BILL YATES

• From Washington, DC.
• Played bass with the Country Gentlemen from 1969 to 1989.
• 2005, formed a new band “Bill Yates and Friends” to perform the songs of the Country Gentlemen. The group features the lead vocals of Mike Phipps, who sounds remarkably like the late Charlie Waller. Other band members: Darren Beachley (guitar), Kevin Church (banjo), Dave Propst (mandolin), Mark Clifton (Dobro™), Terry Pearson (bass). Eventually the band came to be known as the The Country Gentlemen Tribute Band.
• 2006, recorded “Country Gentlemen Tribute” album.
• 2009, recorded “Country Gentlemen Tribute, Volume II” album.
• 2015, died at the age of 78.

THE YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND

• From Nederland, Colorado.
• Called “The Original JamGrass Band.” They have been known to “jam” on one tune for more than 60 minutes.
• They often invite celebrity performers to jam on stage with them–such as Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, David Grisman, Bryan Sutton, even Earl Scruggs.
• Formed in 1998, and has since performed at hundreds of prestigious venues, including Telluride, Rockygrass, MerleFest and the historic Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco (the show was a sell-out).
• They produce and distribute their own recordings, making them available to fans via live shows, internet downloads, etc.
• Band members include Adam Aijala (guitar), Ben Kaufman (bass), Jeff Austin (mandolin) and Dave Johnston (banjo.)
• Aijala previously played in punk and heavy metal rock bands.
• Austin and Johnston met in college (University of Illinois) where Johnston played in a group called the “Bluegrassholes.”
• 2014, Austin left and formed his own group, The Jeff Austin Band.
• 2015, released Black Sheep album (Frog Pad).
• 2019, founding member Jeff Austin died at the age of 45.
• 2020, band now includes Allie Kral (fiddle) and Nick Piccininni (mandolin).
• 2022, released Get Yourself Outside album (Frog Pad).
• 2024, released Nowhere Next album (Frog Pad).

THE YOUNG ACOUSTIC ALL STARS

• A group of teen bluegrass musicians that formed in 1994, evolving from Pete Wernick’s “Bluegrass Youth Allstars,” a group he assembled for the 1993 IBMA Awards Show.
• Members included Josh Williams (guitar/banjo), Wade Butler (guitar), Joey Gipson (banjo/Dobro™), Jonathan Jones (guitar/banjo), Kati Penn (fiddle).
• 1994, recorded one album “Somewhere Down the Road.”
• Broke up in 1998.

ADRIENNE YOUNG (AND LITTLE SADIE)

• From Tallahassee, Florida. Lives in Nashville.
• A singer, songwriter who plays guitar, fiddle and banjo.
• Her grandfather had a Florida band called The Timberland Bluegrass Band.
• As a teen, she performed with a local band called Big White Undies.
• Graduated with a music business degree from Belmont University (Nashville). While there, she formed a band called Liters of Pop.
• Learned banjo from Ketch Secor, of Old Crow Medicine Show.
• 2003, won the Chris Austin songwriting contest at MerleFest.
• 2003, formed her touring band “Little Sadie.”
• 2003, released first album “Plow to the End of the Row” on her own label, AddieBelle Records, the name coming from nickname Young was given while working as a tour guide at Nashville’s Belle Meade Mansion. The CD, which includes a packet of wildflower seeds along with artwork based on the Farmer’s Almanac, was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Album Package.
• 2005, released second album “The Art of Virtue” based on Benjamin Franklin’s Thirteen Virtues.
• She is spokesperson for the Food Routes Network which is involved with “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” campaigns nationwide to build and strengthen local farms and healthy food systems.

DEMPSEY YOUNG

• From Rocky Mount, Virginia. Originally from Richmond, Virginia.
• He was a very influential mandolin player for more than three decades (70’s, 80’s and 90’s). Ronnie McCoury credits Dempsey with inspiring him to play mandolin.
• 1970, he worked with a group called “The New Grass Express.”
• 1972, formed (with Alan Mills) the Lost and Found and remained with that group until his death 34 years later.
• Died, December 2006 of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

VERN YOUNG

• • From Lamar, Missouri. Originally from Rochester, New York.
  • Began performing at age 12.
  • His real name is Guy Lewis Young. While working at a radio station, his boss requested that he change his name. Someone suggested “Vern” and the name stuck.
  • 1951, he played guitar and sang lead with Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys (replacing Jimmy Martin) for on one short tour (10 days).
  • During his early performing days, he worked with Ernest Tubb, Little Jimmy Dickens, Hank Thompson, Grandpa Jones, and other traditional country artists.
  • Moved to Utah where he worked worked as a DJ on radio station KSOP. He also worked as a deputy sheriff in Salt Lake City. He was featured in “True Detective” magazine for his arrest of a notorious criminal.
  • 1989, returned to his music career and formed the Vern Young Band.
  • He received the Male Vocalist of the Year 11 times by SPBGMA in Missouri.
  • 2002, was inducted into the Old Time Country Music Hall of Fame.
  • 2010, was presented a proclamation by the Governor of Missouri for his 72 years in music.
  • 2012, retired from performing at age 88.
  • 2019, died at the age of 95.