as producer of “Livin’ Lovin’ Losin: the Songs of the Louvin Brothers.” This album also won Carl a second Grammy Award the same year.
As a songwriter, he has written dozens of hit songs for other artists including “Against the Grain” (Garth Brooks), “Real Ladies Man” (Vince Gill) and “Letter to Home” (Glen Campbell). His songs have sold more than 40 million records.
He is a collector of baseball memorabilia, cars (like his 1957 Ford T-Bird given to him by Glen Campbell) and claims to be the “biggest Ole Miss Rebel fan in the world.”
Mid-2000’s, played in a band called Allegheny Blue.
Grew up in a musical family. His great uncle played steel and Dobro™ with such artists as Tom T. Hall and Eddie Rabbit.
With his bluegrass band, he performs as Caleb Bailey and Paine’s Run. They are: Bailey (guitar), Rob Slusser (banjo), Brandon Kyle (bass), Joe Showalter (fiddle), Chandler Beavers (mandolin) and Wyatt Wood (guitar).
2021, released solo project “Poplar and Pine” (no label) featuring his original songs, produced by Gaven Largent.
A veteran Southern California fiddler who has been a performer and studio musician since the early 1970’s. He has taught music, owned a music store and has fronted several bands including the Phil Salazar Band, the Acousticats, The Rincon Ramblers and Phil Salazar and the Kinfolk.
He has also toured with John McEwen and Bob Weir (of the Grateful Dead).
1982, released “Down at Evangelina’s” album (The Acousticats, no label).
Plays bluegrass, jazz, pop, country and rock, all on the banjo.
1991, earned his doctorate in music from the University of Kentucky. His dissertation was titled “An American Concerto for 5-string Banjo and Orchestra.”
1993, performed his concerto with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Formed in 2007 by Jamie Dailey (a former member of Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver) and Darrin Vincent (a former member of Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder).
Darrin Vincent is the younger brother of Rhonda Vincent. As youngsters, they performed together in their family band The Sally Mountain Show.
2008, released first project Dailey & Vincent (Rounder Records) and made their first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry.
2008, won an unprecedented six IBMA awards in their first year of eligibility: Entertainer of the Year, Emerging Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Vocal Group of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year (Jamie) and Gospel Recording of the Year (for “By the Mark”).
2015, began hosting “The Dailey & Vincent Show” on RFD-TV.
2016, made their 100th appearance on the Grand Ole Opry on December 30th (also the 10th anniversary of their forming their act) on December 30th. It was also announced that evening that they would be inducted as members of the Opry.
2017, were officially inducted as members of the Opry on March 11.
From Emory Gap, Tennessee, near Knoxville. Lives in Upstate New York.
Full name: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Wakefield.
Known for his technical virtuosity on the mandolin. Influenced David Grisman and many other mandolin players. One of the first to play jazz on the instrument.
Learned to play music in rural pentecostal “snake-handling” churches around east Tennessee.
Grew up on a farm and never went to school. He learned to read and write when he was 28 years old.
Hidden talent: he can talk backwards.
1957, at age 19, moved to Dayton, Ohio and met Red Allen. They formed a group called the Blue Ridge Mountain Boys.
1958, worked for a short time with Jimmy Martin.
1958, he and Red Allen formed The Kentuckians.
1959, briefly worked with the Stanley Brothers.
1960, with Red Allen, re-assembled the Kentuckians, this time in Baltimore. Other personnel included banjo players Bill Keith, Don Reno, Bill Emerson, Pete Kuykendall, Eric Weissberg; also fiddlers Chubby Wise, Scott Stoneman, others.
1964-68, joined the Greenbriar Boys. While with the Greenbriar Boys, he was seriously injured in an auto accident, putting him in a coma for more than a month.
He has recorded several albums as a duo with Red Allen.
1972, released self titled album (Rounder) and began performing as a solo artist.
1978, released “Frank Wakefield and the Good Old Boys” album (Flying Fish).
1980, released “End of the Rainbow” album (Bay).
1997, released “That Was Now … This is Then” album (Rosewoodl).
2000, released “Midnight on the Mandolin” (Patuxent).
Leader of the Nashville Bluegrass Band since its inception (plays banjo).
1974, began performing with James Monroe and the Midnight Ramblers.
1979, joined The Front Porch String Band.
1982, was a member of The Bluegrass Band, a project band led by Butch Robins.
1984, formed the Nashville Bluegrass Band.
Among his songwriting credits: “Those Memories of You” was recorded by “The Trio” (Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris).
Trademark singing style: holds the head of the banjo up near the microphone while he sings “into” the banjo. According to O’Bryant, he originally did it to get the weight off his diaphragm, thus giving him more vocal control. But he noticed that the “echo” effect also helped him to stay on pitch.
1995, received the Heritage Award from the Charlotte (NC) Folk Music Society for his role in preserving his home state’s traditional music.
A banjo player with a remarkable ability to play Scruggs-style banjo despite a birth defect which left him with no fingers on his left hand, just a thumb and several partial digits.
1993, joined Silver Creek.
1994, joined Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.
1997, joined IIIrd Tyme Out.
1998, was a founding member of Mountain Heart.
2014, left Mountain Heart to strike out on his own.
2016, had surgery to repair nerve damage in his neck, which hindered his playing.
2018, teamed up with Darrell Webb (guitar/mandolin) to form Appalachian Road Show.
2019, he and his wife adopted a pair of siblings from a foster care facility including a youngster with the same birth defect on his hand as Barry. The story of the Abernathy family was then featured in a 2020 story on NBC’s The Today Show and also on the syndicated Mike Huckabee television program.
Former Dobro™ player with the Kentucky Colonels (early 1960’s). He appeared on the Andy Griffith TV show and is a favorite at the annual “Mayberry Days” reunions in Mt. Airy, NC.
For more than 20 years, he performed with a Los Angeles area gospel group called The Born Again Bluegrass Band.
He never gave up his day job (until retirement in 2004). A devout Christian, he led an organization called Businessmen for Christ.
1978, released Hound Dog Ramble album (Sierra/Brier) with Vince Gill (guitar), Byron Berline (fiddle) and John Hickman (banjo).
From Minneapolis, Minnesota. Born in Mason City, Iowa. Grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
1981-1995, performed with her band Stoney Lonesome.
She made frequent appearances on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion” (PBS) both as a member of Stoney Lonesome and as a solo performer. She was a member of the original Hopeful Gospel Quartet with Keillor, Chet Atkins and Linda Williams.
1995, formed the Kate MacKenzie Band with mandolinist Chris Silver, also a former member of Stoney Lonesome.
1995, won “Best Country or Bluegrass Recording” at the Minnesota Music Awards for her album Let Them Talk (Red House).
1996, formed a new band called The Pocket Fishermen.
Began as a family band in 1995 called The Gospel Bluegrass Boys. In 2007, after some band member changes, the name of the group was changed to LakeSide.
Members in 2019 include: Greg Blankenship (mandolin), Lucas Blankenship (percussion), Jackie Cummings (bass), John Robert Freels (banjo), Walt Williamson (guitar).
2019, released Moving On album (Morning Glory), produced by Aaron Ramsey.
A husband-and-wife duo who perform old-time country duets.
1964, Barry formed a rock band called Barry and the Remains, a successful group that opened for the Beatles final U.S. tour.
Became friends with the late Gram Parsons, fell in love with country music.
1970’s, Barry and Holly sang together in an electric country band called The Outskirts.
1980-89, Barry replaced Ricky Skaggs in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band.
Have performed on the Grand Ole Opry and Garrison Keillor’s “Prairie Home Companion” radio show.
Barry and Holly grew up in Westport, Connecticut, went to the same high school and double-dated together—each dating someone else. They married in 1972.
Formed in 2012 by Lauren Stovall (guitar/lead vocals), Dusty Rider (banjo), Peter Sharpe (mandolin), and Leslie Ziegler (bass). Ziegler was later replaced by Jean-Luc Davis (bass). Joe Esposito (fiddle) also joined the group.
2018, disbanded temporarility. Stovall and Sharpe got married and moved to Costa Rica. Rider became a pilot for a charter airline. Davis worked with the Jeff Austin Band.
Born in Fort Monroe, Virginia; grew up in the San Antonio, Texas area.
1974, moved to Nashville to write songs.
Mid-80’s, recorded for Epic Records, scored several hit records, including “Guitar Town (1986),” and “Goodbye’s All We Got Left” (1987).
He has won three Grammies and has had songs recorded by Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, many others.
1988-1994, went rock and recorded several albums which were generally ignored by country radio. He became something of a cult figure. He has had several run-ins with the law, including a drug charge.
1998, recorded a bluegrass album called Mountain and toured with the Del McCoury Band. This was his only foray into bluegrass music.
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 Brother Boys, Claire Lynch and the Front Porch String Band.
1997-2007, worked as a duo with guitarist Jim Hurst, both of whom were also members of the Claire Lynch Band.
2000, released Two album with Jim Hurst (Pinecastle).
2007, formed her own band called Missy Raines and the New Hip (a reference to her recent hip surgery).
2009, released first “New Hip” album Inside Out (Compass).
2012, formed a band with David Grier, Mike Compton and Shad Cobb called The Helen Highwater String Band.
2013, released New Frontier album with The New Hip (Compass).
2018, released “Swept Away” (single, Compass) with “The First Ladies of Bluegrass,” Sierra Hull (mandolin), Alison Brown (banjo), Becky Buller (fiddle) and Molly Tuttle (guitar). Each were the first women to win IBMA Awards in their respective instrument categories.
2018, won the IBMA Award for Recorded Event of the Year (for “Swept Away.”)
Began his music career in Nashville working at Opryland USA doing impressions of country stars like Roy Acuff, Jimmie Rodgers, Eddy Arnold and Lester Flatt. His partner who impersonated Earl Scruggs was a young Steven Curtis Chapman, who later became a well-known Christian artist).
Best known as a songwriter. His original songs have been recorded by such artists as Loretta Lynn, the Oak Ridge Boys, Patty Loveless, Reba McIntyre, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith, Chris Stapleton, Doyle Lawson and many others. One of his gospel songs “His Strength Is Perfect” has been published in several church hymnbooks.
As a solo artist, he has appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, Late Night with David Letterman, The Today Show.
2004, he performed on the IBMA Award-winning “Livin, Lovin’ & Losin’: Tribute to the Louvin Brothers” CD (in a trio with Carl Jackson and Larry Cordle.)
2003, won the SESAC “Country Music Songwriter of the Year” award.
2007, released New Songs Old Friends album (Mountain Home) featuring guest artists Vince Gill, Del McCoury, Doyle Lawson, Ricky Skaggs, the Oak Ridge Boys and Rhonda Vincent.
1996-1999, played guitar and sang lead with The Water Street Blues Band (later WaterStreet) combining Blues, Funk, Jazz, R&B, Country, Gospel and Bluegrass.
2000-2004, worked with Buddy Merriam and Back Roads.
2004, joined Alicia Nugent’s band. Also worked with Bradley Walker, Malibu Storm, other bands.
2007, joined the Infamous Stringdusters, replacing Chris Eldridge (who joined Chris Thile’s band)
A bluegrass supergroup formed by Jerry Douglas to pay tribute to the music of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys. They re-enact the songs of Flatt and Scruggs by performing them in similar costumes and choreography.
Band members (2013): Jerry Douglas (Dobro™), Tim O’Brien (mandolin), Shawn Camp (guitar), Johnny Warren (fiddle), Charlie Cushman (banjo) and Barry Bales (bass.) Subbing for O’Brien (who is also a member of the reunited Hot Rize): Shawn Lane, Ronnie McCoury and Frank Solivan.
While the name of the band is a pun, there have been many actual Earls of Leicester in Great Britain, part of the English “peer system” of dukes and earls which bestows automatic membership in the House of Lords. The current “7th Earl of Leicester” is Edward Douglas Coke, b. 1936. His heir apparent is Robert Edward Coke, b. 1965.
Formed in 1985 to compete in the East Coast Bluegrass Band Championship in Crimora, Virginia. After winning the contest, they just kept the name.
Members: Buster Sexton (banjo), Mike Andes (mandolin), Frankie Hawkins (guitar) , Darin Lawrence (guitar), Bill Ledbetter (bass), and Mitchell Davis (fiddle). Buster’s son Chris Sexton replaced Davis in 1997.
1986, won the Virginia Folk Music Society State Bluegrass Band Championship.
1998, released “Life’s Highways” album on Copper Creek Records.
2000, the group broke up. Andes and Davis (now playing banjo) continued to play with the group Nothin’ Fancy, which had formed in 1994.
1993, performed with best selling author and lecturer Robert Fulghum (All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned in Kindergarten) at such venues as Carnegie Hall in New York City. She “colors” his stories with the fiddle.
Calls her flamboyant style: “chrome on the range.”
1994, toured with Texas swing band Asleep at the Wheel.
Began performing at the age of 9, playing mandolin in his father’s band “Clayton Hale and the Bluegrass Mountaineers.”
Age 11, was invited to perform at the Grand Ole Opry with Bill Monroe.
Has been a band member with the Reno Brothers, J. D. Crowe and the New South (guitar, lead vocals), Livewire, Eddie and Martha Adcock (mandolin) and several other bands.
2000, founded Wildfire with Curt Chapman.
Played on two Dolly Parton albums: “Halos and Horns” and “For God and Country.”
2012, released first solo project Pure & Simple (Pinecastle).
2020, released Blue Haze album (Pinecastle) with his “8th Wonder Band” including Scott Vestal, Missy Raines and Shawn Lane.
Stage name used by the Vincent family bluegrass band: Johnny Vincent (banjo), Carolyn (bass); sons Darrin and Brian (guitar and mandolin respectively), and daughter Rhonda (lead vocals, mandolin and fiddle).
1967, began performing on their own TV show called “The Sally Mountain Show” which eventually became the band’s name. They were called The Sally Mountain Singers on their first album.
The name “Sally Mountain” comes from a mountain near Worthington, Missouri which the local people called Sally’s Mountain, named after Sally Mosely, an old time fiddler who lived on the mountain and claimed to have written the fiddle tune “Sally Goodin'”.
They performed at many prestigious venues including the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and the Lincoln Center in New York City.
Recorded four albums on their own label (Stardust) in the 1980’s.
2003, reunited to record “A Family Tradition” album. Rhonda and Darrin performed on the album as did Jamie Dailey and Stuart Duncan.
They host an annual bluegrass festival in Sally Mountain Park near Queen City, Missouri.
2014, Johnny Vincent died after a long illness at the age of 73.
Played banjo in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s with the Lilly Brothers, Joe Val and the New England Bluegrass Boys and other New England bands. Also had his own group, Bill Hall and the Northwind Bluegrass.
Was also a prolific songwriter with more than 100 songs to his credit.
1984, released “In the Shadow of the Pines” album on Old Homestead Records.
Was recognized by the International Bluegrass Music Museum as one of the 200 original pioneers of bluegrass music.
From Northern Virginia; originally from Jolo, West Virginia.
1964-66, played with a group called the Page Valley Boys.
1967, began professional musical career with Bill Emerson. Emerson and Waldron recorded several albums for Rebel Records, and was the first to record the Manfred Mann song “Fox on the Run” in a bluegrass style.
Worked briefly with The Shenandoah Cutups before forming The New Shades of Grass (1968-74), a group that recorded seven albums for Rebel Records.
1974, went to work for the National Park Service.
1975, became a devout Christian and formed a gospel band.
1985, had severe health problems which resulted in a kidney transplant.
1996, retired from the National Park Service and returned to playing bluegrass music.
2001, recorded a gospel album with Paul Williams called “Higher Ground.”
2021, he was presented with the IBMA’s Distinguished Achievement Award.
A family band (the Moore Family) featuring siblings Kyndal (mandolin), Morgan (guitar), Parker (banjo), Daniel (fiddle), Norah (fiddle) and Garrett (bass).
2017, they ranged in age from 11 (Norah) to 21 (Parker).
They began performing together as a band in 2014.
While they are not exclusively a gospel-singing group, their band name comes from the Bible (Matthew 5:13-16).
2017, released their second album “Second Course” (Whale Tone).
As a sideman, he has performed with Bill Monroe, Roland White, Vassar Clements, Loretta Lynn, Chet Akins, Larry Cordle, Laurie Lewis, Dale Ann Bradley and many others.
As a session musician, he has recorded with Kenny Rogers, Michael Martin Murphy, Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, Ronnie Milsap and many others. He has played at Carnegie Hall and on Austin City Limits..
Has been a member of The Cluster Pluckers, Kathy Chiavola Band, the Roland White Band, The J.T. Gray Band and several others.
From Martinsville, Indiana. Lives in Georgetown, Kentucky.
At age 11, learned banjo and began performing with his brother Taylor (mandolin) as The Baker Boys.
2007, at age 16 took his first professional job with Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show. He also spent some time with Wildfire, The Wildwood Valley Boys, Marty Raybon and Full Circle, David Peterson and 1946, Avery County, Melvin Goins and Windy Mountain.
2008, joined Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper. While with this band, they won the IBMA Award for Instrumental Group of the Year.
When Gary Waldrep retired, original members Wayne and Jerry Crain (father/son) relocated to Florida and changed the name of the group to Sand Mountain.
2000, Waldrep began touring with his own group, The Gary Waldrep Band.
Not primarily known as a bluegrass artist, but recorded an album called “The Bluegrass Sessions” in 2007. Bluegrass legend Ronnie Reno was a member of his band in the mid-1970’s and bluegrass bands such as the Osborne Brothers and Brush Arbor often toured with him.
Has had 40 number one country hits, including “Okie from Muskogie”, “If We Make It Through December” and “Daddy Frank.”
1970, won CMA award for Album of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year and Single of the Year. Has won dozens of CMA and ACM awards, three Grammies including the Lifetime Achievement Award.
1994, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Features brothers Jessie (banjo) and Taylor (mandolin) Baker. Taylor is 2 years older than Jessie.
Began performing in 2002 as youngsters, age 12 and 14. Mom and dad, Anna and David, performed with the boys on bass and guitar.
They won several band competitions and performed regularly at festivals like Bean Blossom and Ralph Stanley’s Memorial Weekend Bluegrass Festival in Coeburn, VA.
2006, performed at the Grand Ole Opry with Mike Snider.
2007, at age 16 Jessie began his career working as a sideman with other top bluegrass bands (see Jessie Baker).
2008, The Baker Boys released their only CD on Patuxent Records.
Formed in 1975 by Jack Tottle (mandolin), Robin Kincaid (guitar), Paul Kahn (bass), Bela Fleck (banjo) and Stacy Phillips (Dobro™). Pat Enright (guitar) and Mark Schatz (bass) were later members of this band.
Since 1978, has owned a night club called “Bobby Mackey’s” where he performs and hosts other country acts. Cincinnatti’s classic country radio station (WAOL) broadcasts live music from there on Friday nights.
Bobby Mackey’s (the night club) has also received national attention because of ghosts that are said to inhabit the building.
2002, formed a bluegrass band called The Pine Hill Pickers.
2004, released Ten Shades of Green album (no label) with Rhonda Vincent, Sonya Isaacs and other guest artists. Produced by Adam Steffey.
Formed in 2002 by Bryan Simpson (mandolin, fiddle, lead vocals), Matt Menefee (banjo), Mike Jump (guitar), Clint Sturgeon (bass), and Ross Holmes (fiddle).
2003, released first album “Talent Show,” produced by Pat Flynn.
2005, Andy Moritz replaced Sturgeon on bass.
The band name was inspired by a place called Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo, Texas where a row of old Cadillacs are stuck nose-down in a cow pasture along I-40.
Simpson has written songs recorded by artists such as George Strait, Gretchen Wilson, Joe Nichols, Diamond Rio, Jo Dee Messina, Neal McCoy, Brad Martin and Kenny Rogers. In 2009, his song “I’ll Just Hold On” (recorded by Blake Shelton) reached #5 spot on the Billboard Country chart.
Fiddler Ross Holmes spent time in Josh Turner’s band.
Banjo player Matt Menefee won the Winfield Banjo Championship at age 17.
A singer/songwriter, he played guitar for many years with a band called Signal Mountain. Bandmates included Shawn Camp, Tim and Dennis Crouch, Donnie Catron and others.
His father, Freddie Sanders produced the Sanders Family Bluegrass Festival in McAlester, Oklahoma, one of the largest in the region.
Songwriting credits: “You Could Be Me” (Del McCoury) and “Down Where the River Ends” (Kix Brooks and Wayne Toups), co-written with Shawn Camp.
2018, released “Fast Train to Lonesome” album (Rural Rhythm).
From Jenkins, Kentucky. During much of his career, he lived in Gallatin, Tennessee.
1957-1984, played fiddle with Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys on four different occasions. His longest stint was 17½ years from March ‘67 to October ‘84.
Bill Monroe frequently called him “the greatest bluegrass fiddler in the world.”
First pro job: Don Gibson’s band (1953).
1990-91, recorded and toured with a group called “The Masters” (Kenny, Josh Graves, Byron Berline and Eddie Adcock).
1990’s, performed and recorded as a duo with Josh Graves.
1993, received a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Moved with her family to California in 1933 in search of a better life. They traveled by hitching rides in empty railroad boxcars. When they arrived in California, the only work they could find was as migrant “fruit tramps” working the fields and orchards up and down the fertile valleys of California.
1937, began performing with her brothers as “The Maddox Brothers and Rose,” one of country music’s most successful acts (broke up in 1956).
Voted best female country vocalist by both Billboard and Cashbox magazines. She became known as “The Queen of the West.”
After launching her solo career, she formed a band called The Foggy Notion Band. In her words, “I never had the foggiest notion that I would ever have my own band.”
1962, recorded Rose Maddox Sings Bluegrass (Capitol) which is widely believed to be the first bluegrass album released by a female vocalist. Side musicians on the album included Bill Monroe, Don Reno and Red Smiley.
1980, released This Is Rose Maddox album (Arhoolie) with the Vern Williams Band.
1983, released Beautiful Bouquet album (Arhoolie) with the Vern Williams Band.
Formed in 1995 as “Deep River” by John Lowell and Nancy Padilla, formerly with Wheel Hoss. Lowell also worked with the Wyoming band Loose Ties.
1998, added Jerry Nettuno (formerly with Highstrung). Former Wheel Hoss and New Vintage banjo player Julie Elkins also joined the band.
1999, changed name to Kane’s River because they found that another group was performing under the name Deep River. Named after an eccentric mountain man in Montana named Kane Fisher.
Formed in 1973 by Lawrence Lane (guitar), Keith Lane (mandolin), Radford Vance (banjo) and Ray Sonaugle (fiddle).
1974, released “Washington’s Files” album (Rome).
1976, released “1776-1976” album (Rome).
Lane also promoted several bluegrass festivals in Kentucky.
Jimmy Olander of the group Diamond Rio was once a member of this band (playing banjo).
2017, the group Carolina Blue recorded Sounds of Kentucky Grass (Poor Mountain), a tribute to Lawrence Lane and the Kentucky Grass. Lawrence Lane is the great uncle of Carolina Blue’s mandolin player, Timmy Jones.
Born & raised in Fort Blackmore, Virginia. Lives in Walhalla, South Carolina.
An original member of Blue Highway. Plays mandolin.
1990, worked with Lou Reid.
1991-1993, worked with Doyle Lawson.
1993-1994, worked with Ricky Skaggs.
1995-present, Blue Highway.
Early days: performed at a Johnson City (TN) club every 1st Thursday of the month with country singer Kenny Chesney.
Has a degree in Machine Tool Technology; graduated on the President’s List of his college and was selected for “Who’s Who” of American Students in 1994.
2003, released solo project All For Today (Rebel Records).
2014, released solo project Mountain Songs (Cat Town Records).
2014, filled in for Tim O’Brien with The Earls of Leicester.
2019, released an EP with guitarist Richard Bennett called “Land and Harbor” (Bonfire).
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 Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys and appeared on some of Monroe’s earliest recordings.
1946-47, worked with Roy Acuff’s Smoky Mountain Boys. While with Acuff, he made the first recording of the Black Mountain Rag.
1947, formed the Orange Blossom Boys.
1951, formed Tommy Magness and His Tennessee Buddies, which included Don Reno and Red Smiley. They recorded several juke box hits for King Records.
Southern California-based band featuring Byron Berline, Dan Crary, John Moore, John Hickman and Steve Spurgin.
Formed in 1991. They were formerly called B-C-H (Berline, Crary, Hickman). Changed name to California when Spurgin and Moore were added to the group.
While the group was called California, John Moore was the only California native.
1992, 1993, won IBMA award for “Instrumental Group of the Year.”
Broke up in 1996. Crary and Spurgin left to pursue solo careers. Moore performed with his trio “Bluegrass Etc.” and also trained horses. Berline formed his own “Byron Berline Band” with John Hickman on banjo in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Berline also owned a music store and concert venue called “Byron’s Double Stop Fiddle Shop” and promoted an annual bluegrass festival in Oklahoma. Both Berline and Hickman are now deceased.
A songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Garth Brooks (“Two Pina Coladas”), Brooks and Dunn (“How Long Gone”), George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, Patty Loveless, Randy Travis, Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, many others.
1987, moved to Nashville at age 20, worked with Osborne Brothers, playing fiddle.
1991, signed with a major label (Reprise) and recorded first album which was never released.
2004, recorded a live bluegrass album at the Station Inn in Nashville, Live at the Station Inn (Oh Boy Records).
2007, he and rockabilly singer Billy Burnette released an album called “The Bluegrass Elvises” featuring bluegrass covers of Elvis Presley hits.
2013, formed a Flatt and Scruggs tribute band called Earls of Leicester.
2017, won his second IBMA Award for Male Vocalist of the Year (he also won in 2015).
BUTCH BALDASSARI (See also WEARY HEARTS, NASHVILLE MANDOLIN ENSEMBLE)
From Scranton, Pennsylvania. Lives in Nashville.
A mandolinist who grew up listening to the music of Frank Sinatra, Louis Prima and other classic pop stars. He was converted to bluegrass after attending the 1972 Philadelphia Folk Festival.
1977, moved to Las Vegas, Nevada. Worked as a croupier, running craps tables in the El Cortez and MGM Grand Casinos.
1986, joined the Arizona-based band Weary Hearts with Ron Block, Mike Bub and Chris Jones.
1989, moved to Nashville with Weary Hearts. The group disbanded shortly thereafter.
Confined to a wheel chair since childhood, he was born with Muscular Dystrophy.
Began singing as a child. At age 3, attended an Oak Ridge Boys concert and backstage, sang “Elvira” with them. They were so impressed they invited him to sing on the Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon, and he has appeared and performed on that annual broadcast many times.
1996, graduated from high school and fell in love with bluegrass
1998, formed a band called the Trinity Mountain Boys.
2001, joined Lost Horizon, an Atlanta-based group, as their lead singer.
2002, first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry as a guest of Third Tyme Out.
2006, released Highway Of Dreams album (Rounder), produced by Carl Jackson.
2007, won IBMA Award for Male Vocalist of the Year.
2008, his video for the song “A Little Change” reached #1 on CMT.
1996, toured with Patty Loveless, playing guitar and singing harmony. While with Patty, she appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman, Hee Haw, other TV shows.
1995, returned to the New Coon Creek Girls.
1996, embarked on solo career.
1997, released first solo album Long Road (Vanguard).
1999, was a final nominee for IBMA’s Emerging Artist of the Year award.
2001, joined staff of OMS Records, doing promotion.
Hobby: Reading and studying naturopathic nutritional healing and theology
2002-2007, sang and played with Porter Wagoner on the Grand Ole Opry.
2009, released solo project Benefit of Doubt (Home Sweet Highway).
A singer/songwriter, known best for his gospel songs.
His song “Listen to the Word of God” appeared on the Lonesome River Band’s award-winning Carrying the Tradition album.
Owns a lumber company in New Hampshire called “Highland Hardwoods.”
Has recorded several albums under the name “Rick Lang and Friends.”
2010, released an album of his songs featuring special guests Russell Moore, Dale Ann Bradley, Barry Scott, Junior Sisk and other well known bluegrass musicians. He himself did not perform on the album.
2018, released The Undertow album (RLM) featuring songs about the ocean.
2018, released Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout album (Billy Blue), produced by Jerry Salley and featuring gospel songs with vocals by Dave Adkins, Marty Raybon, Claire Lynch, the Cox Family, Kenny and Amanda Smith, High Road, the Whites, Bradley Walker, Jerry Salley, Larry Cordle and others.
2019, won the IBMA Award for Gospel Recording of the Year for the song “Gonna Sing, Gonna Shout,” sung by Claire Lynch.
2018, his band included Zink (guitar/lead vocals), John Roc (mandolin), Dan Menzone (banjo), Keith Edwards (bass), Doug Bartlett (mandolin) and Gary Pomerleau (fiddle).
2019, moved to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee and was signed by Sound Biscuit Records. He is a regular performer at Dollywood. He also formed a “classic country” band to expand his audience.
2021, released singles “Bein’ Country” and “Best of Her” (Sound Biscuit).
A duo featuring sisters Shaunna (fiddle) and Tina (mandolin) Larkin. They began performing together as children in their family band “The Larkin Family.” They were regulars at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
2001, first appearance at the Grand Ole Opry.
2003, released first album Larkins (Audium) with guest Dolly Parton.
From Weaverville, North Carolina. Lived most of his life in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A country music pioneer whose mountain string band music of the 1930’s helped lay the foundation for bluegrass which developed in the 1940’s.
He and his older brother J.E. Mainer began performing together in 1927. They were first known as J.E. Mainer’s Crazy Mountaineers. Wade played banjo; J.E. played fiddle. In 1935, they recorded 14 songs for the RCA Bluebird label, including their biggest hit “Maple on the Hill.”
1936, formed his own band, Sons of the Mountaineers with Zeke and Wiley Morris, Clyde Moody, other musicians. From 1935 to 1941, they were one of the most heavily-recorded country artists of that era.
1953, left the music business and moved to Flint, Michigan where he worked for General Motors, retiring in 1972.
1975, began performing again with his wife, Julia May (stage name “Hillbilly Lilly”), who sings and plays guitar. They performed exclusively Gospel music.
Mainer played banjo in the two-finger style popularized by Snuffy Jenkins (who inspired Earl Scruggs to develop his three-finger style.)
2002, appeared at the Grand Ole Opry and was Grand Marshall for the Uncle Dave Macon Days parade in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
From Troutman, North Carolina. Lives in Nashville.
A successful Nashville singer/songwriter who has written hits for Patty Loveless, Mark Chesnutt, Kathy Mattea, George Strait and many others.
Lived in New York City for several years, played bluegrass there and appeared in several musicals (“Pump Boys and Dinettes,” “The Cotton Patch Gospel,” etc). He has also lived and worked in Texas and California.
Has played in bands with Dwight Yoakam, Darden Smith, Carlene Carter and Lucinda Williams.
1998, released I Feel Like Singing Today, a collaboration with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys.
2002, released second collaboration with Ralph Stanley called Lost in the Lonesome Pines (Dualtone) which won the Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album (in 2003).
He also worked with the Cumberland Highlanders and the Sidemen. He appeared on an album by the Sidemen Almost Live at the Station Inn (Grave Records).
2003, died at the age of 40 from carbon monoxide poisoning while sleeping on a converted school bus near Clarksville, Tennessee. Rosie Carter Nix, granddaughter of Johnny Cash and June Carter, also died in the accident. He was playing fiddle in her band at the time. Drug abuse was apparently a contributing factor.
They are brothers who began performing together in their teens. Cory plays banjo, guitar and resonator guitar, Jarrod plays mandolin. Their brother Tyler also plays guitar. Ages (June 2006): Cory, age 16; Jarrod, age 14; Tyler, age 10.
2003, Cory appeared on the IBMA Awards Show with the “Young American Bluegrass Idols.”
2004, appeared with Keith Urban on a CBS TV special.
2005, appeared on the IBMA’s “Kids on Bluegrass” video and were part of the band “Juvenescence” that performed on the IBMA’s Fanfest stage.
2005-6, appeared on the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Award ceremony, opening for Alison Krauss & Union Station and Diamond Rio.
2005-6, performed together as “The Bluegrass Parlor Band with Cory and Jarrod Walker.”
2007, Cory joined Sierra Hull and Highway 111, playing banjo.
2007, released “New Branches” album (no label).
2012, Jarrod joined Missy Raines and the New Hip, playing mandolin and guitar.
2014, Cory worked with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, replacing Justin Moses.
2015, Jarrod joined The Claire Lynch Band, playing mandolin.
2015, Cory and Jarrod joined Bradford Lee Folk and the Bluegrass Playboys.
2019, Cory joined The Dillards. Jarrod joined Billy Strings.
2020, Cory joined East Nash Grass (while also working with the Dillards).
Formed in 2001 by Michael Smith (mandolin) and Casey Cook (guitar).
Won “Best Bluegrass Band” in Atlanta’s “Creative Loafing” magazine.
Had several of their songs played on MTV.
Smith has performed and toured with the country band Sugarland.
Cook had a Florida band with his brother called “Special Cookin'” and was inducted into the North Florida Bluegrass Hall of Fame as the youngest professional bluegrass band in Florida. He has also been featured in “Flatpick Guitar” magazine.
A “Dappled Gray” is a type of horse (with gray spots).
Other members of the band: Leah Calvert (fiddle), Keith Morris (bass), Greg Earnest (banjo.)
2012, they were featured in the Clint Eastwood movie “Trouble with the Curve.” They appeared in a scene with cloggers at a night club in Athens, Georgia. They performed two songs: “The Long Waltz Home” written by guitarist Casey Cook and the traditional tune “Cotton-Eyed Joe.”
2015, released “Last Night Tomorrow” album (no label).
A bass player who is best known for his tenure with Alison Krauss and Union Station (since 1990).
He was also worked as a sideman on albums and performances by other artists including Merle Haggard, Shania Twain, the Civil Wars, Elvis Costello, Dolly Parton, the Chieftains, Del McCoury, Vince Gill, Kenny Chesney, and Willie Nelson.
He also is a songwriter and producer. He has produced albums by Adam Steffey, Sierra Hull and Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out.
An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys any form of wing shooting. He is most passionate about duck hunting, traveling North America in pursuit of waterfowl, as well as managing his own duck club.
2001, played bass on the soundtrack to the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou.”
2007, worked with the Dan Tyminsky band.
2013, formed a part-time Flatt and Scruggs tribute band with Jerry Douglas called The Earls of Leicester.
2014, won his third IBMA Award for Bass Player of the Year (also won in 2008, 2013).
2017, won two Grammy Awards, one in the Best Folk Album category for Undercurrent album (Sugar Hill) and another in the Best American Roots Performance category for “House of Mercy” from the same album.
2017, began touring and recording with Sara Watkins and Aoife O’Donovan as “I’m With Her.”
Began playing music at age 8. He is an elite Dobro™ (resonator guitar) player, but he plays all the bluegrass instruments.
1982, at age 12 performed at the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee.
1987, at age 17 began performing with Bill Keith and Frank Wakefield.
Since then he has worked as a sideman with Del Reeves, Bill Harrell, The Gibson Brothers, Wheeler Creek, Bill Anderson, Boxcar Willie and James King.
2016, worked with the Dave Adkins band.
2018, released first solo project Raising the Bar (Bell Buckle), featuring guest artists Dave Adkins, Rick Faris, Greg Cahill, Valerie Smith, Cia Cherryholmes, Alecia Nugent, Jim VanCleve and others.
2018, signed with Mountain Fever Records.
2021, signed with Turnberry Records.
2022, released Susquehanna Line album (Turnberry). Darou plays all the instruments on the album with vocal performances by guest artists.
Formed in 2014 by Matt Thomas (bass) and Matt “Roy” Royles (guitar). Other band members: Dan Whitener (banjo), Matthew Hiller (mandolin), and Eric Lee (fiddle).
A family band featuring three siblings: Will Jones (guitar), Laura Leigh Jones (mandolin), Ashley Jones (bass), dad Phillip Jones (guitar), Rick Allred (banjo).
Allred previously worked with the Country Gentlemen, Larry Stephenson Band, McPeak Brothers.
2010, released “No Expectations” CD. At the time of recording, Will was 18, Laura Leigh 20, Ashley 23.
Formed in 2017 as a pick-up band to play dates at Nashville’s Station Inn and eventually became a full-time band. The are regulars at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge in Nashville.
Members: Cory Walker (banjo), Harry Clark (guitar), Maddie Denton (fiddle), Gaven Largent (Dobro™), James Kee (mandolin) and Geoff Sanders (bass).
2021, released first album East Nash Grass (Lamb Lyfe Records).
A newgrass band formed in 1999 featuring Ty Bennett (guitar) and Chris Emerson (mandolin), who also perform together in a duo called Natty Boh.
Candlewyck is the name of the neighborhood where Bennett and Emerson grew up. They lived down the street from each other
Bennett is a songwriter, producer and music instructor in Charlotte. Originally from Hampton, South Carolina.
Emerson is originally from Lansing, Michigan, but has lived in NC since the early 80’s. Taught himself mandolin.
2001, released first album with guests Don Rigsby, John Cowan, Terry Baucom, Shawn Lane, others. A song from that album “Firemen” won an “Indy” award for best bluegrass song of the year.
2019, released Burnt the Sawmill Downalbum (KDM) with his bluegrass band The Caleb Daugherty Band: Zion Napier (mandolin), Kyle Clerkin (banjo), Zach Collier (bass), Kyle Ramey (fiddle).
2020, released single “Daylight’s Burning” (KDM)
2021, was a guest artist on the album Industrial Strength Bluegrass (Smithsonian) performing a duet with Rhonda Vincent.
Formed in 2015 by teens Liam Purcell (mandolin) and Tray Wellington (banjo) who are both from Deep Gap (home of Doc Watson). Also in the band: Elliott Smith (bass) and Casey Lewis (guitar).
2017, released first album Five Speed (no label), produced by Cathy Fink and Tom Mindte.
2019, released Gap to Gap album (Patuxent). The members of the band have to drive between Deep Gap, NC and Rocky Gap, VA (a distance of about 100 miles) in order to play music together.
2019, won the IBMA Momentum Award for Band of the Year. Tray Wellington also won the Momentum Award for Instrumentalist of the Year.
2020, disbanded. Mandolinist Liam Purcell kept the band name and is performing as Liam Purcell and Cane Mill Road with other musicians.
2021, Purcell released Roots album (Trailhead). He wrote all the songs and played all the instruments.
A family of nine who travel the country singing and playing gospel music. Michael (dad on guitar) and Ramona (mom, bass) plus their seven kids: Kenny (guitar), Ben (mandolin), Jimmy (fiddle), Bonnie (banjo), Jenna (Dobro™), Nathanael and Joel (guitars).
2012, released album “Press Toward the Mark” featuring guest musicians Andy Leftwich, Jared Easter, Tony Mabe and others.
Formed in 2007 by Marc Pruett (banjo), Caleb Smith (guitar), Darren Nicholson (mandolin), Tim Surrett (bass and resonator guitar) and Buddy Melton (fiddle).
Pruett has worked with Ricky Skaggs (played banjo on Skaggs’ landmark “Sweet Temptation” album in 1979 and was a founding member of Kentucky Thunder in 1996) and James Monroe. Also had a gospel group called “Harvest.”
Nicholson previously worked with Alecia Nugent.
Melton was formerly with Rock Springs Reunion (gospel group) and Jubal Foster (country band).
Surrett is a former member of the Isaacs and the Kingsmen.
Their name (Balsam Range) is the name of the mountain range on the southern edge of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, surrounding the area where the band members live.
2018, released Mountain Overture album (Mountain Home) with the Atlanta Pops Orchestra Ensemble.
2018, won IBMA Awards for Entertainer of the Year (for the second time). Buddy Melton also won for Male Vocalist of the Year (also for the second time) and Tim Surrent won the award for Bass Player of the Year (his first in that category).
Formed in 2008 by Stacy Wilcox (banjo), Chris Smith (guitar) and Dave Prater (mandolin). In 2014, Joe Robinson (bass) joined the band. In 2017, Prater was replaced by Mitch Meadows (mandolin).
Their name comes from a little creek in southeast Kentucky, near Pikeville. There is also a song by the Dillards called “Caney Creek.”
2017, released first album Cool Kentucky Rain (no label).
2019, released The Tale of Willie Tackett album (9 Lives).
1994, formed Continental Divide (AKA David Parmley, Scott Vestal and Continental Divide) with Scott Vestal (banjo), Rickie Simpkins (fiddle), Jimmy Bowen (mandolin), Mike Anglin (bass) and Randy Kohrs (Dobro™).
2008, took a hiatus from performing because of health problems.
2010, returned to performing with his band Continental Divide.
2012, retired from music. Began driving and maintaining tour buses for various artists (such as Rascal Flatts.)
2015, began performing and touring again with his new band Cardinal Tradition.
2019, retired from music again. Several of his band members formed a new band called Fast Track: Ron Spears (bass), Dale Perry (banjo) and Steve Day (fiddle). Joining them: Jesse Brock (mandolin) and Duane Sparks (guitar).
2022, formed a new band with Larry Stephenson and Randy Graham called the Bluegrass Cardinals Tribute Band.
Formed in 2006 by Steve Spurgin (bass and lead vocals), Mark Miracle (mandolin), Dick Brown (banjo), Charles Edsall (guitar) and Bruce Johnson (fiddle).
Spurgin previously was the lead singer with California and Bluegrass Etc. and was also known as a hit songwriter.
Johnson previously worked with Byron Berline & the LA Fiddle Band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and the Laurel Canyon Ramblers.
Edsall previously worked with Feather River, High Strung and Ron Spears & Within Tradition.
Miracle previously worked with such bands as Shady Creek and Mountain Therapy.
Brown previously worked with the Lynn Morris Band, Traditional Bluegrass and Lost Highway.
2007, released first album Sawmill Road (no label)..
2008, Johnson was replaced by fiddler Doug Barlett, formerly with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.
2009, released “Fire on the Kettle” album.
2010, broke up.
2018, reunited to perform on an occasional basis, with guitarist David Dickey replacing Edsall.
From Binghamton, New York. Lives now in Nashville.
One of the top Dobro™ players in bluegrass music.
Early musical career, was a member of several New England bands: the Bag Boys, the Too High String Band, Boston City Limits.
A graduate of the Berklee School of Music in Boston. It was there that he met Chris Eldridge and Chris Pandolfi (who later joined him in the Infamous Stringdusters).
Moved to Nashville, arriving on September 10, 2001, the day before the terrorist attacks. First break was landing a job with Harley Allen.
2003, joined Ronnie Bowman’s band with Wyatt Rice (guitar) and Jesse Cobb (mandolin).
2004-5, toured and recorded with Dolly Parton, Earl Scruggs Charlie Daniels, Ronnie Bowman, Moody Bluegrass, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Alecia Nugent and his own band Short Life of Trouble.
Daughter of legendary country music songwriter & producer Buddy Cannon (Kenny Chesney, Reba McIntyre, Mel Tillis, George Jones, etc).
Her sister Maria Cannon-Goodman is also a successful songwriter (“Ten Rounds with Jose Cuervo,” etc.)
Started recording at age 14 (with Dean Dillon). Also worked as a teenager with Vern Gosdin, Bill Anderson. Recorded duet “Cry Cry Darlin'” with Sammy Kershaw at age 16.
Did a stint in the U.S. Army. In her own words “I had a wild streak that needed to be tamed.” The Army helped her learn self-discipline and self-respect. She was discharged for medical reasons, but the experience changed her life.
2004, released debut bluegrass album Melonie Cannon, produced by Ronnie Bowman (Skaggs Family Records).
Have sung together since 1983. Had a band called “The Tractors.”
Emily is originally from Nankipoo, Tennessee; Al is from Seattle, Washington
Before moving to Montana, they lived and worked in Nashville as songwriters
Performed in the movie “A River Runs Through It” starring Robert Redford. When they performed for a cast party prior to the shooting of the movie, Redford liked them so much, he worked them into the movie. They appeared in the picnic scene.
The only bluegrass band to get its start in a barbershop. “Jack’s Barbershop” in Norfolk, Virginia held jam sessions on Friday nights. A bar owner across the street asked them to play (for free beer) and they came up with the name, based on one of the songs they had learned, “East Virginia Blues.”
1977, released “The Winds of East Virginia” album (Major).
1977, released “Sings of Witches and Whippoorwills” (Lark).
1979, released “New Sounds, New Seasons” album (Rounder).
1980, released “Pathways of Tradition” album (Rounder).
1981, broke up but re-united in 1999 to record “Back Home in East Virginia” album (Copper Creek).
Nickname: “The Storyteller.” He is a member of the Nashville Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.
Began playing guitar at age 4; wrote his first song at age 9.
Age 17, formed his first band The Kentucky Travelers.
As a recording artist he has had seven #1 songs: “A Week in a Country Jail” (1969–70), “The Year That Clayton Delaney Died” (1971),“Old Dogs, Children and) Watermelon Wine” (1972–73),” “I Love” (1973–74), “Country Is” (1974), “I Care” (1974–75), and “Faster Horses (the Cowboy and the Poet)” (1976). Other notable hits: “The Ballad of Forty Dollars” (1968), “Me and Jesus” (1972).
1968, his “Harper Valley PTA,” recorded by Jeannie C. Riley, became a huge international hit on both pop and country charts, selling nearly 2 million records in two weeks.
First bluegrass hit: “Fox on the Run” (1976, from the album Magnificent Music Machine (Mercury) with musicians Bill Monroe, J. D. Crowe, Jimmy Martin, Kenny Baker and others.)
A legendary mandolin player and singer who for most of his career led a band called the Stoney Mountain Boys in the Cincinnati, Ohio area.
1955-57, worked with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys.
1958, moved to Baltimore, Maryland and formed the Stoney Mountain Boys.
1959, his was the first bluegrass band to perform at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
1960, relocated to the Cincinnati, Ohio area and played in night clubs there for several years.
1963, released his landmark “Blue Grass Taylor-made” album (Capitol Records) with his new band The Blue Grass Mountaineers.
1964-1967, disbanded his group and worked with Jimmy Martin, the Stanley Brothers and Flatt and Scruggs.
1967, returned to the Cincinnati area and re-organized the Stoney Mountain Boys with guitarist Jim McCall. He recorded several albums in subsequent years for Rural Rhythm and Vetco Records.
1974, poor health and the death of his son led to his retirement from music for several years. He resumed performing in the early 80’s with banjo player Vernon McIntyre.
Known as “The King of Country Music.” Originally called “The King of the Hillbillies.”
A man of many talents: he was a professional baseball player, an actor in a touring medicine show, a recording artist with several million-sellers to his credit, a member of the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years, a star of radio, television and movies, a co-founder of one of the most famous music publishing companies in the world, co-founder of a record company, candidate for Governor of Tennessee, owner of a recreational park, director of a museum, a Shriner, owner of a peacock hatchery, a songwriter, a musician, and the first living person elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1962, elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
1936, first sang “The Great Speckled Bird,” at the Grand Ole Opry with his band “The Crazy Tennesseans” (The song comes from a passage in the Bible, Jeremiah 12:9).
1938, joined the Grand Ole Opry and was its first international star.1974, taught President Richard Nixon how to yo-yo on stage at the Grand Ole Opry.
Had a collection of more than 2200 miniature liquor bottles; also collected dolls, guns and musical instruments.
Died in 1992 at age 89.
RECOMMENDED: The Essential Roy Acuff (Columbia, 2008) A nice collection of his best-known songs including “The Great Speckled Bird,” “Wreck on the Highway” and “Wabash Cannonball.”
Formed in 1970 by Steve Waller (mandolin) and Mike Eisler (banjo). Before then, the two had a group called the Sawtooth Mountain Volunteers. They were both students at Oregon State University at the time.
The band was named after a mountain range in Idaho.
From Monticello, Kentucky. Also lived in California and Virginia.
Began playing banjo at age 12. After learning the Scruggs style, he performed with several groups including Carl Story and Hylo Brown.
1956, after his discharge from the Army (Korean war), he married and moved to Los Angeles, California.
1963, worked with the Golden State Boys in Los Angeles with Vern and Rex Gosdin. The group was also called the Blue Diamond Boys and later, the Hillmen (with Chris Hillman on mandolin).
1963, released “5 String Banjo with 12 String Guitar” album (Crescendo) with backing musicians Billy Strange, LeRoy McNees, Chris Hillman, Vern Gosdin, Rex Gosdin (bass) and Hal Blaine (drums).
1964-1973, played banjo for the TV Series The Beverly Hillbillies.
1974, formed The Bluegrass Cardinals with his 15-year-old son David (guitar), Randy Graham (mandolin) and Bill Bryson (bass). This group performed together in various configurations for 23 years.
From Seattle, Washington. Has lived in Nashville and San Diego, California. Currently lives in New York City.
He was a child prodigy. He could identify specific classical composers at age 3.
Began playing guitar at age 6. Began violin lessons at age 11. Seven months later, won second place at the National Old-Time Fiddle Championships in Weiser, Idaho.
Appeared on the Grand Ole Opry when he was 12 years old. He was introduced by Roy Acuff.
By age 14, had won two National Junior Fiddle Championships, One Grand Masters Fiddle Championship, and the National Guitar Flatpicking Championship (Winfield, Kansas). After his victory at Winfield the rules were changed—making contestants wait at least five years before they could win the championship a second time. (He did.)
1979, toured Japan with Dan Crary.
1980, joined The David Grisman Quintet, but left after breaking his arm in a skiing accident. 1981, joined an electric band called The Dregs—formerly The Dixie Dregs.
Has performed at Carnegie Hall with Stephane Grappelli, David Grisman and cellist Yoyo Ma.
1983, embarked on a solo career, performing and recording with a wide variety of artists in just about every musical category.
1991, won the CMA award for his album New Nashville Cats (Warner Brothers).
1991-1996, won the CMA award six consecutive years for Musician of the Year.
1991, wrote his first violin concerto.
1993, toured with Marty Stuart and Travis Tritt for their “No Hats Tour.” This tour marked his farewell to country music. He has focused on classical music ever since.
2015, released Duo album with his wife Maggie (OMAC).
2016, released Coming Home album (Rounder) by The O’Connor Band with Mark O’Connor featuring his wife Maggie (fiddle), son Forrest (vocals/mandolin) and Forrest’s partner Kate Lee (vocals/fiddle). The band also includes Joe Smart (guitar) and Geoff Saunders (bass).
2017, won the Grammy Award for Coming Home album (Rounder).
From Chattanooga, Tennessee (which is in Hamilton County).
Members: James Boulware (fiddle), James Kee (mandolin), Josh Hixson (bass), Roy Curry (guitar), Jim Pankey (banjo).
Curry (guitar) has won the Winfield National Flatpick Guitar championship three times. He also won the Minnesota and Tennessee State Flatpicking championships.
Boulware (fiddle) is a third generation fiddler. He has won the Tennessee State fiddle championship and has also been a featured soloist with the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra.
Pankey (banjo) has won the Tennessee and Georgia banjo championships.
Formed in 1989 by Jeff Weaver (guitar) and Jim and Alan Stack (guitar and mandolin). Other original members: Dan Brooks (Dobro™) and Calvin LePort (banjo)
The Stack brothers formerly had a family band called Frog and the Greenhorns.
Rob Ickes and Ned Luberecki are former members of this band.
Their band name is a spin-off of the “Seldom Scene.”
1991, won the “Bluegrass America” band competition in Milton, West Virginia.
1992-2003, winners of the SPBGMA award for “Entertaining Band of the Year.” They received the “Gold Masters” award in 2003 for ten consecutive years winning this award. They also hosted the SPBGMA Awards Show in 2005.
From Vista, California (near San Diego). Lives in Murietta, California (Riverside County).
Since 1980, plays banjo and fiddle with John Moore in the band Bluegrass Etc.
A busy sideman and studio musician in San Diego. Has performed on numerous TV commercials, films & TV shows. Credits include Back to the Future III & all of Kenny Roger’s “Gambler” movies. He has also appeared on the Martha Stewart TV Show, Cingular Wireless commercials and is a member of the Academy of Country Music’s house band.
Performs regularly with Tim Flannery (former San Diego Padres ballplayer).
Also produces many of CMH Records’ “Pickin’ On” series including tributes to Eric Clapton, Santana, Creed, The Rolling Stones, Led Zepplin, Bonnie Raitt, Jim Morrison, Queen, Neil Diamond, Dave Matthews Band, R.E.M., ZZ Top, Lynrd Skynrd, Black Crowes, Phish, Dolly Parton, Brooks & Dunn, Lonestar, Lee Ann Womack, Jo Dee Messina, Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, Clint Black, Tracy Byrd, Counting Crows, Indigo Girls, LeeAnn Rimes, and Rod Stewart.
1975, began singing with his family band The Cardwell Family (with his sisters Nancy and Susan). Nancy Cardwell is the former executive director of the IBMA.
1980’s, performed rock and reggae music, singing lead, playing keyboards and saxophone. Spent some time in Hollywood. Had a Missouri band called Resonance.
1992, returned to bluegrass with a group called Slick Nickel.
1994, joined the gospel group New Tradition. Moved to Nashville.
1996, returned to Springfield to spend time with his family and to pursue a degree in music education. Became a band and choral director, leading his students to win several national competitions. While teaching he also played with a rock/pop/reggae band called Squigglefish.
2016, moved to Nashville and formed a new bluegrass/newgrass band called Tennessee Moon.
From Yinnar, Victoria, Australia (just east of Melbourne).
Features brothers Hamish (banjo/fiddle) and Lachlan (mandolin/fiddle) Davidson. They began performing together as teenagers.
Hamish is the younger brother. He won the Australian Bluegrass Fiddle Championship in 2000 and the Australian Bluegrass Banjo Championship in 2009. He is a chiropractor by trade.
Lachlan is a year older than Hamish. He won the Australian Bluegrass Mandolin Championship in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He is a mechanical engineer by trade.
2009, 2010, 2012, won Instrumental of the Year at the Australian Country Music Awards.
2010, won Group of the Year at the Australian Independent Country Music Awards.
2012, won Album of the Year at the Australian Independent Country Music Awards (for “Here to Stay” album).
2014, released “Wanderlust” album.
2017, they were inducted into the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame.
2018, won two CMAA Awards (Country Music Association of Australia) for Best Bluegrass Album (for their “Back Where I Started” album) and Best Instrumental Recording (for “Evelyn’s Kitchen”).
From the San Francisco Bay Area (She is originally from the Chicago area. Her Mom was a prominent folksinger there. She moved to the Bay Area in 1973.)
1975, co-founded (with Laurie Lewis) The Good Ol’ Persons (disbanded 1995). She also worked and recorded at various times with the Frank Wakefield Band.
1991, recorded a duet album with Laurie Lewis titled Together (Sugar Hill).
An early highlight of their musical career was performing with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys.
2002, graduated from UCLA, both majoring in ethno-musicology.
2002, signed with Rounder Records.
2004, released an album (country) Malibu Storm under the name Malibu Storm.
2010, after a five-year hiatus from music to marry and have children, they returned to performing and recording as Dana and Lauren. First single: a cover of Tupac Shakur’s “California Love.”
Formed in 2013 as “The Rambling Rooks” by Ronnie Bowman (bass), Don Rigsby (mandolin) and Kenny Smith (guitar). The three of them previously worked together in the Lonesome River Band (1995-2001)
2015, changed the band name to Band of Ruhks released their first album on 101 Ranch Records. “Ruhks” is Persian word that means “a warrior’s chariot.”
Has played harmonica around the L.A. area since the 1960’s (he taught harmonica at the famed Ash Grove).
2011, released Bluegrass Harmonica album (no label), the first ever bluegrass album featuring the “chromatic harmonica” (which differs from the diatonic harmonica used by such notables as Mike Stevens and Charlie McCoy).
Real name: Edward Garvin Futch. In 1962 he changed his name to Eddy Raven when he released his first single at age 17.
As a country artist he has had numerous hit records including “I Got Mexico,” “Shine Shine Shine,” “I’m Gonna Get You,” “Joe Knows How to Live,” “In a Letter to You,” and many others.
As a songwriter, he has written songs recorded by Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, Kenny Chesney, Roy Orbison, George Jones, Toby Keith, Waylon Jennings, Lefty Frizzell, Carl Smith, Heather Myles, Brenda Lee, Don Gibson, Faron Young, Jack Greene, Gene Watson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Lorrie Morgan, Roy Acuff, Jerry Reed, Oak Ridge Boys, Connie Smith and Charlie Louvin.
He has 30 ASCAP song writing awards, 8 No. 1’s, 14 Top 10’s, 23 Top 100’s, and 24 Albums to his credit.
2017, recorded and released a bluegrass album with Lorraine Jordan and Carolina Road called All Grassed Up (Pinecastle).
The original band featured mom and dad Dorene (guitar) and Phil (guitar) Bankester with daughters Melissa (bass), Alysha (mandolin & fiddle) and Emily (fiddle). Kyle Triplett (married to Melissa) is also a member of the band (banjo/guitar/Dobro™).
2009, released first video.
2011, released third CD on Blue Circle Records, featuring a guest appearance by Jamie Johnson of The Grascals.
2012, Emily Bankester won IBMA’s “Momentum Award” for Vocalist of the Year.
Formed in 2011 by Scott Tackett (guitar), father and son Dave and Chaston Carroll (guitar and mandolin), Brent Pack (banjo) and Doug Burchett (bass).
Dave Carroll is a prolific songwriter. His songs have been recorded by the Lonesome River Band, Junior Sisk, Lou Reid and Carolina, IIIrd Tyme Out, other artists.
2013, released Hammertowne album (Mountain Fever).
2015, Bryan Russell joined the band, replacing Burchett on bass.
2019 lineup: Dave Carroll (guitar), Dale Thomas (banjo), Scott Tackett (guitar), Doug Bartlett (fiddle), Chaston Carroll on (mandolin), and Bryan Russell (bass).
2019, Bryan Russell (bass) left the band due to health issues. Doug Burchett took his place on a temporary basis.
From Atlanta, Georgia. Lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Pronounced DAVE’S (not Davis or Davies).
Grew up in a musical family with bluegrass and country roots. Also studied music at Hampshire College (Western Massachusetts) and played there with a number of jazz, rock and Americana groups. His primary instrument is guitar.
2002, formed an old-time string band called Underbelly, opening for Bob Dylan in ’03.
2003, moved to Brooklyn, New York and began playing with several bluegrass bands including his own group The Bluegrass Mob.
He is a music teacher (private lessons) and also has a recording studio. He performs weekly at New York’s Rockwood Music Hall as a solo artist and also hosts a monthly bluegrass jam there.
2011, recorded an album of duets with Chris Thile called Sleep With One Eye Open (Nonesuch Records).
2013, formed a duo with fiddler Brittany Haas.
Has performed with Steve Martin, Tony Trischka, Rosanne Cash, Bruce Molsky, Sara Jarosz, many others.
2016, released Orchids and Violence album (Nonesuch), a two-CD set featuring the same songs on each CD, but performed in two different styles: bluegrass and alternative-rock.
Formed in 2007 after the release of the album “Nothing So Blue” (no label) by Bobby Powell (guitar) and Tim Jones (mandolin). The album was produced by Woody Platt of the Steep Canyon Rangers.
Other members of the band: Reese Combs (bass), Seth Rhinehart (banjo) and Emma Best (fiddle).
Powell and Jones write much of the band’s original material. Jones’ song “Spring Will Bring the Flowers” was recorded by Balsam Range.
2011, won the South Carolina state bluegrass championship (band contest) at RenoFest. They also released an album “Live at RenoFest” (no label).
Breeds and raises race horses in Kentucky. His “Stone Farm” produced Sunday Silence, winner of the 1989 Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Breeder’s Cup Races.
Has played bluegrass since age 11.
A prolific songwriter, his songs have been recorded by such artists as Ray Price and Grandpa Jones.
A friend of Peter Rowan since 1965, who produced his solo album of original songs in 2001.
2014, his son formed a Kentucky bluegrass band called The Wooks.
Band includes Bob and Michelle Faris (banjo and bass) and their four sons, James (fiddle/bass), Richard (guitar), Eddie (banjo/fiddle), and John (mandolin).
Bob Faris (dad) won the Iowa State Fiddle Championship at age 19. Played in numerous bands in Las Vegas, Nashville, Branson. Retired from full time music career in 1991 to become a full-time dad.
They have won numerous SPBGMA awards including “Entertaining Band of the Year.”
Performed regularly at their own “Bluegrass Barn Theater” in Ozawkie, Kansas.
2008, Eddie Faris joined Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, replacing Darrin Vincent on arch-top guitar. In 2018, he joined the Larry Stephenson Band, playing bass.
2009, Rick Faris joined Special Consensus, replacing Ashby Frank on mandolin.
2009, the Faris Family officially disbanded (as a performing act).
2018, Rick Faris signed with Dark Shadow Recording to release a solo project.
From New York. Lived several years in Colorado before moving to Portland, Oregon.
Has played with several bluegrass bands from New York to Seattle, including The Virginia Mountain Boys, Del McCoury’s Dixie Pals, and Generic Bluegrass.
1983-1989, played banjo with Front Range.
1985, won the banjo, mandolin and guitar contests at Telluride.
Born in Possum Trot, Georgia. Lived in Milledgeville, Georgia. Moved to Nashville in 1970.
Real name: Robert Arthur Taylor. He was nicknamed “Tut” by his parents when he was a child.
He was a studio musician, sideman, graphic artist and luthier, an acoustic music icon around Nashville for more than four decades.
He was best known as a Dobro™ player, and was often called the “flat-picking Dobro man” because he used a flat pick rather than finger picks on the instrument.
1962, recorded an album called “12 String Dobro” with Glen Campbell and the Folkswingers.
1963, appeared on the Kentucky Colonels “Appalachian Swing” album featuring Clarence White.
1964, released “Dobro County” album.
After moving to Nashville in 1970, he co-founded GTR Guitars with George Gruhn and Randy Wood (which later became Gruhn Guitars). He also owned Grammar Guitars and co-founded Rich and Taylor Banjo company.
He was also a sign painter and luthier. He did some custom work for Gibson in Nashville.
1971, appeared on John Hartford’s landmark “Aereoplane” album.
1972, released Friar Tut album (recently reissued by Rounder Records).
Began performing in high school in central South Dakota, performing at VFW and American Legion Halls. She also spent four summers as part of the “Mountain Music Show” in the Black Hills.
Best known as the lead singer for the successful country band Shenandoah (1984-1997).
1991, won ACM Vocal Group of the Year Award and had numerous CMA and Grammy nominations.
1975, began his musical career in Florida performing in a family band called American Bluegrass Express with his brother Tim, winning the Florida State Bluegrass Championship five years in a row. Their father Buck played fiddle.
1984, moved to Nashville to pursue career in country music. Formed Shenandoah the next year in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.
Had eleven #1 hits, including “Ghost in this House,” “Next to Me, Next to You,” “I Want to Loved Like That,”
1996, won Grammy for his duet with Alison Krauss “Somewhere in the Vicinity of My Heart.”
1997, left Shenandoah to record with his brother Tim as the Raybon Brothers. They had a hit with “Butterfly Kisses.”
1998, began a solo career as a gospel singer and evangelist.
Southern Roots & Branches: Yesterday & Today (Rural Rhythm, 2012) Features the best from his debut “Full Circle” album (“Next to You, Next to Me,” “Ghost in This House,” etc.) plus several new tracks.
Hand to the Plow (Rural Rhythm, 2012) An all-gospel album. Includes “Beulah Land” (IBMA Award-winner).
He is credited as being the first country musician to play banjo using the three-finger style which was later refined and popularized by Earl Scruggs.
A humble man, he never wanted credit for inventing the style. Said he didn’t know where it came from—but admits he was probably the first to play banjo that way on the radio.
First band to have a three-finger style banjo: The Jenkins String Band.
1936, worked with J.E. Mainer’s Mountaineers.
1939, teamed up with fiddler Homer “Pappy” Sherrill and formed the WIS Hillbillies.
1948, formed The Hired Hands, a band name that he kept going until his death in 1990.
1960, he semi-retired from music and worked as a car salesman.
2013, the name of the band was changed to Hanalena, which is the name of the sisters’ flower business in Starkville. They released HanaLena, a 5-song album (no label).
From Washington, D.C. Lives in Richmond, Virginia.
Son of Charlie Waller (Country Gentlemen). When Randy was four years old, his father made a promise to give him his famed guitar, a promise which was kept on Christmas Day, 2002.
2003, joined his dad in the Country Gentlemen and has continued leading his own version of the band after Charlie’s death in 2004.
2004, released first solo project Randy Waller (no label).
2006, released Keeper of the Flame album (no label) by Randy Waller and the Country Gentlemen.
2011, moved to Arizona and formed a west-coast version of the Barnstormers with Billy Parker (mandolin), Tyler James (banjo), Dan Meyer (bass) and Blaine Sprouse (fiddle). His east-coast version of the band includes Mark Farrell (mandolin/fiddle), Doug Nicolaisen (banjo) and Nick Sullivan (bass).
A duo featuring Fred Carpenter on fiddle (formerly with Tony Rice Unit, the Dillards, Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time) and Tim May on guitar (formerly with Mike Snider, John Cowan, Crucial Smith).
Formed in 1994 by Herb Pedersen and Bill Bryson (who worked together in the Desert Rose Band). Released first album Rambler’s Blues on Sugar Hill Records.
Other original members: Billy Ray Lathum (guitar), Kenny Blackwell (mandolin) and Byron Berline (fiddle). Lathum was replaced by Roger Reed. Berline by Dennis Fetchet, then Gabe Witcher. Bobby Hicks also played a few dates with this band.
Laurel Canyon is a well-known suburb of Los Angeles, famous for being the home base for many LA-area folk and rock musicians such as Joni Mitchell, the Byrds, the Dillards, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, the Mamas and the Papas, and many others. Laurel Canyon Blvd. is a major thoroughfare in the San Fernando Valley.
Mandolinist Kenny Blackwell actually drives a Rambler (an early 60’s Ambassador station wagon).
1996, Roger Reed (guitar) cut a finger off his left hand with a power saw one month after he joined the band. He continued to perform with Bruce Johnson playing guitar while Reed sang his vocal parts. Eventually he was able to play guitar again.
A multi-instrumentalist who has performed on recordings by Merle Haggard, Tim Stafford, Rhonda Vincent, Adam Steffey, Barry Bales, John Gardner, Rob Ickes, Charlie Daniels, Trey Hensley, and Doc Watson.
1986, began teaching music lessons on all the bluegrass instruments.
1999, became an adjunct professor in the Appalachian Studies Department of East Tennessee State University.
2004, released solo project “The Working Man.”
2014, released solo project “Cardboard in My Shoes.”
1984, the band was formed by Alan O’Bryant (banjo) and Pat Enright (guitar). They put together the band as part of a traveling show called “Grand Old Country with Minnie Pearl.” Original members included Mark Hembree (bass) and Mike Compton (mandolin). Blaine Sprouse was added early on to play fiddle and was later replaced by Stuart Duncan.
O’Bryant, from Reidsville, North Carolina, previously performed with The Bluegrass Band, a group that included Butch Robins, Ed Dye and Blaine Sprouse. He began his musical career in 1974 with James Monroe. Also worked with the Front Porch String Band (an Alabama group) and did some studio work in Nashville.
Enright formerly performed with Tasty Licks (a New England Band) and Phantoms of the Opry (San Francisco).
1985, released their first album My Native Home (Rounder), produced by Bela Fleck. Blaine Sprouse played fiddle on this album.
1986, released Idle Time album (Rounder), also produced by Fleck. This is the first album featuring Stuart Duncan on fiddle.
1986, became the first bluegrass group to perform in Red China.
1988, Roland White (mandolin) and Gene Libbea (bass) joined the group, replacing Mike Compton and Mark Hembree, who were seriously injured that year when the group’s bus was involved in a traffic accident. White had previously performed with the Country Gazette, Lester Flatt’s Nashville Grass, Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys and the Kentucky Colonels
1988, released New Moon Rising album (Sugar Hill) with Peter Rowan.
From Dallas, Texas. Lived and worked in Levelland, Texas.
1974, formed Texas band called Roanoke.
1977-1982, worked with The Country Gazette (with Alan Munde and Roland White).
1984, joined the faculty of South Plains College (Levelland, Texas) as a “bluegrass specialist” in the commercial music program. He is founder of the school’s “Camp Bluegrass” which is held in July of each year.
1994, formed a duo with Alan Munde.
2003, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. He continues to teach music at South Plains College.
Has produced numerous instruction books for guitar and mandolin for Mel Bay Publishing. He also writes frequently for Flatpicking Guitar Magazine.
1967-1969, played banjo with Jimmy Martin’s Sunny Mountain Boys. Also played on Jimmy’s 1978 album “Greatest Bluegrass Hits.”
1969, had his own regional band and filled in with Bob Paisley, Seldom Scene, Hot Mudd Family, Bill Harrell, Jim and Jesse, others.
1974, opened “Warner String Works” repairing and building string instruments; played banjo with the Carroll County Ramblers.
1980, played mandolin with Tom Adams and the Double Eagle Band. A year later, played banjo while Tom played guitar.
1985-1989, returned to play with Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys.
1989, released “Chris Warner and Friends” album (Webco).
1989, closed Warner String Works and began filling in with bands like Chief Powhatan, Rhonda Vincent, Johnson Mountain Boys and Red Allen. Also began working for Campbell’s Music Service in York, PA as a luthier and in-house repairman.
2003, after a 4-year hiatus, returned to play with Audie Blaylock and Redline, also briefly with Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver.
1978, he and his brother formed a bluegrass band called Ten Degrees.
1986, moved to Nashville and worked as a fiddle/guitar player at Opryland USA. Later that year, was offered a job working with The Forester Sisters.
1992, joined Marty Stuart’s band.
1994, toured with Sweethearts of the Rodeo. Also formed (with his brother Greg) a band called WhiteWater.
1995, re-joined Marty Stuart’s band “The Rock and Roll Cowboys.”
Has also recorded with Willie Nelson, Pam Tillis, Dwight Yokem, Steve Earl, Travis Tritt, Emmy Lou Harris, Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, Joe Diffee, Mark Chestnut, Billy Bob Thornton, and many others.
2001, joined the Earl Scruggs Family and Friends tour.
2007, joined the Boxmasters, a rockabilly band led by Billy Bob Thornton.
2013, released A Bluegrass Tribute to George Jones album (Bluegrass Valley Records.) He has also done several Bluegrass Tribute albums for CMH Records (The Black Keys, Mumford and Sons, etc.)
Galyean (pronouned Galleon, like the ship) is the son of Cullen Galyean, a legendary bluegrass musician from North Carolina. The band is named after him.
Formed in 2010 by Mickey Galyean (guitar), Rick Pardue (banjo), Brad Hiatt (bass) and Billy Hawks (fiddle).
Galyean and Hiatt formerly played with Rich In Tradition. Pardue has worked with several bands including Carolina Road, Long & Pardue and Rambler’s Choice. Hawks formerly worked with Big Country Bluegrass, Junior Sisk & Rambler’s Choice.
John Hartford called him “The World’s Greatest Unknown Fiddle Player.”
1944, began musical career with Big Jeff and the Radio Playboys.
1946, Milton Estes and His Musical Millers (on the Grand Ole Opry.)
1947, joined Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
1947, worked with Roy Acuff.
1952-1954, worked with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.
1954, worked with Johnny and Jack.
1955, embarked on a solo career as a vocalist. Signed by Mercury Records. Act was called “Big Tige and the Little Tigers.”
1956, joined the Grand Ole Opry.
Had the same manager as Elvis Presley, Col. Tom Parker. He was a frequent opening act for Elvis.
Was a close friend and drinking buddy of Hank Williams, Sr.
Invented an 8-string fiddle which never caught on. The only other performer to use it professionally was John Hartford.
1976, released Tennessee Jubilee album (Flying Fish), produced by John Hartford.
1997, received an IBMA Distinguised Achievement Award.
1999, released The Big Tiger Roars Again album (OMS) with guests Tom T. Hall, Earl Scruggs, Vince Gill, John Hartford, Ricky Skaggs, Jim & Jesse, Johnny Russell and others.
Banjo player and founder (in 1994) of AcuTab Publishing Company, publisher of instrumental instruction books and recordings by well-known bluegrass artists.
1978-1991, played banjo with Nothin’ Doin Band (Norfolk, VA)
1999, joined Acoustic Endeavors.
2001, won IBMA award for Instrumental Album of the Year for “Knee Deep in Bluegrass: The AcuTab Sessions” (produced by Lawless and featuring Lawless and other performers)
2004, released solo project of banjo instrumentals called Five & Dime (no label). .
He is a well known bluegrass journalist, creator of the website “The Bluegrass Blog” which morphed into “Bluegrass Today.”
Formed in 2011 by Daryl Mosely (bass), Tim Graves (Dobro™), Bennie Boling (banjo) and Kevin Williamson (guitar).
The band name came from an internet TV show called “Farm County Jubilee.” A segment of the show featured Mosley and Graves performing with the Farm Hands Quartet.
All four founding members of the band had previous experience with such groups as New Tradition, The Tim Graves Band, the Osborne Brothers, Wilma Lee Cooper and the Clinch Mountain Clan and others. They are all prolific songwriters as well.
2012, released “Songs from Mama’s Hymnbook” album.
2013, released “In a Country Town” album.
2014, Jesse Turner (guitarist from Alabama) replaced Kevin Williamson in the band. Williamson left to work with his family band. Later the same year, guitarist Keith Tew replaced Turner.
2015, banjo player Benny Boling was replaced by Don Hill.
2018, Benny Boling returned to the band, this time playing bass.
2019, Mosely left the band to pursue a solo career. Boling, Hill and Tew also left to work with Mosely in the Daryl Mosely Band.
2020 band members: Tim Graves (Dobro™), David Mansfield (guitar), Kelsey Crews (banj0), Bryan Graves (bass) and Kimberly Bibb (fiddle). Graves is the only original member of the group.
2021, released 4.0 album (Pinecastle) with the new lineup.
2021, band lineup changed again, with original member Graves (Dobro™), Don Wayne Reno (banjo) and Jimmy Haynes (guitar). They began branding themselves as Tim Graves & the Farm Hands.
2022, Terry Eldridge (formerly with the Grascals) joined, playing bass.
Formed in 1961 by husband and wife Leroy and Dottie Eyler. LeRoy died in 1995.
They have recorded more than a dozen albums on Zap, Adelphi, Fonotone and Alear Records.
2011, the band includes Bonnie Eyler (bass), Dale Eyler (fiddle), Steve Waldon (banjo) and Dave Dulaney (guitar). Bonnie and Dale are second generation Eylers.
2011, they celebrated their 50th anniversary.
2012, received a special proclamation from the State of Maryland for their contributions to the arts.
Nicknames: “Mr. Good ‘n Country” and “The King of Bluegrass Music.”
1949, auditioned for Bill Monroe at the Grand Ole Opry and was hired on the spot. Worked with Monroe until 1951. He sang lead on Monroe’s first recording of “Uncle Pen.”
1954, formed Jimmy Martin and the Osborne Brothers (with Bobby and Sonny).
1955, formed The Sunny Mountain Boys, named after one of Jimmy’s songs, “Sunny Side of the Mountain.”
1972, won a Grammy award for his work on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” album.
Favorite sport: coon-hunting. Over the years, he has kept a large stable of coon-dogs, most of them named after country-music stars.
He often credited himself with inventing the G-run, a guitar lick which is used widely in bluegrass music.
1964, he received a Distinguished Citizenship Award from Nashville’s Mayor Beverly Briley after Jimmy risked his life to pull a mother and her three children to safety from a flaming automobile that was involved in an accident.
1995, he was inducted into the IBMA’s Hall of Fame.
1999, he was the subject of book by Tom Piazza titled True Adventures with the King of Bluegrass published by the Country Music Foundation.
Born in London, Kentucky. Grew up in the Chicago area. Lives in Nashville.
A successful songwriter: “Long Time Gone” and “Heartbreak Town” (Dixie Chicks); “Great Day to Be Alive” (Travis Tritt); “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” (Patty Loveless, Brad Paisley); “Born to Fly” (Sara Evans); “When No One’s Around” (Garth Brooks).
From New York City. Lives in Maryville, Tennessee.
Three-time winner of National Flatpick Guitar Championship in Winfield, Kansas (1978, 1984, 1986).
Writes guitar instruction books for Mel Bay Publications and instruction videos for Homespun Tapes. He is known as the “World’s Guitar Instuctor.”
Also conducts guitar workshops and hosts “Acoustic Music Kamps” featuring instruction and mentoring from top musicians. There are “Kamps” for just about every acoustic instrument in bluegrass and folk music.
Started his own record label, Sleeping Bear Records.
Owns and operates the Palace Theatre in Maryville, an acoustic music venue.
A banjo player who has worked with Del McCoury, Bill Harrell, Cliff Waldron, Gary Ferguson, Leon Morris, and The Carroll County Ramblers to mention a few.
Since the early nineties, he has performed with Bluestone Bluegrass, a Maryland-Pennsylvania regional band.
Formed in 2019 upon the retirement of David Parmley. His band Cardinal Tradition continued on without him, taking the new name Fast Track and adding Duane Sparks singing lead and playing guitar.
Band members: Duane Sparks (guitar), Dale Perry (banjo), Jesse Brock (mandolin), Ron Spears (bass) and Steve Day (fiddle).
Perry is a former member of the Bluegrass Cardinals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, the Lonesome River Band, Continental Divide and other bands. He also is owner of Lakeside Recording Studio.
Brock is a former member of the Lynn Morris Band, Dale Ann Bradley, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Audie Blaylock & Redline, and The Gibson Brothers. He is a two-time winner of the IBMA’s Mandolin Player of the Year award.
Spears is a former member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Special Consensus, The James King Band, Continental Divide and his own band Within Tradition. He is also a professional ventriloquist and yo-yo expert.
Day is a former member of Continental Divide, Ronnie Reno, Gary Brewer and has worked the Grand Ole Opry on numerous occasions with other country and bluegrass artists.
Sparks is a former member of Gerald Evans & Paradise, Joe Mullins & the Radio Ramblers, the All-American Bluegrass Band and other groups.
2020, signed with Englehart Music Group for their first album.
2021, Brock departed and Shayne Bartley (mandolin) replaced him.
2023, Spears died after a long illness and was replaced by bassist Zach Collier.
From Wautaga, Tennessee. Lives in Gallatin, Tennessee.
1972-1973, formed his first band at the age of 10, the Rocky Mountain Boys.
1974-1977, played with The Tennessee Bluegrass Four.
1978-1979, played with The Cumberland Mountain Boys.
1980-1982, played with Carl Story and the Rambling Mountaineers.
1982-1986, played with Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys.
1983, released first album “Classics for Banjo” (CMS).
1986, formed Mike Scott and The All American Band.
1987-1991, performed part-time with Danny Davis and the Nashville Brass.
1995, married Brenda Marshall (formerly of the Marshall Family, a gospel group).
2002, joined Ronnie Reno and the Reno Tradition (as well as performing with Jesse McReynolds, Danny Davis and his own band.)
2005, recorded several instrumental albums (“Star Spangled Bluegrass,” “Mountain Valley Bluegrass,” and “Applachian Sunday Bluegrass”) for Homestead Music, a Nashville label specializing in the gift shop market.
He is also an expert woodworker who restores vintage homes.
Nickname given to him by Bill Monroe: “Mike the Smilin’ Scott.”
He performs with his own band Mike Scott and the Nashville Band.
One of first mandolin players in bluegrass to have a style distinguishable from Bill Monroe’s.
Began his career in the early 40’s playing mandolin with the Morris Brothers, Johnnie and Jack, and Charlie Monroe.
Performed and recorded for many years in a duo with his cousin Fred E. Smith (“Red and Fred”).
1950’s, joined Carl Story’s Rambling Mountaineers and sang lead when Carl recorded his best-known Mercury and Columbia albums.
Also worked and recorded with Reno and Smiley, Ramona and Grandpa Jones, Jethro Burns, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Family, Norman Blake, Bill Clifton, John Hartford, many others.
1993, they performed in a hit Broadway play called “Fool Moon” which won a Tony Award for the band. This play also had a run at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
Warren (fiddle) is the son of former Foggy Mountain Boy Paul Warren. Cushman (banjo) is a celebrated banjo player who has worked primarily as a studio musician in Nashville. In 2013, both of them became members of the Earls of Leicester.
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Began singing at age 3 in her family band, Bluegrass Edition. They also recorded under the name The Adairs.
She plays mandolin, piano and all the bluegrass instruments.
1996, won first place at the Pizza Hut International Bluegrass Showdown in Owensboro, Kentucky.
1997, Tina recorded Just You Wait & See on Sugar Hill Records. It was produced by Jerry Douglas and featured guest musicians Chris Thile, Bryan Sutton, Aubrey Haynie, Alan O’Bryant and others.
2002, received a degree in music business from Belmont University. She has worked there ever since at the Mike Curb College of Entertainment & Music Business.
2012, formed the band Sister Sadie with Dale Ann Bradley (guitar), Deanie Richardson (fiddle), Gena Britt (banjo) and Beth Lawrence (bass). Their 2018 album Sister Sadie II was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 2019 Sister Sadie won the IBMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year.
2020, released album Oh Darlin’ (Pinecastle) a duet album with Dale Ann Bradley, under the name Bradley & Adair.
2021, left Sister Sadie to continue her career as a solo artist. Released Tina Adair album (Englehardt).
From Larchmont, New York. Currently lives in Ireland.
Began performing at Hampshire College in Amherst, MA in the early 1980’s. He was studying law and labor history at the time.
1984, busked in Europe, was a street musician in Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris.
1985, returned to New York and studied banjo under Tony Trischka and Bill Keith.
1986, formed band called Cumberland Gap.
1988-1990, played banjo with the John Herald Band. Also appeared in the Off-Broadway bluegrass musical “Feast Here Tonight” (1989).
1991, released solo project Bucket Of Bees album (Joyous Gard).
1992, formed Grass Menagerie, later called Blue Horizon. They recorded one album Tom Hanway & Blue Horizon (Joyous Gard Music).
1995, joined Burnt Toast.
1997, co-designed Tom Hanway SwallowTail Deluxe banjo with Geoff Stelling, which becomes a production model (1998) with Standard and Deluxe options. Steve Martin bought one of these models for himself.
1998, Mel Bay published his book/CD “Complete Book of Irish and Celtic 5-String Banjo.” Hanway is originator of a unique style called “Celtic Fingerstyle” banjo.
1997-2002, co-founded Big Apple Bluegrass Society with his first wife, Kathleen Low Hanway (deceased), and promoted the annual Big Apple Bluegrass & Folk Festival in Greenwich Village, NYC.
2003, married Denise Conroy and moved to Ireland
2004-2006, worked with Carmel Sheerin & The Ravens, voted #1 European Bluegrass Band 2005-2006 by EBMA.
2006, promotes Americana music at the United Arts Club in Dublin. Performs with the Badbelly Project and Tennessee Hob.
He is primarily known as a bass singer, perhaps the first full-time bass singer in bluegrass music.
1998, began singing professionally with The Sounds of Liberty (at Liberty University). He also performed in Dr. Jerry Falwell’s Old Time Gospel Hour Quartet.
He has also performed with several other gospel quartets including The Old Friends Quartet (while the legendary bass singer George Younce was ill), The Christian Brothers Quartet, and Mercy’s Mark.
2006, he was the Assistant Director of Recruiting for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas.
2010, joined Dailey and Vincent, adding bass vocals and playing second guitar.
2015, left Dailey and Vincent to pursue a solo career.
2019, released “The Big Picture” album (Turnberry).
Original group: A.P. (Alvin Pleasant), Sara and Maybelle Carter.
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970. From the inscription: “A.P. Carter, his wife, Sara, and his sister-in-law Maybelle, played in one of the first commercial country recording sessions at Bristol, Tennesee … Their songs became country standards, and some of A.P.’s original compositions are among the all-time greats … the epitome of country greatness and originators of a much copied style.”
Original group recorded and performed from 1927 to 1942, when A.P. and Sara divorced.
Wrote and recorded hundreds of country and bluegrass standards: Jimmy Brown the Newsboy, The Wildwood Flower, Keep on the Sunnyside, etc.
After 1942, Maybelle continued to perform as the Carter Family with daughters Helen, June and Anita. In 1950, the group became regulars on the Grand Ole Opry.
June Carter had several hit records as a solo artist. Married Johnny Cash.
Performed as regulars on the Johnny Cash show until Mother Maybelle’s death in 1978.
Maybelle (Mother Maybelle) was famous for her autoharp playing, but rose to fame as a guitarist. She was among the first to play with finger-picks and to play guitar solos. Her style is still copied by many guitarists today.
2001, The Carter Family was inducted into the IBMA’s Hall of Honor by Bill Clifton.
Formed in 2007 by three brothers: Mitchell (bass), Mark (banjo), and Scott (fiddle) Freeman. Also in the band: Mark’s son Justin (guitar), Jake Long (mandolin) and Casey Byrd (Dobro™).
Mitchell and Mark worked in the late 1970’s with Barry and Kenneth Barrier in a band called Interstate Exchange. They retired from music in the 80’s and returned to form Pathway after their children were grown.
Kenny Wertz (banjo) later played with the Country Gazette and the Flying Burrito Brothers. He still lives in San Diego and plays with a local band.
Wertz was replaced in the Squirrel Barkers by Bernie Leadon (later a member of the Eagles.)
Chris Hillman (mandolin) left this group to play with The Golden State Boys (AKA The Hillmen) and was a founding member of The Byrds and the Desert Rose Band. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the Byrds.
Larry Murray (Dobro™) later formed the folk-rock group Hearts and Flowers.
Ed Douglas (bass) later managed the rock group The Stone Ponies (with Linda Ronstadt).
Gary Carr (guitar, lead vocals) later performed with Geoff Stelling’s Hard Times Bluegrass Band (late 1970’s). He died in 1985.
From Kingsport, Tennessee. Lives in Bristol, Tennessee.
His father was in an acapella gospel group called the Clinch Mountain Quartet.
1963, joined Jimmy Martin’s band the Sunny Mountain Boys, playing banjo.
1966, joined J.D. Crowe and the Kentucky Mountain Boys, playing mandolin.
1971, joined the Country Gentlemen, playing mandolin.
1979, formed his own band Quicksilver (original name was Foxfire but discovered the name was already in use.)
1995, adopted a new look and new sound, performing around a single vocal mike with precision choreography.
1998, was the first bluegrass band invited to perform at the National Gospel Quartet Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
2003, won IBMA award for Song of the Year (“Blue Train”).
2005, was elected chairman of the board of the International Bluegrass Music Trust Fund which provides financial assistance to bluegrass artists in times of emergency need. He continues to serve in this capacity.
2006, was presented with a National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
2007, was awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree by Kings College in Bristol, Tennessee.
2007, won his sixth IBMA Award for Gospel Recorded performance of the Year (also won in 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005 and 2006).
2010, recorded with Paul Simon.
2011, added drums to the band’s sound, much to the consternation of some of his fans. He discontinued using the drums in live performances about a year later.
2011, won the IBMA Award for Recorded Event of the Year for the song “Prayers Bells of Heaven” by J.D. Crowe, Doyle Lawson and Paul Williams (from their album Old Friends Get Together).
2012, was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame (IBMA).
2012, won the Inspirational Country Music Award for Band/Vocal Group of the Year.
2018, won his eighth IBMA Award for Vocal Group of the Year (also won in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007).
2021, announced that he will retire after the 2022 season.
2021, received the Tennessee Governor’s Arts Award.
2021, after Doyle’s retirement, his band members formed a new band called Authentic Unlimited.
RECOMMENDED ALBUMS:
Tennessee Dream (County Records, 1977) This is Doyle’s first solo project, an album of mandolin instrumentals.
The Original Band (Sugar Hill, 1979, 1982) This is a reissue of the first two non-gospel albums by Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver “Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver” and “Quicksilver Rides Again.” Band included Terry Baucom, Lou Reid and Jimmy Haley.
Rock my Soul (Sugar Hill, 1981) This is a classic album of gospel songs. Includes one of his most requested: “On the Sea of Life.”
Heavenly Treasures (Sugar Hill, 1983) Gospel album. Band includes Terry Baucom, Jimmy Haley and Randy Graham.
Once And For Always/The News Is Out (Sugar Hill, 1985/1987) Two albums now packaged together. Two bands: one with Terry Baucom, Jimmy Haley, Randy Graham; the other with Russell Moore, Scott Vestal and Ray Deaton.
Beyond the Shadows (Sugar Hill, 1986) Gospel album. Band includes Russell Moore, Scott Vestal and Curtis Vestal.
Heavens Joy Awaits (Sugar Hill, 1988) Gospel album (acapella). Quartet includes Russell Moore, Scott Vestal and Ray Deaton.
Hymn Time in the Country (Sugar Hill, 1988) Gospel album. Band includes Russell Moore, Scott Vestal, Ray Deaton.
I’ll Wander Back Someday (Sugar Hill, 1988) Band includes Russell Moore, Scott Vestal, Ray Deaton.
I Heard the Angels Singing (Sugar Hill, 1989) Gospel album. Band includes Russell Moore, Scott Vestal, Ray Deaton.
My Heart Is Yours (Sugar Hill, 1990) Band includes Russell Moore, Ray Deaton, Jim Mills and Mike Hargrove.
Only God (Sugar Hill, 1991) Gospel Album. Band includes Jim Mills, Shelton Feazell and John Bowman.
Pressing On Regardless (Music Mill Entertainment, 1993) Band includes John Bowman, Jim Mills, Shelton Feazell, Kim Gardner, Jim Edmonds.
Treasures Money Can’t Buy (Music Mill Entertainment, 1993) Gospel album. Band includes John Bowman, Jim Mills, Shelton Feazell.
Hallelujah In My Heart (Music Mill Entertainment, 1994) Gospel album. Band includes Shawn Lane, Jimmy Stewart, Brad Campbell and John Berry.
Never Walk Away (Sugar Hill, 1995) Band includes Steve Gulley, Barry Abernathy, Dale Perry and Owen Saunders plus guest artists.
There’s a Light Guiding Me (Sugar Hill, 1996) Gospel album. Band includes Steve Gulley, Barry Abernathy, Dale Perry and Owen Saunders.
Kept & Protected (Sugar Hill, 1997) Gospel album. Band includes Barry Scott, Barry Abernathy, Dale Perry, Owen Saunders.
Gospel Radio Gems (Sugar Hill, 1998) Gospel album (acapella). Quartet includes Barry Scott, Barry Abernathy and Dale Perry.
Winding Through Life (Sugar Hill, 1998) Band includes Jamie Dailey, Barry Scott, Dale Perry, Doug Bartlett.
Just Over in Heaven (Sugar Hill, 2000) Gospel album. Band includes Barry Scott, Dale Perry, Jamie Dailey, Doug Bartlett.
Gospel Parade (Sugar Hill, 2001) Gospel album. Band includes Jamie Dailey, Barry Scott, Dale Perry and Hunter Berry.
Hard Game of Love (Sugar Hill, 2002) Includes both the IBMA Song of the Year “Blue Train” and IBMA Gospel Recording of the Year “The Hand Made Cross.” Musicians includes Jamie Dailey, Barry Scott, Dale Perry, Hunter Berry, Barry Abernathy, Jim Van Cleve, Owen Sauders.
Thank God (SSK, 2003) Gospel album. Band includes Jamie Dailey, Barry Scott, Dale Perry, J.W. Stockman, Jess Barry.
School of Bluegrass (Crossroads, 2004) A celebration of Doyle’s 25th anniversary with Quicksilver featuring many of his former band members.
Beyond the Shadows (Sugar Hill, 2004) Band includes Jamie Dailey, Barry Scott, Dale Perry, Jesse Stockman.
You Gotta Dig a Little Deeper (Rounder, 2005) Band includes Jamie Dailey, Barry Scott, Terry Baucom, Jesse Stockman.
He Lives in Me (Horizon, 2006) Won the IBMA Award for Gospel Recording of the Year both in 2006 and 2007. Band includes Jamie Dailey, Terry Baucom, Darren Beachley, Barry Scott, Mike Hartgrove and Jesse Stockman.
Help Is on the Way (Horizon, 2008) Gospel album. Band includes Darren Beachley, Alan Johnson, Joey Cox, Carl White and Josh Swift.
Lonely Street (Rounder, 2009) Band includes Carl White, Joey Cox, Josh Swift and Darren Beachley.
Light on My Feet, Ready to Fly (Horizon, 2010) Gospel album. Band includes Josh Swift, Jason Barie, Corey Hensley, Mike Rogers, Carl White and Jesse Baker.
Drive Time (Mountain Home, 2011) Band includes Josh Swift, Jason Barie, Corey Hensley, Mike Rogers, Carl White and Jesse Baker.
Sing Me A Song About Jesus (Mountain Home, 2012) Gospel album. Band includes Josh Swift, Mike Rogers, Jessie Baker, Carl White, Jason Barie and Corie Hensley.
Roads Well Traveled (Mountain Home, 2013) Band includes Joe Dean, Corey Hensley, Jason Barie, Mike Rogers and Josh Swift.
Open Carefully: Message Inside (Mountain Home, 2014) Gospel album. Band includes Josh Swift, Jason Barie, Joe Dean, Dustin Pyrtle and Eli Johnston.
In Session (Mountain Home, 2015) Band includes Dustin Pyrtle, Eli Johnston, Joe Dean, Josh Swift and Stephen Burwell.
Life is a Story (Mountain Home, 2017). Band includes Dustin Pyrtle, Eli Johnston, Joe Dean, Josh Swift and Stephen Burwell.
Live in Prague Czech Republic (2019, Billy Blue Records). Band includes Jake Vanover, Jerry Cole, Joe Dean, Josh Swift and Stephen Burwell.
Roundtable (2021, Billy Blue) Band includes Eli Johnston (banjo), Ben James (guitar), Matt Flake (fiddle), Stephen Burwell (fiddle) and Jerry Cole (bass).
From Oklahoma. Has also lived in Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas and Canada (British Columbia).
Grew up playing rock guitar in several garage bands but picked up a banjo at age 19 and became obsessed with it.
1989, won the National Bluegrass Banjo championship at Winfield, Kansas.
1990, was a founding member of the Andy Owens Project.
1996, was inducted into the Texas Tornadoes, an unofficial Texas music Hall of Fame.
1999, formed Big Twang, a Wichita, Kansas group.
2007, joined the Blue Canyon Boys, a Colorado-based band which won the Telluride Band Contest a year later.
2009, moved to Colorado and formed his own band Colorado with his 13-year old son Tristin (mandolin). Other members include Greg Blake (guitar), Annie Savage (fiddle), KC Groves (bass).
2013, released Western Branches album (no label) produced by Sally Van Meter.
2016, released “Ramblin Feels Good” album (no label) produced by Bill VornDick.
2019, released Over the Line album (Patuxent), produced by Mark Schatz (who also played bass on the album).
2019, the group disbanded (except to play selected dates). Greg Blake (lead vocals, guitar) moved to Kansas City to form his own band Real Country. Tristan Scroggins (mandolin) moved to Nashville and is pursuing other musical opportunities. Jeff formed a new band called The ScroggDogs.
A female vocal trio specializing in folk/Americana with a bluegrassy feel (lots of Dobro™, occasional banjo).
Formed in 2004 by Laurie MacAllister (guitar, banjo, bass), Abbie Gardner (Dobro™, guitar) and Carolann Solebello (guitar, bass) at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival (New York).
2010, Solebello left the group and was replaced by Austin-based singer songwriter and guitarist Molly Venter.
Fans are called “Red Heads.”
“Red Molly” is the name of a character in Richard Thompson’s song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning” which was IBMA Song of the Year in 2002 (recorded by the Del McCoury Band).
Abbie Gardner has released several solo projects featuring her resophonic guitar.
2010, released James album (no label). James is also a character in the song 1952 Vincent Black Lightning.
1980, formed The Carter Brothers with his brother Danny, blending electric/acoustic, folk, rock, bluegrass and blues.
1992, the Carter Brothers signed with Capitol Records.
The Carter Brothers are related to Hall of Fame members the Carter Family. The connection: their great-grandfather William Carter and A.P Carter are first cousins. They were also very close friends.
1997-2004, Tim toured with the Alison Brown Quartet as her sound engineer. Also toured with Newgrange and Tim O’Brien.
Tim has his own recording studio in Nashville called Treehouse. Has worked with such bluegrass artists as Alison Brown, Tim O’Brien, Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, Vassar Clements and many others.
2004-2006, the Carter Brothers toured with Vassar Clements until his passing.
2007, Tim released his first solo project “Bang Bang” featuring original banjo tunes.
2016, joined Hayseed Dixie.
2017, Danny Carter was hospitalized following multiple strokes and other health issues.
2021, Tim formed a new band called Damn the Banjos.
A family band featuring the Martin siblings Anne (bass), Dale (guitar), Janice (banjo), Lee (mandolin), Jeana (fiddle) and Larita (Dobro™).
2007, won the SPBGMA International Bluegrass Band championship in Nashville.
2017, released Travel Down This Road With Me album (Loveshine) featuring Leona and Ron Williams. Leona is a classic country music singer/songwriter from Missouri who was married to Merle Haggard and co-wrote many songs with him. Ron is her son, also a country music singer/songwriter.
He was trained as a classical musician, but after hearing bluegrass, converted to flat-pick guitar.
Europe’s original and best known bluegrass/folk guitarist; performs in the both the flatpicking and fingerpicking styles.
He was a founding member of the Italian bluegrass and country music band Red Wine.
Has recorded and performed with many American artists, including Norman Blake, Alan Munde, Tony Trischka and Dan Crary.
Winner of Italy’s prestigious Paolo Nuti award, given by the Italian Federation Folkitalia in special recognition of artists who have achieved excellence in their field.
2001, recorded an album of guitar duets with Dan Crary, Synergia (Thunderation).
One of Europe’s first professional bluegrass bands.
Guitarist Beppe Gambetta was a founding member of this band.
Founding members Martino Coppo and Silvio Ferretti also perform with a band called Freewheelin.
They have toured the U.S. many times and have shared billings with Ricky Skaggs, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Tony Rice, Ralph Stanley, Del McCoury, the Lonesome River Band and many others.
From Shelby, North Carolina. Lived in Madison, Tennessee for most of his life.
Full name: Earl Eugene Scruggs.
He is credited with being the first master of the three-finger style of banjo-playing which defines bluegrass music and which bears his name. Every bluegrass banjo player plays a variation of “Scruggs-style” banjo.
First pro job: At age 15, he played banjo with Zeke and Wiley Morris, the Morris Brothers.
1945, age 21, joined Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys.
1948, Earl and Lester Flatt left Monroe’s band to form their own group, Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and the Foggy Mountain Boys.
1969, after 21 years, he parted company with Lester Flatt to form a new country-rock band with his sons, Gary, Randy and Steve: The Earl Scruggs Revue. The group disbanded ten years later.
1992, was presented with the National Medal for the Arts by President George H.W. Bush in a ceremony at the White House (July 22).
1994, received the Million-Air Award from BMI representing one million broadcast performances of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.”
1996, underwent hip replacement surgery and suffered a heart attack requiring bypass surgery, all in the same month (October).
1997, returned to the stage, performing at the IBMA Awards Show, the Grand Ole Opry (with Ricky Skaggs, Vince Gill, Marty Stuart and Alison Krauss), and selected festivals. Also played on son Randy’s solo album, and was nominated for Banjo Player of the Year (1998 IBMA Awards).
2002, won Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance for “Foggy Mountain Breakdown” from his Earl Scruggs And Friends album (MCA Nashville).
2003, received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2003, recorded and performed with Doc Watson and Ricky Skaggs as The Three Pickers (Rounder).
Quote from John Hartford: “Who was the first three-finger style banjo picker? It doesn’t really matter, because without Earl no one would be asking that question.”
Quote from Sammy Shelor: “Without Earl Scruggs, none of us would be here.”
2005, the Country Music Hall of Fame presented a year-long special exhibit honoring Earl Scruggs titled “Banjo Man: the Life and Legacy of Earl Scruggs.”
2005, appeared on the David Letterman show with Steve Martin, Peter Wernick and other banjo players in a group called “Men With Banjos Who Know How to Use Them.” They played “Foggy Mountain Banjo” together.
2008, received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
First band: The Yodeling Rangers, with his brothers (1935).
1939, was one of the original members of Charlie Monroe’s Kentucky Partners.
1945, first played on the Grand Ole Opry, with Danny Bailey.
1946, recorded with Charlie Monroe (first recordings by the Kentucky Partners).
1949, joined Flatt & Scruggs, over the next dozen years he sang tenor and played mandolin on many of their biggest hits of the day and their most popular classics all of have stood the test of time.
1952, recorded with Jim & Jesse McReynolds on their first Capitol records.
1955-1962, appeared with Flatt & Scruggs on television across the southeast, and on the Grand Ole Opry.
1962, retired from music (temporarily) and started a trucking business.
1971, recorded “Curly Seckler Sings Again” (Country Records).
1973, un-retired to join Lester Flatt and The Nashville Grass. Lester died in 1979, but at Lester’s request, took over the Nashville Grass and kept the group going until 1994 (He formed a partnership with lead singer Willis Spears, who joined the group in 1981).
1994, released 60 Years of Bluegrass album (Vine Street Records). This album was later re-issued by Copper Creek Records (in 2005).
1996, received a Distinguished Achievement Award from IBMA.
Formed in 1971 by John Duffey (mandolin), John Starling (guitar and lead vocals), Ben Eldridge (banjo), Mike Auldridge (Dobro™), Tom Gray (bass).
Name “Seldom Scene” was originally chosen because the group decided to stay at home and play once a week at a local club near their homes and day jobs.
First gig: The Rabbit’s Foot (a bar) in Washington, D.C. (November, 1971). Quit because the bartender wouldn’t turn down the TV.
Performed for several years on Thursday nights at the Red Fox Inn in Bethesda, Maryland; then moved to the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia.
Mandolinist Duffy previously worked with the Country Gentlemen.
Lead singers: John Starling (he was both the first and the fourth), Phil Rosenthal, Lou Reid, Moondi Klein, Dudley Connell.
1988, T. Michael Coleman replaced Gray after having worked with Doc and Merle Watson.
November 10th, 1986, celebrated their 15th anniversary at Washington D.C.’s Kennedy Center. Special guests: Ricky Skaggs, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, the Whites, Jonathan Edwards and presidential press secretary James Brady, who brought congratulatory greetings from then-President Ronald Reagan.
Career highlight: performing for President Jimmy Carter at the White House.
1992, John Starling returned to the band as lead singer. Was replaced by Moondi Klein in 1994.
1995, Moondi Klein, Mike Auldridge and T. Michael Coleman left to devote full time to their new band, Chesapeake.
1996, Klein, Auldridge and Coleman were replaced by Dudley Connell (guitar/lead vocals), Ronnie Simpkins (bass) and Fred Travers (Dobro™).
Sept. 1996, John Duffey was inducted in the IBMA Hall of Fame with the “Classic Country Gentlemen.”
Sept. 1996, Connell underwent surgery to remove a growth from his vocal chords.
1996, John Duffey died of a heart attack.
1997, Lou Reid rejoined the group, replacing Duffey on mandolin.
2000, Connell won IBMA award for Male Vocalist of the Year.
2003, the original Seldom Scene re-united for several concerts (calling themselves The Seldom Seniors) with Larry Stephenson taking John Duffy’s spot.
2013 (October) celebrated their 40th anniversary with a concert at the Red Fox Inn in the Washington DC area with past and present band members plus guests including Emmylou Harris.
2014, the original band was inducted into the IBMA’s Hall of Fame.
Describe their sound as “Buck Owens and Don Rich sing the Stanley Brothers.”
Tom Feller (guitar) has previously worked with Jerry Williamson & Redwing, The Larry Stephenson Band, Rhonda Vincent and the Rage, and 3 Fox Drive. He is also a recording engineer.
Chris Hill (banjo) previously worked with Gerald Evans and Paradise, The Wildwood Valley Boys, the James King Band, and The Karl Shiflett and Big Country Show. Chris is also a national clogging champion.
Members: Doug DeBoer (guitar), Sally Ryba (banjo), Nick McDonald (mandolin), Nancy MacLellan (bass), Wayne Ferguson (fiddle).
Have won numerous Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards including Best Overall Group of the Year and Vocal Group of the Year. Band Members have also won numerous individual awards.
Originally from Birmingham, Alabama. Worked for many years in Atlanta, Georgia.
Formed in 1970 by Ginger Boatwright (vocals), Grant Boatwright (guitar), Dave Sebolt (bass) and Dale Whitcomb (banjo). Norman Blake (mandolin) was also a member of this band for a short time.
1973, had a hit record (reached #71 on the Billboard Charts) with “July, You’re a Woman,” written by John Stewart of the Kingston Trio. This song appears on the album Guaranteed(GRC).
1974, released “Pickin’ Up” album (GRC).
1977, released “Red White and Blue (grass) and Company” album (Mercury).
1979, the Boatwrights divorced and the band broke up.
Ginger Boatwright (who sang lead and fronted the band) later formed a Nashville group called the Bushwhackers and also worked 22 years with the Doug Dillard Band (until 2003).
From Berkeley, California. Moved to Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley) in the 1960’s.
Began career in Bay Area playing in a band called The Pine Valley Boys with David Nelson (who later played with the New Riders of the Purple Sage) and Butch Waller (of High Country).
Early-sixties, worked briefly with Lester Flatt, filling in for Earl Scruggs who was recuperating from a hip operation.
Mid-sixties, joined the Northern California based group Vern and Ray (Vern Williams and Ray Park).
1968, took Doug Dillard’s place in The Dillards. While with The Dillards, recorded two landmark albums Wheatstraw Suite and Copperfields (Elektra Records).
1972, left the Dillards and formed The Country Gazette with Byron Berline, but did not stay with the band. He was replaced by Alan Munde.
1972-1985, worked full-time as a session musician, songwriter, vocalist and producer in Los Angeles. During this time, he produced the highly-acclaimed “Trio” album for Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. He also worked on John Denver and the Muppets A Christmas Together album and many others in addition to recording several solo albums of his own.
1984-2001, she was lead singer and bassist with the group Appalachian Trail. She also performed under the name Linda Barker.
2000, toured with a show called “Masters of the Steel String Guitar.”
2003, she recorded a solo project for the Cracker Barrel record label and another an album with husband David Lay (guitarist with Appalachian Trail), Tom Adams (banjo) and David McLaughlin (mandolin) called Springfield Exit.
2004, re-organized Appalachian Trail with several new members.
The brainchild of Lorraine Jordan and Gena Britt, who decided in 2001 to record an album featuring many of the top women musicians in bluegrass music.
The “Daughters” include more than 40 female artists including Jordan and Britt, Dale Ann Bradley, Valerie Smith, Claire Lynch, Sonya and Becky Isaacs, Rhonda Vincent, Alecia Nugent, Jeannette Williams and many others.
His first band: the Pike County Boys (1948). He played mandolin.
His real name: William (Bill) Colleran. The Pike County Boys had three Bills in it, so he adopted the stage name of Mac Martin and the name stuck with him throughout his career.
Day job: he was an accountant.
1954, formed his own band The Dixie Travelers with Mike Carson (fiddle) and Billy Bryant (banjo). Bryant died in 1994. They were regulars at a Pittsburgh club called Walsh’s Lounge (19 years).
1972, retired from the band. Mandolinist (and bluegrass historian) Bob Artis led the Dixie Travelers until Martin returned in 1977.
2015, retired from performing at age 90. Played last concert with his Dixie Travelers on September 17, designated by the mayor of the city as “Mac Martin Day” in Pittsburgh.
Founder and leader of the legendary rock group The Grateful Dead.
1962, played banjo with two bands—the Wild Wood Boys and Sleepy Hollow Hog Stompers.
1963, formed The Black Mountain Boys with David Nelson and Sandy Rothman.
1973, recorded with David Grisman, Peter Rowan and Vassar Clements in a band called “Old and In the Way.”
1987, reunited with friends David Nelson (of New Riders of the Purple Sage) and Sandy Rothman (a former Blue Grass Boy) to record “Almost Acoustic” under the name The Jerry Garcia Acoustic Band.
1991, Jerry and mandolinist David Grisman recorded an album of acoustic duets: Jerry Garcia & David Grisman (Acoustic Disk).
1993, interviewed in film “Bill Monroe: The Father of Bluegrass Music” and asked “Is it true that you once auditioned to be one of Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys?” Jerry’s response: “Yeah. I wanted to be one in the worst way. I still want to be.”
The Grateful Dead recorded several bluegrass standards: “Dark Hollow”, “Deep Elem Blues”, “Sittin on Top of the World”, “A Voice from on High”, “Little Sadie”, “Cold Jordan” and others.
Died in August, 1995.
2000, an acoustic album was released featuring Garcia with David Grisman and Tony Rice called The Pizza Tapes (Acoustic Disk).
2001, a movie on Jerry Garcia and David Grisman was released called “Grateful Dawg.”
A gospel and mountain music duo featuring veteran country singer Mac McHale and gospel singer Carolyn Hutton. They alternate on guitar, mandolin, and banjo.
The name “Taylor’s Grove” comes from the little North Carolina church where Carolyn Hutton grew up singing with her family.
Mac McHale also performs with “The Radio Gang” and the Celtic/country duo “Two Old Friends” (with Emery Hutchins). He is a member of the Maine Country Music Hall of Fame and was inducted as a “Pioneer” of bluegrass music by the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, Kentucky.
Formed in 1967 by Frank Ray and his uncle Richard Orchard. The original name of the band was Rich Orchard, Frank Ray, and The Ramblin’ Blue Grass Boys. The name was changed to Cedar Hill Grass in 1972, and later shortened to just Cedar Hill.
Winner of several SPBGMA awards and in 2000, won first place at the Gibson National Bluegrass Band Showcase.
2004 lineup: Frank Ray (mandolin), Mel Besher (guitar), Kenny Cantrell (banjo), Lisa Ray (fiddle) and Ali Keisler (bass).
2013 lineup: Ray (mandolin), Jim Bunch (banjo), Pete Brown (fiddle), Patti LeFleur (bass), Brit McGarity (guitar).
2015, released “Miss Dixie, Tom T. and Me” (Blue Circle), a collection of songs written by Tom T. and Dixie Hall especially for Cedar Hill. For two years following the deaths of Frank Ray’s son Scott and his father Dallas, Ray was unable to write new songs for his band. So the Hall’s responded by offering Ray ten new songs.
2008, Ray was inducted into the National Traditional Country Music Association Hall of Fame and received the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018
2019, Ray was inducted into SPBGMA’s Hall of Greats.
From Fredericksburg, Virginia and Littlestown, Pennsylvania.
Both members of this duo are named Gary Ferguson. They are not related.
Gary Ferguson (Virginia) is a former member of the Knoxville Grass and toured with Donna Fargo.
Gary Ferguson (Pennsylvania) is a singer/songwriter who has released numerous albums under his own name and with other musicians including Sally Love, Jordan Tice, Emory Lester and others.
2014, while touring Ireland together, they decided to form a duo.
2016, released their first album together Some Bridges (no label).
From Ruckersville, Virginia. He was born in Boone’s Camp, Kentucky and worked in the Baltimore/Washington DC area as well as in Ohio.
Played banjo and was the leader or co-leader of several bands including the Stone Mountain Boys, Buzz Busby, the Spruce Mountain Boys and Eastern Tradition.
Keel is a 2-time winner of the Telluride Flatpick Guitar Championship (1993, 1995).
Early days: had a group called McGraw Gap. Also worked as a contract musician at Disney World in Tokyo.
2000,formed a band called The Larry Keel Experience. This band included Curtis Burch, an original member of the New Grass Revival.
2006, formed a band called Natural Bridge with Mark Schimick (mandolin), Will Lee (banjo) and wife Jenny Keel (bass).
2012, recorded “Classic” album.
Has a website called Fishin and Pickin combining his love for music and fishing. He hosts various music events for fisherman such as Bass and Grass (Georgia) and Trout and Tunes (West Virginia).
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-off of the band Carolina Blue. When Carolina Blue co-founder Bobby Powell left the group, he took the name Carolina Blue with him and the remaining members formed a new band.
2021, signed a recording contract with Billy Blue Records.
2021, the Meadors left the group to start a family.
2022, Lincoln Mash (guitar) and Tyler Griffith (bass) joined the band.
2023, Geary Allen (guitar) and Anissa Burnett (bass) joined the band, replacing Mash and Griffith.
From Los Angeles, California. Born in Waco, Texas; grew up in Garden Grove, California.
He is an Emmy and Grammy-award winning comedian, writer, musician and actor, appearing in dozens of films such as “The Jerk,” “Parenthood,” “Roxanne,” “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” “Father of the Bride,” and “The Pink Panther.”
Began playing banjo in the 1960’s, influenced by Earl Scruggs, Doug Dillard and John McEuen. He frequently used his banjo in comedy routines developed at Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm and incorporated the banjo into his stand-up routines.
1981, released The Steve Martin Brothers album (Warner Brothers) which featured both comedy and banjo tunes.
2001, won a Grammy for his appearance on the Earl Scruggs And Friends recording of “Foggy Mountain Breakdown.”
2009, began playing live dates with the Steep Canyon Rangers. Also made his first appearance as a musician on the Grand Ole Opry (With Vince Gill, May 30, 2009).
2010, won the Grammy Award for Bluegrass Album of the Year.
2011, released Rare Bird Alert album with the Steep Canyon Rangers.
2011, performed with the Steep Canyon Rangers on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building for the PBS TV 4th of July Celebration.
2011, won the IBMA Award for Entertainer of the Year.
2013, released Love Has Come For You, his first album with singer/songwriter Edie Brickell, who formerly fronted the New Bohemians (1985-1990) best known for their hit “What I Am.” She also has a successful solo career (appeared and sang in the movie “Born on the Fourth of July”) and fronts another band called The Gaddabouts. She is married to singer/songwriter Paul Simon.
A gospel family bluegrass band featuring Gaylon and Katrina Harper (banjo and bass) and their three children Dalton (guitar), Dillon (mandolin), and Hannah (fiddle). Gaylon and Katrina met at a bluegrass festival where they were each performing, Gaylon with the Bressler Brothers and Katrina with her family, The Bob Lewis Family. In need of a banjo picker, the Lewises hired Gaylon. Within a year, Gaylon and Katrina were married. The two began a family of their own and had three talented children.
2012, released “Changes” album on Pisgah Ridge Records.
2013, 19-year old Dalton Harper was diagnosed with stage 2B Hodgkins Lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the immune system.
2014, released Through It All album on Pisgah Ridge Records, produced by Balsam Range’s Tim Surrett.
2023, Dalton Harper released his first single “Highway of Love” (Skyline).
He plays all the bluegrass instruments but is best known as a fiddle player.
Began performing professionally at age 18. He has worked with Michelle Nixon and Drive, Donna Hughes, Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain, the Skip Cherryholmes Quintet, Marty Raybon, Blue Moon Rising and Ramblers Choice.
2014, joined Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice.
2015, released solo project Old Pal (Mountain Fever Records).
Began his musical career playing fiddle with his father Glen (guitar) in a group called The Grasshoppers. Honi Deaton (then Honi Glenn) was also in the band.
Attended South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. After graduation, he moved to Nashville where he worked with Bobby Osborne, Chris Jones, Ronnie Bowman, Jim Hurst and backed award-winning country singer Lee Ann Womack. He also released a gospel album with his father Glen under the name Garrett Grass.
Formed in 1967 by mandolinist Troy Castleberry, a Memphis fireman.
For 10 years, the group practiced and performed every Friday night at The Bluegrass Shack in Memphis. It was a 100-year-old two-room schoolhouse which burned down on July 4, 1989.
1977, released “The Tennessee Gentlemen” album (Southern Tracks).
1980, won eleven awards out of eleven categories at the SPBGMA awards show in Lake Ozark, MO, including Best Band, Best Album, Best Mandolin Player, and Best Contemporary Male Vocalist.
1979, released “Just Us” album (no label).
1980, released “Sunday Morning” album (no label). Group at that time included Donny Catron (guitar), Richard Bailey (banj0) and Steve Gregory (bass).
1981, released “Hey Mr. Train” album (Ridge Runner).
1987, released “Heading West” album (Bluegrass Shack). The group at that time included Wayne Southards (guitar) and Stuart Brownlee (bass), along with Castleberry (mandolin) and Bailey (banjo).
2000, founder Castleberry died at the age of 71.
2003, a new version of the band was organized by former member Donny Catron.
One of America’s best known folk singers and flat-pick guitarists.
Real name: Arthel Lane Watson.
1960, he was “discovered” by folklorist Ralph Rinzler.
Was born with a defect in the main vessels that carry blood to the eyes, causing him to permanently lose his vision as a small child.
Even though he was blind, he was able to perform tasks that seemed almost impossible without vision. For example, he completely wired his house for electricity. All of the wiring was passed by the county building inspector and the feat was written up in an electrical journal.
1953-1962, played with a North Carolina group called “Jack Williams and the Country Gentlemen.”
Doc’s first bluegrass recording: a 1965 album of instrumentals with Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs.
For more than 25 years, Doc traveled and performed with his son Merle. Merle was killed in a tractor accident on the Watson farm in 1985.
After Merle’s death, guitarist Jack Lawrence served as Doc’s right-hand man on stage and on the road.
1965, performed at the first bluegrass festival (Carlton Haney’s Fincastle, VA festival).
September, 1997, received the National Medal of Arts from President and Mrs. Clinton at the White House.
2000, was inducted into the IBMA’s Hall of Fame.
He recorded more than 50 albums and won seven Grammies. In 2004, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by NARAS.
2003, recorded and performed with Earl Scruggs and Ricky Skaggs as one of “The Three Pickers.”
2012, died after a long illness at the age of 89.
2012, posthumously won the IBMA Award for Guitar Player of the Year.
From Marion, Virginia. Lived in Davidsonville, Maryland for many years.
Began performing in the 1950’s.
Formed his band The Virginians in the early 60’s. Recorded several landmark albums for United Artists and Monument Records. This group appeared regularly on the Jimmy Dean’s CBS-TV show.
1966, teamed up with Don Reno and the Tennessee Cutups, singing lead in place of the late Red Smiley.
1977, was involved in a traffic accident that left him with two broken legs. Reno and Harrell officially called it quits in September of that year
1978, re-organized “The Virginians” and continued to perform with this group (with numerous personnel changes over the years) until the mid-90’s when he retired.
Was a good friend of the late singer Jim Reeves. Bill wrote several songs for him.
Once considered changing his name to “Morgan Atkins” and going country. (Name is a combination of his wife’s and his mother’s maiden names.
He performed for presidents Nixon, Reagan and Bush.
His son Mitch Harrell performed for many years with the Virginians and became a solo artist.
2008, recieved a “Distinguished Achievement Award” from the IBMA.
A traditional bluegrass band from Cullman, Alabama.
Davis’s father and grandfather were both musicians, and his uncle Cleo Davis was in Bill Monroe’s first Blue Grass Boys (1939).
The Warrior River Boys were originally formed in the mid-1950’s by Garry Thurmond. Due to his declining health, he turned the band over to 23-year-old Davis in 1984.
Davis plays mandolin and sings lead.
Band has included legendary musicians such as fiddler Charlie Cline and former bluegrass boy Tom Ewing.
A successful songwriter: has had songs recorded by Doug Stone, Perfect Stranger, others.
Founding member of the Charlotte Americana Showcase.
He is also a well-known storyteller. He was featured at the National Storytelling Festival and was Teller In Residence at the International Storytelling Center.
He has performed at major music events like MerleFest and the Walnut Valley Festival.
His band is called No Angels.
Has released numerous albums including Ways to Travel (Rank) featuring Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Brent Truitt, Pat Flynn, other bluegrass musicians.