CACHE VALLEY DRIFTERS From Santa Barbara, California. Formed 1972, broke up 1983. Re-united 1992. Original members: Wally Barnick (bass), Bill Griffin (mandolin), David West (guitar,…
CADILLAC SKY From Fort Worth, TX Formed in 2002 by Bryan Simpson (mandolin, fiddle, lead vocals), Matt Menefee (banjo), Mike Jump (guitar), Clint Sturgeon (bass),…
CALIFORNIA 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,…
SHAWN CAMP From Perryville, Arkansas. A songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose songs have been recorded by Garth Brooks (“Two Pina Coladas”), Brooks and Dunn (“How Long…
JIMMY CAMPBELL From Detroit, Michigan. 1987, moved to Nashville to play fiddle with Jim and Jesse. 1990, played fiddle with Bill Monroe and the Blue…
JOHNNY CAMPBELL AND THE BLUEGRASS DRIFTERS From Nashville, Tennessee. Originally from Detroit. A third generation fiddler, he is brother to the late Jimmy Campbell, who…
THE CANA RAMBLERS From Cana, Virginia. A family band featuring three siblings: Will Jones (guitar), Laura Leigh Jones (mandolin), Ashley Jones (bass), dad Phillip Jones…
MO CANADA From Courtland, Virginia. Lives in Windsor, Virginia. Began playing guitar at age 13. Primary influences: Tony Rice, Jimmy Herring, Scott Miller, Bela Fleck,…
CANDLEWYCK From Charlotte, North Carolina. A newgrass band formed in 1999 featuring Ty Bennett (guitar) and Chris Emerson (mandolin), who also perform together in a…
CANE MILL ROAD From Deep Gap, North Carolina. Formed in 2015 by teens Liam Purcell (mandolin) and Tray Wellington (banjo) who are both from Deep…
CANEY CREEK From Ohio. Formed in 2008 by Stacy Wilcox (banjo), Chris Smith (guitar) and Dave Prater (mandolin). In 2014, Joe Robinson (bass) joined the…
MELONIE CANNON From Nashville. Born in Jackson, Tennessee. Daughter of legendary country music songwriter & producer Buddy Cannon (Kenny Chesney, Reba McIntyre, Mel Tillis, George…
THE CANTRELLS Husband-wife folk duo from Helena, Montana. Have sung together since 1983. Had a band called “The Tractors.” Emily is originally from Nankipoo, Tennessee;…
DENNIS CAPLINGER From Vista, California (near San Diego). Lives in Murietta, California (Riverside County). Since 1980, plays banjo and fiddle with John Moore in the…
RAY CARDWELL AND TENNESSEE MOON From Springfield, Missouri. 1975, began singing with his family band The Cardwell Family (with his sisters Nancy and Susan). Nancy…
JOHN CARLINI From Summit, New Jersey. Lives in Berkeley Heights, NJ. Banjo and guitar player who was at the forefront of the new acoustic music…
JUSTIN CARBONE From Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Lives in Nashville. Plays both banjo and guitar. Got a banjo on his 12th birthday. 1998, formed a band…
CAROLINA BLUE From Brevard, North Carolina. Formed in 2007 after the release of the album “Nothing So Blue” (no label) by Bobby Powell (guitar) and…
CARPENTER AND MAY From Nashville. A duo featuring Fred Carpenter on fiddle (formerly with Tony Rice Unit, the Dillards, Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time)…
JOE CARR From Dallas, Texas. Lived and worked in Levelland, Texas. 1974, formed Texas band called Roanoke. 1977-1982, worked with The Country Gazette (with Alan…
THE CARROLL COUNTY RAMBLERS From Carroll County in north central Maryland. Formed in 1961 by husband and wife Leroy and Dottie Eyler. LeRoy died in…
RUSS CARSON From Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Plays banjo. 2009-10, worked with Gold Heart. 2010, joined Audie Blaylock and Redline. 2011, released solo project Last Chance on…
JASON CARTER From Greenup County, Kentucky. Lives in Nashville. While in high school, played guitar with a group called Idle Times. After high school, played…
THE CARTER FAMILY From Bristol, Tennessee. Original group: A.P. (Alvin Pleasant), Sara and Maybelle Carter. Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1970.…
TIM CARTER (THE CARTER BROTHERS) From North Carolina; lives in Nashville. Plays banjo, mandolin and guitar. 1980, formed The Carter Brothers with his brother Danny,…
RYAN CAVANAUGH From North Carolina. A child prodigy, he began playing the banjo at age 5 and performed as a child with Doc Watson, Doug…
CEDAR HILL From Hillboro, Missouri (in the Missouri Ozarks). Formed in 1967 by Frank Ray and his uncle Richard Orchard. The original name of the…
CEDAR HILL From Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1976. They perform primarily in Atlanta’s night club district, with a high energy bluegrass, comedy and variety show.…
CHAIN STATION From Denver, Colorado Formed in 2006 by Alex Thoele (guitar) and Jon Pickett (guitar) in Estes Park, Colorado. They were later joined by…
BUBBA CHANDLER Grew up in Alabama and Missouri, then moved to Virginia. Now lives in Hardy, Virginia. 1979-1983, played guitar with the Lost and Found.…
NICK CHANDLER AND DELIVERED From Weaverville, North Carolina. 2003, played mandolin in a band with Bobby Hicks (shortly after Bobby left Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky…
TRAVERS CHANDLER AND AVERY COUNTY From Baltimore, Maryland. Chandler was born in Roxboro, North Carolina. Chandler plays mandolin and sings lead. Before forming Avery County…
SARAH CHAPMAN From Northeast Alabama. Began singing as a young teen, received her first guitar at age 16. 2018, moved to Nashville at age 20.…
THE CHAPMANS From Springfield, Missouri. (Originally from Denver, Colorado) Formed in 1989 by Bill and Patti Chapman (dad and mom) and three sons, John, Jeremy…
CHARM CITY JUNCTION From Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore’s nickname is “Charm City.” The band consists of a bluegrass fiddler, an old time banjo picker, a Celtic…
CHATHAM COUNTY LINE From Raleigh, North Carolina. Formed in 1996 by guitarist/songwriter Dave Wilson. Other members: John Teer (fiddle/mandolin), Chandler Holt (banjo), and Greg Reading…
CHE APALACHE From Buenos Aires, Argentina Band members are from Argentina, Mexico and the USA. They call their music “latin-grass.” Formed in 2013 by North…
CHERRYHOLMES From Northeastern Arizona. Originally from Southern California (Bell, CA). A family band: Jere (Pop) plays bass. Sandy Lee (Mom) plays mandolin. The kids: Daughters…
CHESAPEAKE From the Washington, DC area. Formed in 1993 by Mike Auldridge, Moondi Klein and T. Michael Coleman (who were all performing with the Seldom…
THE CHESTNUT GROVE QUARTET From Washington County (southwestern), Virginia. Formed shortly after World War II at the Chestnut Grove Methodist Church. An acapella gospel quartet…
KATHY CHIAVOLA From Nashville, Tennessee. Pronounced Kee-ávola Has a master’s degree in voice from Oberlin Conservatory of Music. As a Nashville session musician, she has…
CHICKEN WIRE EMPIRE From Milwaukee, Wisconsin Formed in 2016 by Jordan Kroger (bass), Ernest Brusubardis IV (fiddle) Jon Peik (banjo), Ryan Ogburn (mandolin) Greg Brundage…
THE CHIEFTAINS From Dublin, Ireland. Formed in 1963 by Paddy Maloney, an uillean piper. Went full-time in 1975. Became Ireland’s best known performers of traditional…
THE CHIGGER HILL BOYS AND TERRI From Hendersonville, Tennessee (Nashville area). Formed in 2001. They specialize in bluegrass gospel music. Band members: Mike Richards (mandolin/guitar),…
CHOPPED LIVER BLUEGRASS BAND From Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Formed in 2018 by Andrew Ivens (guitar), Adam Vrankulj (bass) and Victor Vrankulj (banjo). 2020, released first…
CHOSEN ROAD From Princeton, West Virginia. A bluegrass gospel group formed in 2009 by Jonathan Buckner (guitar). The band is sometimes billed as Jonathan Buckner…
THE CHRISTIAN QUARTET From Ennis, North Carolina. A gospel bluegrass band featuring three brothers: Jay (guitar), Ray (mandolin) and Alvin (bass) Shaw. Other members of…
BRIAN CHRISTIANSON From Nashville. A fiddle player and luthier. 2000, received his degree in String Instrument Repair, Violin Specialty from the Minnesota State Technical College…
RAMONA CHURCH From North Wilkesboro, North Carolina Formerly played banjo with the New Coon Creek Girls. Won the Kentucky State Banjo Championship three years in…
THE CHURCHMEN A gospel bluegrass band from Collinsville, Virginia. Formed June 8, 1989 by original members Freddy Rakes (banjo), Keith Clark (guitar), Jeff Mills (bass)…
THE CHURCH SISTERS From Galax, Virginia. A band featuring the vocals of twin sisters Savannah and Sarah Church. Band members include Savannah (fiddle, lead vocals),…
RICHARD CIFERSKÝ From Pezinok, Slovakia (Slovak Republic). Began playing banjo at age 15. 1998-2002, formed a band called 29 Strings. 1999, co-founded the Slovak Bluegrass…
CINDY G From McKeesport, Pennsylvania. A singer/songwriter who has performed rhythm and blues and rock music during the bulk of her career. Her first band…
CIRCA BLUE From Martinsburg, West Virginia. Formed in 2010 by Steve Harris (guitar). Other members: Steve’s brother Dave Harris (bass), Ron Webb (mandolin), Jon Glik…
CIRCUIT RIDERS From North Carolina. Formed in 2004 by Darin Aldridge, Greg Corbett, Billy Gee, Jaret Carter and Greg Luck. Several members of this band…
CIRCUS NO. 9 From East Tennessee. A progressive bluegrass band described as “John Hartford meets John Coltrane.” Formed in 2016 by Matthew Davis (banjo), Thomas…
BOBBY CLARK From Oklahoma. Won the national mandolin championship in Winfield, Kansas. Early bands: The Bluegrass Revue with Vince Gill. Also worked with Vassar Clements,…
THE CLARK BROTHERS / SONS OF SYLVIA From Rocky Mount, Virginia Originally a gospel group formed by Freddy and Sylvia Clark and their nine children…
MARVIN CLARK From Beverly, Ohio. A singer/songwriter/guitarist who founded the Ohio Valley Opry, an old-time music venue on McConnelsville, Ohio. He performs there regularly. His…
ROY CLARK From Meherrin, Virginia. Lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a boy, played bluegrass with his father, Hester Clark, and other members of his family…
WILL CLARK From Pickens, South Carolina. Plays all the bluegrass instruments but focuses primarily on mandolin. 2012, joined the James King Band. He also worked…
CLAYBANK From West Jefferson, North Carolina. Formed in 2015 by 15-year old Zack Arnold (mandolin), 17-year old Jacob Greer (guitar), Tyler Thompson (banjo) and Gary…
VASSAR CLEMENTS From Kissimmee, Florida. Began playing the fiddle when he was five years old. Called “The Father of Hillbilly Jazz.” 1949-1956, at age 21…
MICHAEL CLEVELAND (AND FLAMEKEEPER) From Louisville, Kentucky. He was born in Henryville, Indiana. Blind from birth, he began playing fiddle at age 4. 1993, gained…
THE CLEVERLYS From Cane Spur, Arkansas, a fictional Ozark town. On stage, they portray a family bluegrass band: Digger Cleverly (guitar), Ricky Lloyd Cleverly (bass),…
BILL CLIFTON Native of Baltimore (Lutherville), Maryland. Lives in Mendota, Virginia. Real name: William Marburg. Changed his name in 1950 to avoid embarrassing his family.…
CHARLIE CLINE From Baisden, West Virginia. Late 1940’s, he joined the Lonesome Pine Fiddlers with brothers Curly Ray and Ezra. 1952-55, was a member of…
CURLY RAY CLINE From Pike County, Kentucky. Best known as the long-time fiddler with Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys. 1938, at age 15…
THE CLUMSY LOVERS From Vancouver, B.C., Canada Formed in 2001. Began playing pubs in the Vancouver area. They call their music “raging bluegrass Celtic rock.”…
THE CLUSTER PLUCKERS From Nashville, Tennessee. Formed in 1988 by vocalists Margaret Archer Bailey and Kris Ballinger (who began singing together in 1979 in Vassar…
COALTOWN DIXIE From east Kentucky. Described as “High Heeled Bluegrass,” they were formed in 2009 by Kris Bailey Preston (mandolin), Kalyn Bradford (guitar), Stephanie May…
THE COCKMAN FAMILY A gospel group from Sherrills Ford, North Carolina. The Cockman Family include four brothers, their sister and their father. John Cockman Sr.…
THE CODY SISTERS From Parker, Colorado A group featuring sisters Megan Cody (guitar, mandolin, age 15 in 2018) and Maddie Cody (guitar, banjo, age 13…
DAVID COFFEY From Waynesboro, Virginia. A multi-instrumentalist who plays all the bluegrass instruments. Age 16, toured with a gospel group called The Crestmen. Worked for…
COLEBROOK ROAD From Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Formed in 2008 by Jesse Eisenbise (guitar, lead vocals) and Wade Yankey (mandolin). Other members: Jeff Campbell (bass), Mark Rast…
COMMON STRINGS From Blairsville, Georgia Formed in 2003 when Darron and Vanessa Nichols (now married) first met. Vanessa is from Kentucky. Play a blend of…
COMMONWEALTH BLUEGRASS BAND From Richmond, Virginia. Formed in 2013 by Randy Cook (mandolin), Malcolm Pulley (banjo), Jason Owens (guitar), Lance Seal (bass), and Wally Hughes…
MIKE COMPTON Native of Meridian, Missisippi (the homeplace of Jimmie Rodgers). He is a master of the “Monroe-style” mandolin. He has been a member of…
DUDLEY CONNELL From the Washington, D.C. area. 1975, founded the Johnson Mountain Boys, playing guitar and singing lead. Led this group until the band’s final…
CONNIE AND BABE AND THE BACKWOODS BOYS From middle Tennessee. Connie Gately (guitar) and Babe Lofton (guitar). Band members included Thayer Washer (vocals), Red Roberts…
AMANDA COOK From Pace, Florida (near Pensacola on the Gulf Coast). 2007, formed a bluegrass group with her banjo-playing father called High Cotton. 2013, released…
JACK COOKE From Norton, Virginia. (In 1963, he served a half-term as Mayor of Norton.) 1955, joined the Stanley Brothers, playing bass. 1956-1960, joined Bill…
WILMA LEE (AND STONEY) COOPER From Valley Head, West Virginia. Wilma Lee, her parents and two sisters had a gospel group in the 1930’s called…
TOM CORBETT From Encino (San Fernando Valley), California (born and raised in Columbus, Ohio). Was a member of the Acousticats and the Disneyland Bluegrass Band.…
LARRY CORDLE (AND LONESOME STANDARD TIME) From Cordell, Kentucky (named after his ancestors). Ricky Skaggs is also from Cordell. They were neighbors. Lives in Nashville.…
CORNERSTONE From Ithaca, (upstate) New York. Formed in 1990. 1991, won the Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival band contest. Banjo player Chris Stuart has written several songs…
SHARON CORT (AND NEW RIVER RANCH) From Southern California. Lives in Nashville. In California she performed regularly at The Venice Beach Sidewalk Cafe, the Palomino…
PETE CORUM (AND RISING SUN) From Burlington, North Carolina. Real name is Jervis Corum. Pete is a nickname. 1975, played bass with Lester Flatt and…
COUNTRY COOKING From Ithaca, New York. Formed in 1970, one of the first bands to mix jazz and rock stylings with traditional bluegrass. Featured several…
COUNTRY CURRENT (U.S. NAVY BAND) Based in Annapolis, Maryland. Formed in 1973 by banjo player Bill Emerson. He remained with the group until 1993. The…
THE COUNTRY GAZETTE From Levelland, Texas. They were called “America’s Bluegrass Band.” Formed in 1970 in Los Angeles featuring Byron Berline (fiddle), Alan Munde (banjo),…
THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN From Washington, DC. How they formed: In July of 1957, Buzz Busby and the Bayou Boys were performing at the Admiral Grill…
THE COUNTRY GENTLEMEN SHOW From Washington, D.C. area. Formed in 2005 as Bill Yates and Friends by Bill Yates, a 20-year member of the Country…
COUNTRY GRASS From Virginia. Formed in 1974 by Wes Golding (guitar) and Herschel Sizemore (mandolin). Other band members: Wayne Golding (bass) and Tom McKinney (banjo).…
COUNTRY HAM An old-time string band from the Washington DC area. Formed in 1975 by Carl and Judy Pagter. The Pagters had homes in both…
THE COUNTRY STORE From Virginia. Formed in 1973 by Keith Whitley (guitar), Jimmy Gaudreau (mandolin), Carl Jackson (banjo) and Bill Rawlings (bass). Later, Jackson was…
JOHN COWAN From Louisville. Lives in Nashville. Often called “Johnny C.” He is also known as the Voice of Newgrass. Began his musical career playing…
THE COX FAMILY From Cotton Valley, (Northeast) Louisiana. Formed as a family band in 1974 by father Willard Cox (fiddle) and his children: Suzanne Cox…
KRISTY COX From Adelaide, South Australia. Moved to Nashville in 2013. 2013, won Australian Independent Artist of the Year at the Australian Independent Country Music…
DANIEL CRABTREE From Greenbriar, Tennessee. Learned to play guitar and sing at age 15. Formed a group at his church called the Lights Chapel Boys,…
PAUL CRAFT From Nashville. Originally from Memphis. Best known as a songwriter. His songs were recorded by many top artists, including Linda Ronstadt, the Eagles,…
DAN CRARY Native of Kansas City, Missouri. Lives in Placerville, CA. Also known as “Deacon Dan Crary.” He is regarded as one of the top…
CRANDALL CREEK From Moundsville, West Virginia Formed in 2015 by Jerry Andrews (guitar). Kathy Wigman Lesnock (guitar), Dustin Terpenning (mandolin/banjo). Other band members: Lilli Gadd…
ANDREW CRAWFORD From Greenfield, South Carolina. A singer, songwriter, guitarist (also plays banjo), instructor and recording artist. He often records with his wife Brandi Colt.…
CREEK BEND From Buffalo, New York. Formed in 1978 by Ted Lambert. Original members: Ted Lambert (banjo), Ted Lambert Sr. (bass) and Rich Schaefer (guitar).…
CRICKET TELL THE WEATHER From Brooklyn, New York. A string band featuring fiddler and songwriter Andrea Asprelli, originally from Colorado. A classical violinist, she discovered…
NED CRISP (AND BOTTOMLINE) From Worthington, Kentucky. Band formed in 2002. Original members: Ned Crisp (banjo), John Manifold (guitar), Don Rambo (bass). 2012, released Taking…
THE CROOKED JADES From the San Francisco Bay area. Formed in 1994 by guitarist Jeff Kazor. Other members: Tom Lucas (fiddle/banjo), Stephanie Prausnitz (fiddle), Lisa…
CROOKED STILL From Boston, Massachusetts. 2001, formed at the New England Conservatory of Music (Boston) at a jam session. Original members: Aoife O’Donovan (vocals), Rushad…
CROSSPOINT From southeast Kentucky/east Tennessee, near Cumberland Gap, Tennessee. Formed in 2008. A gospel group featuring Alan Powers (banjo), Gary Kidwell (guitar), Steve Partin (mandolin),…
TIM CROUCH From Batesville, Arkansas He began playing fiddle and mandolin at the age of 7. Tim grew up playing in a bluegrass trio with…
DAVID CROW From Florida. Began musical career at age seven on guitar. Recorded first fiddle album at age 15. First band: “Beachville Bluegrass” (while in…
THE CROWE BROTHERS From Nebo, North Carolina. They are originally from Clayton, Georgia. Featured brothers Wallace (guitar) and Wayne (bass). They both go by their…
J.D. CROWE (AND THE NEW SOUTH) From Lexington, Kentucky. 1955, began his career as a member of Mac Wiseman’s band. 1956, joined Jimmy Martin’s band,…
CRUCIAL SMITH From Nashville, Tennessee. Formed in the late eighties by Kyle Wood (mandolin), Tim May (guitar), Michael McLain (banjo), and Dave ‘Doc’ Holladay (bass).…
CRYING UNCLE BLUEGRASS BAND From Alameda, California. Formed in 2016 as the Crying Uncle Duo by brothers Miles Quale (fiddle) and Teo Quale (mandolin), who…
CUMBERLAND GAP CONNECTION From Pike County, Kentucky. Band members are from both Kentucky and Tennessee. Formed in 2004 by Mike Bentley (guitar and lead vocals).…
THE CUMBERLAND HIGHLANDERS From Rosine, Kentucky (Bill Monroe’s birthplace). Called “America’s Mountain Music Show.” Formed in 1986 by Campbell Mercer (who now serves as Executive…
CUMBERLAND RIVER From Harlan County, Kentucky. Formed in 2009 by James Dean (banjo), Joseph Jones (bass), Dustin Middleton (mandolin) and Andy Buckner (guitar). Jamie Stewart…
CURLY DAN AND WILMA ANN Originally from Clay, West Virginia. Moved to Detroit, Michigan and performed there for most of their career. Later moved to…
DENNIS CYPORYN Banjo virtuoso from Detroit, Michigan. Pronounced Sigh-por-in. A writer: his “Bluegrass Songbook” was published by MacMillan, the first of its kind for a…